A book titled "Valley of Kashmir" by a British Civil servant Sir Walter Lawrence, published somewhere in 1890s, describes the beauty of the state Kashmir as "an emerald set in pearls, a land of lakes, clear streams, green turf, magnificent trees and mighty mountains - where the air is cool and the water is sweet." The paradise on earth as stated by many others nestles among snow-capped peaks on the north-western edge of the Himalayas, at India's northern tips.
Kashmir covers approximately 86,000 square miles, larger than many independent states of the world and has population of almost 1.4 million people stating its own recognition. The partition of Indian subcontinent in1947, based on Two Nations Theory, turned this heaven into a place where generations to come had to witness unimaginable scenes. In partition plan the smaller princely states, such as Hyderabad, Junagarh, Munawadar and Kashmir were to decide on their own whether to join India or Pakistan. Three states, with their princes' decision, Junagarh, Munawadar and Hyderabad opted to join Pakistan but India sent in her forces and took over these states by brute force, on the pretext that their Hindu majority population wanted to live with India but on the other hand Kashmiris which had historical cultural and religious affiliation with the Muslims, and dominated Muslim majority state was captured by India saying its ruler had acceded it with India.
The Indian government invaded Kashmir by sending in its troops to occupy Kashmir. Later they claimed that the Maharaja had signed a document, an Instrument of Accession, allowing the Indians to intervene in Kashmir, though India could never prove its authenticity. A famous British historian, Dr Alastair Lamb with his excellent research brought the fact on surface that there was in fact no such document and that it was impossible for the Maharaja to have signed any such document on the date specified by the Indians in those circumstances.
Kashmiris fought valiantly against the Indian troops and got back a part of Kashmir, known as Azad Kashmir, on October 24, 1947 and established a revolutionary government to struggle for the remaining Kashmir. The United Nations constituted a commission on India and Pakistan (UNCIP) to find facts and submit its recommendations. On the basis of the reports and recommendation submitted by the commission, UN resolutions gave Kashmiris their fundamental right to determine their fate of future through free and fair plebiscite but India has never allowed this plebiscite to be carried out.
Since 1947 and specially after 1988, when indigenous movement erupted against Indian illegal occupation, in response of the callous attitude of the world outside Indian forces have been waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Kashmiri people. Houses are being burnt, people arrested, women tortured, raped and killed. According to Kashmiri sources this has resulted in the deaths of over 80,000 people so far.
The government of Pakistan on the other hand always demanded the implementation of UN resolutions. Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Shaheed Banzir Bhutto and the present government in Pakistan and AJ&K led by PPP co-chairman, the President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, always reiterated Pakistan's commitment to continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiris in their just struggle for the right of self-determination.
The Kashmir policy had been in focus of the PPP-led government in line with the vision of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, as the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) was founded on the cause of Kashmir. The success of PPP, on June 26, 2011 in the Azad Kashmir elections was also dividend of the its policy on Kashmir and the legacy extended by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was given permanency by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
The President Asif Ali Zardari kept on working on the lines given in party's manifesto. The PPP leadership always firmly stood with Kashmiri brethrens to resolve the issues through dialogue, diplomacy, prudent policy and national consensus. The President Asif Ali and former Prime Minister and Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf not only highlighted the cause internationally but also made possible the uninterrupted provision of funds to AJ&K government for the development and prosperity of the state.
The PPP government in AJ&K, under the enthusiastic leadership of the Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed, is the true representative of the people of Kashmir and real custodian of its rights. The people of AJ&K have unflinching faith in the leadership of Pakistan People's Party.
Chaudhry Abdul Majeed made untiring efforts to raise the voice of Kashmiris and brought the Indian atrocities to surface through his many significant visits to Europe and other countries including his protest in front of Indian High Commission in London. He started major schemes under city development projects of earthquake hit districts of AJ&K ie Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Rawalakot. His one year performance excels the six decades regimes in AJ&K.
The Kashmiri nation, while observing and celebrating the 65th foundation day, is still looking forward to be given its basic right. The remaining agenda of partition plane needs to be addressed. Now it's the responsibility of the international community to force India to accept holding talks with Kashmiri representatives and the Pakistani government so that a peaceful solution can be facilitated.
The need for such an action has to be realized now that both India and Pakistan are nuclear powers. In order to avoid a disastrous nuclear war, the Kashmir conflict has to be solved according to the wishes of the Kashmiri people as guaranteed by numerous UN resolutions. This could only ensure the sustainable development and durable peace not only for the south Asia but for the whole world otherwise the threat of destruction would always be at the thresholds of the world.
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