'Gupkar Declaration', issued recently by the mainstream political parties of Jammu and Kashmir, has become a big controversy. People have expressed their displeasure across the Line of Control. In fact, the mainstream wanted to issue this declaration last year on 4th august when it dawned upon them that the BJP led government had decided to repeal the Article 370 and Article 35A but were prevented, arrested and jailed in order to pave the way for India to implement the order of snatching the semi-autonomous status of Kashmir on 5th August 2019 without any dissent or protest.
Most of the leaders were released after being held in makeshift prisons for about six months. However, the former Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti is still under house arrest. After about an year, the parties came together and demanded the restoration of Art 370 and 35A within the constitution of India.
The declaration was released with the same date of 4th August 2019 in order to show that they were doing their bit to protect the special status.
Various political and social circles in India and Pakistan have reacted critically over the declaration, but the comments made by Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi have not only upset the Kashmiris, they have also angered pro Pakistan Kashmiri leadership who have suffered heavily, being held in the captivity for decades in India. Their families have been living in constant terror and fear, let loose by the security agencies in JK. They have expressed shock and awe saying the insensitive statement of Querashi towards their sufferings and sacrifices for their loyalty to Pakistan cannot be forgiven unless he apologises to Kashmiris who have been paying price with their life and livelihood for achieving their dream of Azadi.
Majority of the people in Kashmir termed the announcement of the mainstream as insignificant and opined that the mainstream leadership is trying to restore its credibility. According to a senior editor of the Valley, "most of these leaders have pledged in writing in exchange for their release that instead of talking against the August 5 decision, they will now only demand the restoration of the statehood. Prime Minister Modi has already reiterated that the decision to form a Union Territory will be reversed in due course and mentioned it again in his speech on August 15. These leaders are just playing another tactic with the approval of the Government of India. First it was the demand of independence, then internal sovereignty, then self-rule, now it is statehood ...India knows when and what to feed the people of Jammu and Kashmir for which the mainstream has always played a catalyst".
Shah Mehmood Qureshi may have been told by his office that Farooq Abdullah and other leaders would switch the sides from mainstream to separatism and launch a united resistance campaign against India. But he may not have been told that mainstream leadership has confirmed at the same time that it believes in the electoral process of India and considers Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India. Because of indication of resuming the electoral process in JK, the mainstream has started to issue declarations to reclaim its political space in the region that has been decimated by BJP's media machinations.
Pro-freedom political parties have lambasted Qureshi that the support expressed by him for this declaration shows that he has no historical knowledge of the Kashmir dispute or that Pakistan has changed its Kashmir policy again. Despite receiving many hints and indications about the changing stances in the past, Kashmiris feel it hard to accept the reality.
A Hurriyat leader (name withheld due to security concerns) who has lived in self-exile in Pakistan since the eruption of militancy says that "Pakistan keeps changing its policy after the Shimla Accord in 1972, which we are all aware of. No doubt, we must be grateful to Pakistan for supporting our movement like Turkey and Malaysia but let this country declare that Kashmir has never been its jugular vein. It is very unfortunate that Pakistan has never exhibited itself as a party to the conflict and even does not dare to say that the country is one of the parties to the conflict".
Expressing his despair, Hurriyat leader said, "If the Qureshi is so ignorant of the disputed history of the Kashmir conflict and our long arduous struggle, does he stand the right to speak on Kashmir or represent Pakistan in international forums? Did my son sacrifice his life for the petty order of restoration of Article 370? Or is my life of being in exile for thirty years so insignificant for him? "
By praising the Gupkar Declaration, Shah Mehmood Qureshi has confirmed that the position of Jammu and Kashmir until August 5, 2019 has been accepted by Pakistan. That is, the state is an integral part of India and it was given a special position under the Constitution of India, after which it seems pointless to question or demand the independence of Kashmir. If this is the position of Pakistan, then Qureshi should, for the sake of Allah, confirm to the people that the speech made by the Prime Minister of Pakistan in United Nations had nothing to do with the independence of JK but he was demanding the restoration of the position of August 4, 2019. Was it just an act to become an ambassador and awaken the conscience of the world for the self determination of JK? Fifteen million people have the right to get the answer from Foreign Minister of Pakistan.
Doesn't Pakistan have a responsibility to make it clear to the Kashmiri people that it is not lobbying for their independence but that its diplomatic activities are limited for the restoration of Article 370? At least thousands of unarmed children and young people can be saved from falling into the trap of a million security forces that kill them in encounters and fake encounters as a collective punishment for demanding freedom from India.
When Shah Mehmood Qureshi mentioned the indifferent approach of the Saudis towards Kashmir recently, the Kashmiris thought that he was emotionally hurt. But, who knows what is being conspired behind the curtain that could be more detrimental to the movement and the subjugation may be prolonged forever. "People need to understand the Pakistan's constraints, strategies and global leanings, muster the courage to accept the reality and strengthen the resolve to fight their own battle". says a social activist, Mir Hameed of Kulgam.
If Gupkar Declaration is important, it means that Pakistan has rejected the policies of the separatist leadership who have been languishing in jails or locked in houses for decades or living in exile in Pakistan for the last three decades. Perhaps, Qureshi has not thought about it at the time of briefing to the media.
