Even after six and a half decades of creation of Pakistan, Kashmir continues to be a bone of contention between to arch rivals – India and Pakistan. The entire world, including the UN and India, recogonises the fact that Kashmir is a disputed territory. The fact of the matter is that not only the improvement in bilateral relations between India and Pakistan but also political and economic stability in the region greatly depends on the resolution of the Kashmir issue.
Plebiscite is the only and perhaps the best way to resolve this long-pending problem. Pakistan has been urging India, the United Nations and the world powers matter to bring an end to this grave problem; a problem that has played and continues to play a damaging role in deteriorarting India-Pakistan bilateral relations and causing instability in the region.
Pakistan sincerely desires to see lasting peace in the region. In 1998 too, Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif took initiatives to resolve the issue of Kashmir through bilateral negotiations. He is once again making sincere efforts to bring India to the negotiating table and resolve the Kashmir issue bilaterally.
Unambiguously, establishment of peace in the region and improvement in bilateral relations between India and Pakistan largely depend on peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
M FAZAL ELAHI
Islamabad
Selective use of facts or half truths is equivalent to telling lies. You need to go back in history. In 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh was dillydallying on his decision to join either India or Pakistan and wanted to stay independent, an option that wasn't available to him. Jinnah Sahab got impatient and ordered General Gracey to capture Kashmir by force. Gracey could not accept this order as that would amount to British army fighting it's own soldiers (the British officers were present on both sides of the newly formed border). He then organized pushing in tribals into Kashmir, who looted, raped and killed under the guidance of Pakistan army officers. At a time when Kabayalis were closing in on Srinagar, the Maharaja panicked and requested Indian army to save them from savages. Patel took a stand that until Hari Singh agreed to sign the Instrument of Accession, he would not order Indian army to move in. Indian army was flown in only after Hari Singh signed Accession and pushed tribals to current position. They could have pushed them further but Nehru, a democrat that he was stopped and summoned UN for resolution of dispute and agreed for plebiscite. UN resolution called for vacation of occupied territory so that a fair plebiscite could be conducted. But Pakistan feared vacating occupied areas for 24 years. In 1972 the UN resolutions were nullified as they could not be implemented and were replaced by Simla Agreenent. Under this agreement, both countries came close to resolution twice but each time efforts were thwarted by vested interests of Pakistan army. Resolution of Kashmir dispute would render them useless as an army of half a million for a small nation is unjustified without an enemy.
Excellent summary!
The problem of Kashmir has nothing to do with history…it has everything to do with tomorrow….what kind of future do Pakistanis want to leave to their children?…continuous war or peace?…stop complaining about the past and do something today toward peace oh great leaders of Pakistan!…
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The whole Kashmir thing is more complicated than a four plus one para of narrative …
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The only perspective one can have now is: "watch what your hangovers can do to you" …
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The kashmir issue is real cause of tenssion, the bone of contenstion ,Both countries shold work ti settle once for all .
Kashmir, , Crimea, Ukraine, Baluchistan, Karachi, Sind should all have plebiscite to determine their future for permanent peace.
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Very simple and easy …
Isn't it ???
Khanjar chale kisi par tadapte hain ham Ameer
Saare jahan ka dard hamaare jigar mein hai
If plebiscite is done in Kashmir to expel India then Indians will do plebiscite to expel Muslim from India. Kashmir is an issue confined to three district and may affect 3-4 million Muslim but India has over 20 million muslim. What will happen to them? Even in modern times, carnage does happen and population transfer take place ( check Kasvo). Indian muslim will get Modi treatment and will be given option of Pakistan or Qabirstan. I think muslim should learn to live with others. It seems that Pakistan cares only for Kashmiri Muslim and does not give a damn about Indian Muslim or Bihari muslim in Bangladesh. It is next to impossible to convince 1 Billion Indians or Hindus to let go Kashmir but keep Indian muslim. Pakistan and Pakistanis are delusional. In the end, India is not a basket case like Pakistan and will not give damn to peace in the region. Honestly,India will never agree to have to another hostile muslim state next to China. What do you think, creating a new extremist muslim hardcore nation with Taliban like mentality will bring in the region?
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" India has over 20 million muslim" …
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Correction: India's muslim population is ~200 million (17% of 1.2 billion) — which is, by itself, larger than Pakistan's 180 million …
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