Zafar Khan
For quite some time I have strongly argued that Kashmiris and Pakistan must have a serious interaction/ dialogue about Pakistan’s Kashmir policy since 5 August 2019.
In the context of the Kashmir issue, India acted against its commitments on the issue with reference to theUN and her bilateral agreements, while Pakistan failed to respond appropriately.
And if we take congnisance of some utterances during recent months about setting up of gov’t in exile or similar institutions outside of Jammu Kashmir,
I do not believe People of Jammu Kashmir across the CfL will benefit from inventing such a wheel afresh.
The wheel already exists in the form of AJK gov’t. It is a matter, and indeed question of political will , which would put the wheel into motion.
The AJK gov’t must become consistent with its original 1947 declaration, and not be subservient or a rubber stamp of Pakistan gov’t’s Ministry of Kashmir Affairs.
AJK gov’t can , and must serve the purpose for which it was created for in 1947. It must uphold and defend sovereignty of all the people of Jammu Kashmir.
And Pakistan gov’t has a duty to enable the AJK gov’t to assert, and exercise it’s sovereignty in the name of 22 million Kashmiris across both sides of the CfL.
Current developments in particular, necessitate that from here on wards, the thrust of our activism must be focused on regaining our sovereignty as a people who have given incalculable sacrifices for centuries, to be free.
Our illegally incarcerated leaders including Mr Yasin Malik, must be freed from Indian Jails as they are part of the solution in the Kashmir issue/dispute. It is the respective claims of India and Pakistan that are the problem over Kashmir.
The AJK administration in fact should have swung into action on 6 August 2019 with an appropriate and necessary response to the illegal annexation, and bifurcation of Jammu Kashmir by the Indian gov’t.
It is however never too late to mend our ways as a people who have a fervent desire to be free, and independent, in deciding our political status- because sovereignty rests within 22 million people of Jammu Kashmir – not with India and Pakistan.
Let us therefore work together towards regaining our sovereign right to decide.