Home

Home

Chenab Plan could become reality

Dr Shabir Choudhry

A senior leader of JKLF and Spokesman of newly established

International Kashmir Alliance, Dr Shabir Choudhry said both India and

Pakistan plan their policies according to national interest when they

start dialogue, or even when they decide not to have a dialogue; but

the question is who will look after the interest of forcibly divided

Kashmiris.

Those who have been saying that Pakistan is our 'advocate' on Kashmir

dispute, and will win the people of Kashmir their 'freedom' need to

wake up and see that the Pakistani rulers have once again dumped the

Kashmiris. Dr Shabir Choudhry said in order to put its plan in action,

Pakistani authorities are using all 'forces' at their command and

puppet Kashmiri leaders are encouraged to issue statements in support

of division.

The statement of puppet Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir is not a

surprise to me, as every person who takes the 'job' has to dance on the

tune played by Islamabad, and any hesitation or refusal is dealt with

harshly and often results in forced removal and imprisonment as it

happened with late Mumtaz Rathore in early 1990s, Dr Choudhry added.

However the response of some APHC leaders has surprised me, he said,

because they have not fully understood the seriousness of this

statement, and have simply stated that it is opinion of an individual.

Perhaps they don't know that Sikandar Hayat is an elected Prime Minister,

a ruler of supposedly representative government of 'deposed' Maharaja

Hari Singh; and he will not open his mouth on an important policy

matter on Kashmir dispute without a green signal from Islamabad.

One who dismisses this statement or play down its seriousness on this

crucial juncture as opinion of an individual, knowing well that he is

also a Prime Minister of that area is either too naïve or part of the

grand plot to divide the State. Dr Shabir Choudhry said it looks that

APHC and the puppet Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir are working on the

same agenda as they both don't believe that the State of Jammu and

Kashmir is one political entity. Both dance on the tune played by

Islamabad and give lip service to the Kashmir cause but both have

miserably failed to even talk about the rights of people of Gilgit and

Baltistan or non Muslims of Kashmir.

Dr Shabir Choudhry said the State of Jammu and Kashmir is one political

entity and is indivisible, and any attempt to divide the State to

impose a decision on the Kashmiris would be severely opposed by the

nationalists of Kashmir. He further said in any future negotiations on

Kashmir, APHC could not represent the Kashmiris as they seriously lack

sincerity and don't speak for rights of the entire State of Jammu and

Kashmir; and also lack political vision and skills needed to safeguard

the national interest of Kashmiri people.

He said this vacuum created by APHC's inaction and lack of direction

and sincerity could be effectively filled by skilful and educated

leadership of the International Kashmir Alliance who speaks for all

people of Kashmir irrespective of their religion, ethnicity or cultural

background. Dr Choudhry said IKA leadership has generated healthy

debate about rights of all Kashmiris and have strongly advocated

accountability, transparency and justice in Kashmiri politics, which is

opposed by the APHC leaders who have more interest in the status quo.

Dr Choudhry said the Kashmir dispute could not be resolved by use of

force, and all three parties to the dispute have to sit around the

table and resolve it through a process of dialogue, but before that

environment conducive to dialogue has to be created and all three

parties have to take appropriate steps in this regard.

Dr Shabir Choudhry said if sincere Kashmir leaders and especially

nationalists of Kashmir do not get their act together then the Chenab

Plan could become a reality, and LOC could become a permanent without

converting it in to an international border.