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| Traders of J&K, POJK demand status of "Free Trade Zone" | | Bar Barve From Entering J&K | | Neha
JAMMU, July 13: New Delhi-based controversial think-tank Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation (CDR) organized one more anti-India seminar in Kashmir on July 10 and 11. Actually, it organized cross-Line of Control (LoC) traders' conference. This was the first ever such conference organized by anybody in Kashmir. The Executive Director of CDR is Shshoba Barve, who has in the past organized scores of anti-India seminars was very much present in the conference and she had to be, as she was the organizer. Former Foreign Secretary Salman Hyder was also there. He is also known for his pro-separatist and pro-Pakistan views. He stands for a solution that also conciliates Kashmiri separatists and Islamabad. He has been quite active for years now and has written extensively on New Delhi-Kashmir and New Delhi-Pakistan relations. The conference was inaugurated by Industries Minister Surjit Singh Slathia.
Barve ensured the participation of a contingent of atleast eight POJK-based traders in the conference. Kashmiri traders were also there in strength and some of them included President, Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industries (JCCI) Kashmir Mubeen Shah and former president KJCCI Zulfikar Abbasi. Six businessmen from Jammu also participated in the conference. Three represented Jammu Chambers of Commerce and Industry, including its president YB Sharma and three represented pure industry.
Reports which emanated from the Valley and were published very prominently in the local dailies suggested that "issues hampering the cross-LoC trade dominated the two-day conference on LoC trade and regional development"; that "the participants, including the traders' delegation from Pakistan-administered-Kashmir, complained about the various problems faced by them"; that "they called for declaring the pre-partition Jammu and Kashmir as a Free Trade Zone, besides demanding that India and Pakistan vest the decision-making power regarding the LoC trade in 'real stakeholders"; and that the "traders from both sides complained about the bottlenecks of the LoC trade, including the lack of banking and communication facility". Reports also suggested that the cross LoC traders also "unanimously ruled the possibility of any hawala transaction taking place in the name of trade for subversive activities".
Barve, who also addressed the conference, bemoaned that "she wanted the traders from PoK to come in bus, but that did not materialize due to strict travel procedures". "It took me five months to organize this conference and reasons are obvious," she said. "I can write a book on how many difficulties I faced in organizing conference," she also said, adding she will submit the recommendations of the conference to the Governments of India and Pakistan" so that there "is a way forward".
Leave aside everything and focus exclusively on the suggestion of the participants that the pre-partition Jammu and Kashmir be declared as a "Free Trade Zone" and that "India and Pakistan vest the decision-making power regarding the LoC trade in real stakeholders". What they actually suggested was that India and Pakistan should pack up from Jammu and Kashmir as it existed on August 15, 1947 and leave everything to the care of "real stakeholders". The first part of the suggestion only suggested that they made fool of themselves in the sense neither New Delhi is not going to quit the Indian Jammu and Kashmir nor is Islamabad prepared to vacate the aggression. This is not important. What was important is the intention of the organizers of the conference where the participants advocated something that could not be granted. The second part of the suggestion that the decision-making power be vested in the "real stakeholder" was all the more mischievous. Even this was not important. For, there are elements who have no love lost for India and they have been advocating what they advocated during the conference.
What was disturbing was that Barve's foray's in Jammu and Kashmir are aimed at mobilizing public opinion against India and in favour a situation that helps Kashmiri separatists accomplish their evil designs. She has been visiting Jammu and Kashmir quite frequently and ensuring the participation of those who are committed against India and who are amenable.
One would appreciate those from Jammu who participated in the conference to inform the general public as to what actually transpired during the conference. They were men on the spot and, hence, they are fully aware of what transpired there. After all, they are party to whatever decisions the conference has taken. A clarification on their part has become all the more imperative considering the fact that all the local dailies, without any exception, reported that the participants - apart from putting forth various suggestions - also vouched for a regime that accords the status of "Free Trade Zone" to Jammu and Kashmir as it existed on August 15, 1947. A clarification on their part is necessary because no daily has reported what they said, which of the proposals they accepted and which of the proposals they rejected as fatal for the national cause in Jammu and Kashmir. |
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