news details |
|
|
| Will POJK stand against Pakistan | | | Col J P Singh
When we talk of POJK, let us first ask why it is under Pak occupation at the very first place when it should have been part of India as per the Instrument of Accession. Answer lies in the first Indo-Pak War over Kashmir. War which started on 22 October 1947 went on till 1st January 1949 when the UN mandated ceasefire came into effect while the Indian army was successfully pushing the invaders backwards during its winning spree. Another fortnight or so, POJK would have been liberated had the operations continued. (Na rehta baans, na bajti Bansuri). Historians and military planners blame Pt Nehru and Sheikh Abdullah and current politicians do the same for the loss of Indian territory to the aggressor. POJK remained out of Indian horizon during Nehru's rule. From August this year, when J&K is fully merged in the Indian Union by the abrogation of 370, doors have opened up to retrieve POJK. Indian leaders are talking of its retrieval by stating that talk, if any, with Pakistan will be only on illegally occupied POJK. Current Indian leaders, unlike the past, look serious about it. Is dream of Akhand Bharat nearing true.
POJK has been exploited economically and politically by Pakistan ever since its occupation. People have been denied basic fundamental rights and political freedom. Part of the area has been given over to China. Pakistan allows China to develop China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) through POJK without Indian consent or the consent of its locals. Demography of the area is being changed by Sunni settlements. Protests for freedom continue and so the atrocities of the security forces which include mass killings, tortures, disappearances, rapes and loot. Its leaders are arrested and kept under detention without trial. Prime Minister Modi was expected to refer to human rights violations in illegally occupied areas in the UNGA but he didn't. It raises ifs and buts in the minds of agitating people about Modi's seriousness. On the contrary Imran Khan parroted atrocities in Kashmir in the UNGA for long.
Before going into its retrieval, let us understand how 2/3rd of the captured area of J&K was cleared of the invaders and 1/3rd allowed to remain under Pakistan. It certainly wasn't beyond army's ability. It was a conspiracy which needs to be understood as to why early leaders of independent India actively refused to define and protect national interest. Pt Nehru kept the portfolio of foreign affairs with him till his death. Renunciation of Indian interests defined his foreign policy. When China started to occupy Indian territory in Ladakh, after Dalai Lama's arrival, Nehru told Rajya Sabha on 30th August 1959, "it does not make very much difference physically to China or India whether a couple of miles in the barren high mountains belongs to them or us". Even before this on various occasions Nehru actively renounced Indian interests. He rejected all hands that beseeched integration with India. He lost North West Frontiers (Waziristan) & Baluchistan and had nearly lost Kashmir. In the 1946 election in NWFP, Congress won 24 out of the 50 seats, Muslim League 11, Nationalist Muslims 2 and Akali Dal 1. Congress leaders of NWFP made every effort to be part of independent India. But Nehruvian policy of renunciation of Indian interests pushed them into Pak subjugation. He spurned the desire and every request of Baloch leaders to integrate with India. Pashtun and Baloch, even today continue their fight for freedom. Even in the case of Jammu and Kashmir, Nehru would prevaricate, allow ifs and buts to mark its integration with India which is obvious from the fact that Maharaja Hari Singh offered a standstill agreement to both India and Pakistan which Pakistan readily accepted but India didn't depriving Srinagar a direct contact with Delhi. Knowing Nehru's dilly-dally on Kashmir, Pakistan attacked J&K. Under attack and duress Maharaja acceded to India on 26 October 1947. Indian army landed at Srinagar Airport in the early hours of 27 October 1947. Till then State Forces led by Brig Rajinder Singh held on and defended Srinagar for the Indian Army to land. In series of counter attacks army pushed back the invaders and cleared areas upto where the LoC lies. Nehru took the matter to UN. UN sponsored ceasefire came into effect from the midnight of 31 December 1948. As a result of which 1/3rd territory of J&K lies under illegal occupation. It was almost accepted as fait-accompli. Luckily the prime minister, home minster and defence ministers have started telling world that POJK is Indian territory. Though militarily it may look difficult as Pakistan is a nuclear state but that does not mean a fait-accompli any more. Diplomatic options are available to India which must be exercised. If that doesn't work, RAW should use every means to fuel home grown agitation for its liberation as counter to ISI fuelled separatism in Kashmir. Protests emanating in Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzafarrabad, Baluchistan, Waziristan and Sindh against Pak atrocities are flashed on the TV screens giving the idea of POJK standing against Pakistan a hype. Baloch are anti CPEC. It shows that Pakistan as a nation never truly integrated.
Now let us see how Gilgit-Baltistan was lost to Pakistan. Unlike PoK which was captured militarily, Pakistan got possession of this area through the connivance of two British military officers. In 1935, British took Gilgit agency on 60 years lease from Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir because of its strategic location. With impending independence, the British returned the region to Maharaja on 1st August 1947. Maharaja appointed Brig Ghansara Singh as Governor of Gilgit-Baltistan. Two officers of the Gilgit Scouts, Maj W A Brown and Capt A S Mathison along with Sub Maj Babar Khan of the Scouts were loaned to the Maharaja at Gilgit to help the Governor. But soon after the Maharaja acceded to India on 26 October 1947, Maj Brown imprisoned the Governor and informed erstwhile British Political Agent Lt Col Roger Bacon, at Peshawar, of the accession of Gilgit to Pakistan. On 2 November 1947, Maj Brown raised Pakistan flag at Gilgit and claimed that he and Capt Mathisan have opted for service with Pakistan. Two weeks later, Sardar Mohammed Khan, a nominee of Pak govt was appointed as 'Political Agent' of Gilgit-Baltistan who took the possession of the territory from the Major. In 1948 Maj Brown was awarded 'Order of British Empire' for this.
POJK is part of India by virtue of its accession which is reaffirmed by Parliament resolution of 1994. Even though Gilgit-Baltistan accepted Pakistan control over the territory, it didn't accept Pakistani rule. Pak control over it has been running into many problems. In seventies, Zulfiqar Bhutto and Gen Zia-ul-Haq facilitated Sunnis settlement enabling them acquire land. This changed the demographics and disturbed the social fabric resulting into sectarian feuds that continue to simmer till date. Later Gen Zia-ul-Haq set about altering the ethnic composition of the region by which Shias population has come down drastically. Shia-Sunni & Shia-Nurbakshi riots fomented by Pak ISI caused extreme socio-political polarization in Skardu in eighties when tribal Lashkars abducted local women and massacred thousands of Shias in Gilgit. Atrocities continue. There are lot of loophole which India can exploit. Pakistan is aware of its intense vulnerabilities and hence crying hoarse at every forum to divert attention. But he has failed in garnering outside support on Kashmir.
Gilgit-Baltistan people have been loyal to Dogra rulers. They didn't opt out of J&K/India during partition. Their culture is closer to the culture of Central Asian Republics. Gilgit-Baltistan can be a bridge between India and Central Asia. Anger within Gilgit-Baltistan always existed. With rising anger within POJK it is not long before people stand against Pakistan and seek freedom. Forgetting Kashmir and negotiating POJK is the best option for Imran Khan. Option for India is to keep Pakistan under tremendous pressure till it sits across the table on POJK. India must walk the talk lest the posterity blames Modi as much as we do Nehru for the POJK. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
