yes brother

The writer makes an impassioned plea for sanity in political decision-making amongst stakeholders in the Indian sub-continent. I feel the argument for Kashmir’s independence – though rigorous and just – requires the indispensable feature of ‘neutrality’, which should not only make Kashmir immune to armed conflict in it’s volatile neighbourhood, it will positively act as a conflict resolution hub for Asia, if not beyond. A bridge (breathing space perhaps) between China and Hindustan (Indo-Pak) or even a civilisational/commercial link between Central and South Asia. The opportunities seem almost infinite: a mammoth contrast to the illogical rut that Kashmir was swamped in when the ill-fated two-nation theory brutally emerged in 1947.

1. Open all of the traditional travel routes between all regions of the divided state namely Gilgit, Hunza, Yasin,Baltistan, Ladakh, ‘Azad’ Kashmir, Jammu, and Kashmir Valley. In terms of travelling documents, the State Subject to be issued in a card form by the regional or district officers seems the best option available. Alternatively, the regional or district offices perhaps could be authorised to issue other agreed documents.

2. Release all political prisoners in all parts of the State.
3. Withdraw armies away from the populated areas across the division line and in case of India from the towns and cities of the Indian occupied Kashmir (IOK) or Indians officially call it “The Jammu and Kashmir”.

4. Lift all restrictions currently imposed on the freedom of press and association in the Indian and Pakistani administered Kashmir, followed by necessary constitutional amendments in existing regional assemvlies in Gilgit, Muzzafarabad and Srinagar-Jammu to make these assemblies fully inclusive and democratic by lifting restrictions on Pro independence parties and politics.
5. Recognise the demands by Jammu and Ladakhi people for regional assemblies.
6. Withdraw all personnel deputed or appointed by the Indian and Pakistani governments (also commonly called lent officers) in Kashmiri administrations.
7. Lift all restrictions on International Human Rights organisations and media in all parts of the state.
8. Elections for local municipalities should be announced spontaneously across the state.
9. The local municipalities should carry out a comprehensive survey and analysis of local needs;
10. International observers and media should be requested to monitor the process of forthcoming election of regional and State assemblies.

11. Date for the elections of all regional assemblies should be announced simultaneously with inclusive right of all peoples of the State to participate in elections. The regional assemblies should have mandate for formulating policies and strategies on regional affairs including local resources, development, trade and investment etc.
12. If any of the regional assemblies wish to join with neighbouring regional assembly of the state they should have the right to do so.

13. After an agreed period an inclusive, democratic, fair and free election should be held to elect an Interim and representative Government for the entire state. In order to make this assembly to reflect the diversity of the state, representation should be allocated to all five regions according to the population of each region. One way of electing the representations from Kashmir diaspora in India and Pakistan and in USA, Europe, Britain and Middle East can be to allocate certain percentage of representation for diaspora according to their population.

14. All armies of India and Pakistan should be withdrawn from the territory of Kashmir State.
15. This interim government should be recognised by the international community including India, Pakistan and China as the representative government of the State with the mandate to represent Kashmiris in all negotiations regarding the future status of Kashmir.
16. After an agreed period all state subjects should be given an opportunity to decide the future status of the Kashmir state through a fair and free referendum.
END

Reunification of Kashmiris is more a humane concern than political one. Mr. Khan very artfully combined the historical events of 20th century and related them with situation in south asia. If india and pakistan would have cared for the issues to be resolved sincerely, i am sure Kashmiris would have become independent. But it seems that both these countries dont care even for that own people. Nice contribution. May peace prevail in south asia and across the globe.

Let there be some plain pragmatic talking.

Kashmir conflict is a result of Bangladesh breaking out of Pakistan. After the 1971 war debacle, Pakistani establishment took-up the revange project of breaking Kashmir away from India . Its intelligence apparatus started to set up training camps and systematically train and indoctrinate muslims of different origine in the name of fighting religious war in Kashmir, while inciting and training a section of the Kashmiri youth to prepare them for a full blown insurgency.

The insurgency in Kashmir started in 1989 with the fall of the Soviets in Afghanistan.

Indian authority responded by sending Military to neutralize the armed insurgents that already entered Kashmir and to stop infiltration of trained terrorists from across the border.

The armed conflict is continuing since then.

The state of Jammu and Kashmir, as it stands today has three different regions with muslim majority in the Kashmir valley alone. The others have no issue with the Indian constitution.

The Hindu Pandit population from Kashmir have been ethnically cleansed by the muslim terrorists, who are uprooted from their homes of generations, waiting to go back.

Amongst the Kashmiri muslim population, a large number participated in the recently held polls in the state, which clearly reflects that those in league with Pakistan are a minority.

Keeping the above in consideration, it would be simplistic to suggest that Pakistan and India end sixty years of colonial rule and Kashmir is restored to pre-1947 status.

After three wars, only viable first step will be to convert the line of control as a de-facto border between India and Pakistan. The second step would be to (a) Rehabilitate the displaced Kashmiri Hindus and
(b) facilitate free flow of trade and culture between the two sides of Kashmir.

This can be the starting point of creating favourable conditions for eventual re-union of both sides of Kashmir in the decades ahead.