A Kashmiri activist
of religious right Dukhtaran Millat in Srinagar
Why Do
Kashmiris Have to Chose Between India or Pakistan
Dr
Shabir Choudhry
LONDON,
September 1: Those who are pro Pakistan or pro India are relatively
in safe hands, as they are appropriately rewarded and looked after
either by Pakistan or India, in some cases by both. Even those
who claim to be ‘championing’ the cause of an independent
Kashmir, in some cases, have their loyalty ‘banked’
and ‘stored’ elsewhere.
Some
of these leaders have made a career out of the Jammu and Kashmir
dispute by promoting corruption, nepotism and destruction; and
no surprise Jammu and Kashmir has ‘won’ a position
as being the second most corrupt state.
Leaders
like Farooq Abdullah and Mufti Sayeed on the Indian side and Sardar
Qayyum, Sikandar Hayat and Sultan Mahmood on the Pakistani side,
could be accused of being clever and opportunists as they benefit
from ‘generosity’ of India and Pakistan respectively.
These
leaders benefit from ‘generosity’ of one country and
to some extent they perhaps believe in the ideology they adhere
to, but we have some leaders who are not in the mainstream politics
and they benefit from both governments and yet they are promoted
and projected as ‘true representatives’ of Kashmiris.
Whereas
in the view of many writers and Kashmir-watchers, these so called
‘true representatives’ and ‘nationalists’
are perhaps more corrupt, dishonest and hypocritical than those
who are in the field of mainstream politics on both sides of the
border. They have been assigned a task to ensure that no genuine
leadership or nationalist force should emerge on either side of
the divide.
And
to rub salt in the wounds of the people they harass and terrorize
members of the civil society and force them to project these leaders
positively. Those who refuse to follow this dictation are disciplined
by first sending the ‘goondas’, (toughies)
as has happened with many including members of the media and if
the person concerned shows obstinacy, hit squad is sent to ‘take
out’ the target.
As
both governments have their own agendas on Kashmir, and that surely
differs with our agenda of united and independent Kashmir, both,
at times, find no hesitation in joining hands to discredit and
destroy the true forces of nationalism. And one way of discrediting
true forces of nationalism is to promote and project those pseudo
nationalists who have their loyalties safely stored either in
Islamabad or in New Delhi.
For example, those who only want
to liberate Indian side of the State and have no strategy and
interest in liberating parts under Pakistan are hailed as champions
of nationalism. Similarly those who have demanded implementation
of the UN resolutions to resolve the Kashmir issue are also projected
as nationalists. And anyone who has any knowledge of these UN
resolutions knows that they only offer the people to choose between
India and Pakistan, thus denying them a right to become independent.
In
one extreme case where one so- called ‘nationalist leader’,
who openly suggested a division of the State, more or less on
communal lines, is also promoted as a senior leader of JKLF; hence
tarnishing the image of the party and nationalism. Those who have
vested interest in Kashmir and have control of the media want
to project and impose them as Kashmiri leaders. This strategy
is adopted not because of goodwill and honesty, but because they
want to exploit weaknesses of these ‘leaders’, and
later on use them as Hamid Karzai was used in Afghanistan.
Very
recently I met an old ‘friend’, who unlike many so
called experts on Kashmir, knows what the Kashmir dispute is but
his interest lies with promoting and defending Pakistani stand
on Kashmir. Clearly we disagree on various issues related to Kashmir,
but still have respect for each other. For purposes of this article,
we can call him Raj Sahib, as I will have to refer to him in order
to explain certain points.
Raj Sahib thinks politics requires
wisdom, patience and good planning; and a successful politician
uses his brain, and energy and effort of others to achieve his
target. And beauty of this approach is that other people regard
this as their success and continue to support the ‘mission’
that was never theirs and they never had any control over it.
According to him very early on
in the struggle it was decided that the Kashmir dispute would
have only two dimensions: they had to choose between India and
Pakistan. In other words they had to either support a Pakistani
view point on Kashmir or that of India. Only people working within
these parameters could be successful or get rewards. All those
who operate outside these parameters are considered as ‘outsiders’
who are there to create trouble, and wish to disturb memoranda
of understandings.
