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| Across LoC: Trade or Trap | | | Dr. Ram Chander Sharma
The date 21st October is chosen very maticiously to open cross LOC trade between two parts of Jammu and Kashmir; one held by India and another by her archrival Pakistan. It was this day in the year 1947, the first bullet was fired by Pakistani army in the city of Muzzaferabad… a bustling city situated on famous Jehlum valley road, an ancient trade route between central Asia and Tibet. Like turbulent Jehlum, the post independence history of the Himalayan State of J&K is no different. The partitioned neighbors went to full-scale first war over Kashmir when on 27th of October 1947 the Indian troops air landed at Srinagar airport under a loose Instrument of Accession. The unilateral cease-fire by India was declared on 1st of January 1949 when India voluntarily took the case to United Nations leaving behind a tale of anarchy never seen the annals of human history; Lacs of unarmed innocent civilians were killed, women rapped and abducted by the marauanders and latter on auctioned. One third of the area was occupied by Pakistan and rest by India under a well-planned conspiracy hatched by the wicked politicians of the Sub Continent. The cease fire line was converted to Line of Control just short of an International Border in the year 1971 under the so called Shimla Agreement, an another conspiracy past two full scale wars and destruction. Is the state of Jammu and Kashmir a golden goose witch feeds and satiates the hunger of politicians of two countries? It seem like so, when some of the Indian federal States including J&K are going to polls to elect regional Assemblies and Pakistan is plunged into worst ever internal political strife, economic crisis and even bankruptcy.
The part administered under India feeds on a 90% financial aid per annum by New Delhi and the part administered by Pakistan is least developed and has nothing to export to India. Then what will they trade to do? It shall be disastrous for Pak held Kashmir with balance of payments going against her. The Indian Kashmiries may get a route of its well developed Horticulture and Handicraft industry if this trade is taken beyond the boundaries of Pakistan to central Asia as it was during pre independence era. Going by the intensions and apprehensions this may not be the true, this is yet another ploy and divertional titectics to dilute the 61 years of struggle of Kashmiri people to get justice and restorations of political, civil, social and economic rights.
This ploy may sooth the emotional bruises of Kashmiries, but when both India and Pakistan are ready to accept their custom rules at disputed LOC, constitutional blunders for Kashmiries majority of them are struggling for Freedom. They are definitely befooled by the wicked politicians of India and Pakistan. There seem no reasons for rejoicing.
All the political parties in India have welcomed the decision after of historic start on the peace bus the “Karva-e-Aman” aimed at rejoining of separated families in the year 2005. But how many have been allowed to meet and how many applications are in the queue waiting for the Govt. approval no body knows. The critics of this ploy are very skeptical over all these moves. On one hand The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front has strongly opposed these moved by India and Pakistan to dilute their struggle for Independence of Kashmir and on 19th of October the Hindu and Sikh Refugees of 1947 living in Jammu province staged demonstration before Raj Bawhan the Office of Governor, their prominent demand was defreezing of at least 12 Assembly seats out of 24 Assembly seats kept frozen in J&K Assembly seats kept for Pakistani Kashmir as they belong to that area and have constitutional right over these seats. These 14 Lac minority Hindus a Sikhs are living in makeshift camps in Jammu province of the State and languishing since 1947 with a promise that they would be repatriated back as soon India vacates the Pak held areas of J&K witch she considers her integral part. About 50,000 of their families were uprooted in the 1947 war after their 70,000 kith and kins were killed in worst ever genocide in the annals of human history. They are facing discrimination vis-à-vis Refugees living in other countries because India has not ratified the U.N. treaty for Refugees of 1951 and its protocol of 1967; so they are denied international humanitarian aid, various Human Rights protections under U.N. Refugees Laws and Refugee Status. They are still called Displaced persons of 1947 even they are in their third generation. On the contrary the internally displaced Kahsmiri Pandit minority migrants displaced in the year 1989 have received a financial package of about Rs. 7,000 crores till date and many other benefits like reservations all over India in professional colleges and in Govt. services. The start of cross LOC trade with accepting Pak custom laws at LOC POK Refugees smell rat as it is like accepting the Pak authority over Pak held areas and likewise on the this side of the LOC for India. These refugees are the aboriginals of Pak administered part of J&K. Even various eye wash steps of Indian political drama of peace talks and round tables- they are not invited or included at any stage right from the State levels. Most of them are living in abject poverty and the younger generation is exposed to alcohol, drug addiction and crime due to lack of educational facilities, social security or employment opportunities.
Both India and Pakistan has looted the natural resources of J&K. The Indus Water Treaty of 1960 has robbed the rights of the people living on both sides of LOC over the use of three western rivers of west Himalayas as Pakistan is exploiting J&K waters exclusively and even Indian major PSUs like NHPC is engaged in looting the hydro electric potentials of J&K waters. The Indian J&K imports electricity worth Rs. 1700 crores every year from Indian companies a major part of its exchequer. The big Mangla dam in Mirpur caters to the needs of energy-starved Pakistan. The story is no different for the wealth of huge forest resources. The present turmoil of 19 years in Kashmir has compounded the problems of valley people, as its biggest industry the Tourism has been devastated.
The cross LOC Bus has failed as people are denied travel documents and the number of people who have availed this facility is very low. As India is going to Parliament Elections next year and Pakistan has fallen in worst ever crisis the ploy of cross LOC trade is very handy. The supporters of right of self determination and to merge the Indian Kashmir with Pakistan get elite Z Plus security in India and other benefits but JKLF the supporter of Independence is existing in hiding. An Independent J&K by merging both the parts of J&K cannot be acceptable to both India and Pakistan. The supporters of independence see the move of cross LOC trade as a slow poison for their movement, which they are spearheading for last 61 years. The POK Refugees see this move as permanent death knell for their basic HRs for with they are struggling for the last 61 years . There is nothing to trade on either side of LOC as evident from the load of first small consignment of three pick up vans of vegetables witch mostly consisted of pumpkins. Then who is to gain? It shall certainly satiate the political hunger of the politicians living out side of two J&Ks.
The Author is Chairman Refugee Welfare & Educational Society |
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