What is the Solution to the Kashmir Imbroglio ?
T.A. Ramesh (India, 06/05/06)
Paradise on Earth
Kashmir is the Switzerland of India. But after the partition of the Sub-Continent of India, this Paradise on Earth has become the Purgatory of Inferno. Due to the clash between tourism and terrorism, instead of becoming the playground of Asia, Kashmir has become the battleground between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue. Now under the pressure of the USA, Pakistan has relinquished the path of war and accepted to pursue the path of peace and development with India in order to settle all outstanding issues including Jammu and Kashmir. In this stage, towards a sensible solution for the Kashmir imbroglio, ice has been broken between India and Pakistan following the model of the boundary talks between India and China.
Kashmir Rose
The beautiful Kashmir rose, whenever mishandled, its thorns pricked whoever it was. Unfortunately, hovering between democracy and dictatorship, all the Prime Ministers and Generals of Pakistan followed the same route in dealing with the Kashmir issue playing double game with double talk with India. Even after Pakistan’s intention is well exposed to the world, the present Pakistan General still plays double game with double talk holding double posts! It is impossible to have the moustache and take the soup too! Of the two, one has to forego one for the other. Otherwise nothing can be achieved even after 100 years!
Roses, Apples and Tranquillity
Beautiful roses, sweet apples and blissful tranquillity of Kashmir are there for everyone to share for the promotion of tourism and trade between the nations. Globalisation gives the opportunity to break the barriers, unite the people and move forward towards socio-economic development by freedom, democracy and modernism supported by reforms so as to achieve social justice and security in the world. Realising this trend, all concerned should shun violence and unanimously flight against the common enemy of poverty and unemployment by providing modern education, health care and jobs to their people by joint efforts.
Boundary Talk with China
After the hardliners have vanished from the political picture and settling the border dispute with Russia, China has opened boundary talk with India wishing that with accommodation and adjustments peaceful border settlements could be achieved. Maps of the middle sector of India with an area of 5,180 Sq.Km. have been exchanged. 38,000 Sq.Km. of Ladakh region and 90,000 Sq.Km. of Arunachal Pradesh are yet to be discussed after maintaining peace between Indo-Chinese border for the past 15 years.
Indo-Pak Peace Process
Likewise if Pakistan also deals with India, the dispute over Kashmir can very well be bilaterally settled soon. But contrarily, no agreements between India and Pakistan after the Indo-Pak Wars in 1949, 1965, 1971 and 1999 are followed in letter and spirit so far. In short, neither the UN resolution to conduct plebiscite for the self-determination of Kashmiri people to solve the Kashmir issue nor Shimla Agreement to solve it by bilateral talks or Lahore Declaration is followed so far to end the Kashmir imbroglio. Now after the Cold War and in the aftermath of 9/11 Terrorist Attacks only, due to pressures from all quarters, the hardliners have decided to abjure violence, terrorism and wars in order to facilitate the peace talks between India and Pakistan by resuming bus services between Delhi and Lahore, conducting Cricket matches between them in Pakistan and India and permitting Pak journalists to visit Kashmir as a gesture of people to people contact.
Proposals on the Anvil
The proposal to convert the Line of Control into Actual Line of Control along the 78,000 Sq.Km. area of Pakistan occupied Kashmir was not accepted either by Pakistan or the Kashmir separatists. Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front wants the liberation of Kashmir from India to form it into a separate nation. National Conference party wants Kashmir to be with India only having autonomous status. But the All Parties Hurriyat Conference wants Kashmir to be with Pakistan according to their proposal of trifurcating Jammu and Kashmir into Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh on communal line, which is against the Secular Kashmiriyat Culture acceptable to all the people of Kashmir. Also, Pakistan’s new proposals like the division of Kashmir into 7 regions, demilitarisation of sensitive regions and changing the status by joint Indo-Pak Administration or UN supervision are on the anvil.
Participation of all Representatives of Kashmir
After the January 2004 Islamabad SAARC meeting, India and Pakistan jointly declared to cooperate for confidence building measures as well as composite dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues. It is ascertained that without the participation of all the representatives of the people of Kashmir including the Kashmiri Pandits, who were solely responsible for the development of Kashmir and were ruthlessly driven out of Kashmir (1990) by the militants, no dialogue process will be successful.
Talks with Hurriyat
Accordingly, the Central Govt. of India has decided to have talks first with the Hurriyat leaders. There is no unity among the moderate leaders and the hardliners in the Hurriyat Conference. So far, they are neither participating in the elections to show to the world whether they really have wide support or not for their cause nor suggesting acceptable solution to solve the Kashmir problem.
Autonomous Status
Actually the adamant Hurriyat hurdles are creating boisterous blemish to the beauty and tranquillity of Kashmir in India. So, in the final analysis, it looks better if neutral autonomous status just as Switzerland is conferred on Kashmir within the frame work of the India Constitution supported by Pakistan and China, the Kashmir imbroglio can sensibly be solved once and for all.