These
memoranda of understandings have different levels. There is one
level of understanding between India and Pakistan, one between
Pakistan and pro Pakistan Kashmiri leaders on both sides of the
divide. Similarly India has one level of understanding between
those Kashmiris who are pro India, and one level of understanding
between those who are apparently fighting against the Indian rule
in Jammu and Kashmir.
Raj Sahib said those Kashmiri
nationalists who claim to be nationalists and yet enjoy lifestyle
of princes; or are projected in the national media of Pakistan
and India have locked - in their loyalty in brief cases of money
provided by agencies of these countries.
‘Shabir
Sahib I can appreciate your research, know-how and dedication
to the cause of united and independent Kashmir, but it is a non-starter,
as I have told you many times. No matter how hard you work and
what sacrifices you make, you will get no where and you will not
get any rewards, if anything, you are on decline because you have
been turned into a controversial figure with certain allegations.’
Many
years ago, perhaps in 1991, while discussing the Kashmiri struggle,
Raj Sahib said to me that nothing was going to come out of this
‘freedom struggle’, and that I should say good bye
to politics of JKLF and nationalism. Raj Sahib said, ‘Road
to power and government (raj neeti) is paved by people
like Raj’, he pointed index finger to his chest, and continued
with his flattering conversation. ‘You are an educated and
talented young man’, he said, ‘Provided you are on
the right track and a person like me is behind you, you can reach
to the top in Kashmiri politics.’ Raj Sahib further said,
he has directed and put on track many people, and despite being
less educated and less talented, they have made names in the Kashmiri
politics.
I
didn’t take much notice of his advice as I thought it was
his ‘duty’ to speak against JKLF and Kashmiri nationalism;
and try to dissuade and frustrate stalwarts of JKLF. During the
course of this meeting, he reminded me of that conversation, and
said, ‘Shabir Sahib no matter how fast you walk on a wrong
path you will never reach your destination. You can work with
sincerity, hard work and dedication for the cause of a united
and an independent Kashmir, but you will get no appreciation and
no rewards because you have annoyed too many influential people.’
I tried to put up a brave face
and said that I didn’t need appreciation from anyone, and
that for righteous cause people have to pay a price. He interrupted
me, and rather harshly said, ‘Choudhry Sahib, don’t
fool yourself. We all need recognition and appreciation, and you
are no exception. I can see your frustration and bitterness; despite
sincerity and hard work your work is not appreciated, and this
is because you are on the wrong path.’
With a friendly smile Raj Sahib
said, despite your education, research and practical experience
in politics you didn’t understand that you belong to a place
called Azad Kashmir; and you don’t have luxury of too many
options there. People of Indian occupied Kashmir can get rewards
by being pro India, and they can also get rewards for being pro
Pakistan and pro independent.
But people of Azad Kashmir and
Gilgit and Baltistan could only get rewards for being pro Pakistan.
For being pro independent they face wrath of authorities and doors
of opportunities are closed to them, unless they have secretly
aligned themselves with Islamabad. And there is absolutely no
place for those who could possibly be pro India. Anyone suspected
for being pro India will face imprisonment and possibly death;
and that is the ground reality which you need to understand.
Unlike
some of your critics, I think you are not pro India, even though
some of your articles could benefit India and harm the Pakistani
stand on Kashmir. I want you to understand this ground reality
that in Azad Kashmir and Gilgit and Baltistan, there is absolutely
no place for those who support Indian policy on Kashmir and this
situation will continue until India takes over these areas which
will not happen until doomsday.
Also you need to understand this
ground reality that you live on the border of Azad Kashmir and
Pakistan; and whatever is the resolution of the Kashmir dispute,
these areas will always remain under control of Pakistan. In view
of this bitter reality, you need to review your policy and understand
this basic point that the Kashmir dispute has only two dimensions
– pro India or pro Pakistan.
The
writer is Chairman of Diplomatic Committee of JKLF and author
of many books. He is also Director, Institute of Kashmir Affairs.
Email: drshabirchoudhry@hotmail.com
