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| How to retrieve PoJK, Gilgit-Baltistan? | | | Prof Hari Om
The August 15 Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "historic" Red Fort comments on bleeding, enslaved and exploited to the hilt Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied-Jammu (PoJK) and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, which are legitimately Indian, have inspired the nation. His statements have changed the whole discourse in the country and outside and virtually diverted the nation's attention away from our Kashmir, which had been in turmoil since July 8, when the security forces liquidated Lashkar terrorist Burhan Wani. In fact, his statements have thrilled the struggling Bloches and also sent a right message to Pakistan and the struggling people of PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan. They also want independence from Pakistan. Prime Minister Modi had said PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan were integral parts of India and these will be retrieved and his government will take up the Baloch issue in right earnest and expose Pakistan's dubious human rights record in the region, which was annexed by it in 1948 through deceit. It was for the first time in 70 years that any Indian Prime Minister made such a bold statement and that too from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the Independence Day. It was obvious that his statements would be welcomed by all the friends and well-wishers of the bleeding India and opposed by secular parties like the Congress, the Indian Left and the Kashmiri parties such as the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and main opposition National Conference. Those who hailed the Prime Minister's statements in one voice said New Delhi should have adopted this line after 1947 itself to puncture the balloon of and defeat ideological and expansionist Pakistan's evil designs in this part of Jammu and Kashmir. And those who opposed bemoaned saying he should have focused attention on Kashmir, Crown of India and Jewel of India. His statement on Balochistan was uncalled for, the Congress, the Left parties, the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party said. They virtually declared the Prime Minister's statement as interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan. They also accused the Prime Minister of raking up PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan at wrong time. They took the unpopular stand knowing it full well that the Indian nation had been pulsating with a renewed vigour after what the Prime Minister said. One can easily understand the reasons behind the opposition to and support for the Prime Minister's statements and, hence, no need to reflect on these. The fundamental issue that now needs focused attention is how to retrieve PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan. These areas are not only politically vital for India but they are also of great strategic import. The Shiite Muslim dominated and brutalized Gilgit-Baltistan region, which consists of such regions as Iskardu, Ishkoman, Astore, Bunji, Chiezorkho, Chilas and so on and which has been merged into Pakistan, is all the more vital for the Indian geo-political and economic interests. China in collaboration with Pakistan is very active in the region and since decades now. It's no secret that both China and Pakistan are working in tandem in the region to harm India and the Indian standpoint on the under construction multi-billion Economic Corridor is also too well-known. It is also not a secret that Pakistan ceded about 5000 sq km area in the Aksai Chin region to China. India's case in PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan is very strong and foolproof. The UN resolution of August 13, 1948 implicitly recognizes India sovereignty in the entire State of Jammu and Kashmir as it existed on August 15, 1947. On the one hand, it asks Pakistan to vacate the aggression, and, on the other, requires India to station its troops in the to-be-vacated-areas for maintaining law and order. Besides, the Constitution of India and the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution clearly say that PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan are Indian. The Jammu and Kashmir Constitution of 1957 has even reserved 24 seats for the people of these Pakistan-occupied-territories in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. But more than that, the UN Secretary General himself has on occasions more than one said that the UN resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir have become redundant. There are two ways to retrieve PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan. One is surgical operations in the occupied areas. That means war. War should be the last option, and not the first. The other is pressure at international level. Pakistan's position at the international level is not strong; it's precarious for obvious reasons. The most important reason is that it is today recognized as the epicenter of global terrorism and an irresponsible state and this Pakistani unpopularity needs to be exploited to the hilt through lobbying and other means, including diplomatic channels. These efforts should be supplemented by other efforts. Two important factors in this regard could help India influence the international opinion and force Pakistan to quit PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan. One, Indian Foreign Office and our agencies like RAW must give unflinching moral, political and diplomatic support to the organizations which are working within and outside for the independence their respective regions. The other is India must make the issue of human rights violations, subversion of democratic processes and demographic invasion in these two regions the major planks of its offensive. The ground is fertile in the regions. One only needs a political will to make optimum use of the forces within and outside these regions, including Europe, so that the Indian effort, coupled with anti-Pakistan forces belonging to PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, succeeded. Indian Foreign Office did on August 17 reject the Pakistani talks offer and asked Pakistan to vacate PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan through a letter. This was followed by press conference on August 18. It was addressed by the spokesperson of Foreign Office. What he said was just reiteration of what the Indian Foreign Secretary wrote to his Pakistani counterpart. Such type of approach will have no impact on Pakistan. Only aggressive approach - lobbying at international level, moral, political and diplomatic support to the votaries of liberation of these regions -- could achieve the desired results. The task is not that easy. But it is also not impossible. If India could create Bangladesh out of Pakistan in 1971, it could also replicate Bangladesh in Balochistan and retrieve PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan. Only political will and the nation's support are required. There should not be any problem as the nation has already given a massive mandate to the Narendra Modi Government. Let's hope for the best. |
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