It is not clear to me what Aziz Butt (The Jakarta Post, Nov. 30, p. 8)
is trying to convey in his letter “Remarks on Kashmir unacceptable.” All
I could understand from it is his concern in addressing and solving
this problem early.
I don’t know anybody who would oppose that! In the absence of the
information regarding whether Butt is an Indian, a Pakistani or a
Kashmiri Indian living in Kashmir or a Kashmiri Pakistani living in
occupied Kashmir, it is difficult to address my response.
What does he mean by “leaving the area to Kashmiris”? Indians in Jammu
and Kashmir (J&K) are already “free” because they have participated
in every election held there. This clearly brings out that Kashmiris
have very much been left to themselves, doesn’t it?
The government of Pakistan should undertake to use its best endeavors:
To secure the withdrawal from the State of Jammu and Kashmir of
tribesmen and Pakistani nationals not normally resident therein who have
entered the State for the purposes of fighting, and to prevent any
intrusion into the State of such elements and any furnishing of material
aid to those fighting in the State.
To make known to all concerned that the measures indicated in this and
the following paragraphs provide full freedom to all subjects of the
State, regardless of creed, caste, or party, to express their views and
to vote on the question of the accession of the State, and that
therefore they should cooperate in the maintenance of peace and order.
Actually, Pakistan has never completed the first step of the resolution and only talks of the second stage of Plebiscite.
Thus Pakistan should ask itself why it has failed to meet its basic obligation.
Of course, by now, we Indians are used to Pakistan’s style of making
mistakes and blaming the whole world for the outcome including their
blaming the whole world for a lack of enthusiasm in helping Pakistan’s
flood-affected citizen when its own rich and elite class hadn’t paid
their taxes!
Having realized that it has no chance of winning the plebiscite (if and
when is held) for the merger of J&K with Pakistan, it has now
started promoting J&K as an independent state!
Are we now talking of remaining unfulfilled actions of 1948 or a new
demand for an independent state? If the former, the ball is clearly in
Pakistan’s court. It can speak on this issue only after fulfilling its
obligations.
K.B. Kale
Jakarta