Concerns have already been raised that there is turmoil within the Hurriyat Conference across the Line of Control. They have been made to disappear in the Valley and those inside Pakistan are suffering internal chaos, most of who have been sidelined due to expressing their resentment on certain policies. It may be construed that if India has dethroned the pro-India Kashmiri leadership and has made Hurriyat altogether invisible, is Pakistan trying to get rid of the Hurriyat as well and adopting the discredited pro-India Kashmiri leadership? Can this be the result of the advice of the international community, which Pakistan seems to have accepted, to confine the dispute to the restoration of the statehood of JK now?
Shah Mehmood Qureshi must answer these questions because the 15 million population of the region has been suffering since 1947 from change of stance from one goalpost to another. In simple words, it would be another injustice to a Kashmiri nation that no longer has the strength to tolerate U-turn policies.
Saeed Hafeez, a Kashmiri intellectual affiliated with a London-based think tank, says that "India is pursuing a policy of eliminating Kashmiri identity and Muslim character of JK. Pakistan's U-turn policies have been creating an atmosphere of uncertainty. If Kashmiris do not unite and learn the art of fighting their own battle, then there will be only a miracle that could save this nation from complete extinction".
Most of the leaders were released after being held in makeshift prisons for about six months. However, the former Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti is still under house arrest. After about an year, the parties came together and demanded the restoration of Art 370 and 35A within the constitution of India.
The declaration was released with the same date of 4th August 2019 in order to show that they were doing their bit to protect the special status.
Various political and social circles in India and Pakistan have reacted critically over the declaration, but the comments made by Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi have not only upset the Kashmiris, they have also angered pro Pakistan Kashmiri leadership who have suffered heavily, being held in the captivity for decades in India. Their families have been living in constant terror and fear, let loose by the security agencies in JK. They have expressed shock and awe saying the insensitive statement of Querashi towards their sufferings and sacrifices for their loyalty to Pakistan cannot be forgiven unless he apologises to Kashmiris who have been paying price with their life and livelihood for achieving their dream of Azadi.
Majority of the people in Kashmir termed the announcement of the mainstream as insignificant and opined that the mainstream leadership is trying to restore its credibility. According to a senior editor of the Valley, "most of these leaders have pledged in writing in exchange for their release that instead of talking against the August 5 decision, they will now only demand the restoration of the statehood. Prime Minister Modi has already reiterated that the decision to form a Union Territory will be reversed in due course and mentioned it again in his speech on August 15. These leaders are just playing another tactic with the approval of the Government of India. First it was the demand of independence, then internal sovereignty, then self-rule, now it is statehood ...India knows when and what to feed the people of Jammu and Kashmir for which the mainstream has always played a catalyst".
Shah Mehmood Qureshi may have been told by his office that Farooq Abdullah and other leaders would switch the sides from mainstream to separatism and launch a united resistance campaign against India. But he may not have been told that mainstream leadership has confirmed at the same time that it believes in the electoral process of India and considers Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India. Because of indication of resuming the electoral process in JK, the mainstream has started to issue declarations to reclaim its political space in the region that has been decimated by BJP's media machinations.
Pro-freedom political parties have lambasted Qureshi that the support expressed by him for this declaration shows that he has no historical knowledge of the Kashmir dispute or that Pakistan has changed its Kashmir policy again. Despite receiving many hints and indications about the changing stances in the past, Kashmiris feel it hard to accept the reality.
A Hurriyat leader (name withheld due to security concerns) who has lived in self-exile in Pakistan since the eruption of militancy says that "Pakistan keeps changing its policy after the Shimla Accord in 1972, which we are all aware of. No doubt, we must be grateful to Pakistan for supporting our movement like Turkey and Malaysia but let this country declare that Kashmir has never been its jugular vein. It is very unfortunate that Pakistan has never exhibited itself as a party to the conflict and even does not dare to say that the country is one of the parties to the conflict".
Expressing his despair, Hurriyat leader said, "If the Qureshi is so ignorant of the disputed history of the Kashmir conflict and our long arduous struggle, does he stand the right to speak on Kashmir or represent Pakistan in international forums? Did my son sacrifice his life for the petty order of restoration of Article 370? Or is my life of being in exile for thirty years so insignificant for him? "
By praising the Gupkar Declaration, Shah Mehmood Qureshi has confirmed that the position of Jammu and Kashmir until August 5, 2019 has been accepted by Pakistan. That is, the state is an integral part of India and it was given a special position under the Constitution of India, after which it seems pointless to question or demand the independence of Kashmir. If this is the position of Pakistan, then Qureshi should, for the sake of Allah, confirm to the people that the speech made by the Prime Minister of Pakistan in United Nations had nothing to do with the independence of JK but he was demanding the restoration of the position of August 4, 2019. Was it just an act to become an ambassador and awaken the conscience of the world for the self determination of JK? Fifteen million people have the right to get the answer from Foreign Minister of Pakistan.
Doesn't Pakistan have a responsibility to make it clear to the Kashmiri people that it is not lobbying for their independence but that its diplomatic activities are limited for the restoration of Article 370? At least thousands of unarmed children and young people can be saved from falling into the trap of a million security forces that kill them in encounters and fake encounters as a collective punishment for demanding freedom from India.
When Shah Mehmood Qureshi mentioned the indifferent approach of the Saudis towards Kashmir recently, the Kashmiris thought that he was emotionally hurt. But, who knows what is being conspired behind the curtain that could be more detrimental to the movement and the subjugation may be prolonged forever. "People need to understand the Pakistan's constraints, strategies and global leanings, muster the courage to accept the reality and strengthen the resolve to fight their own battle". says a social activist, Mir Hameed of Kulgam.
If Gupkar Declaration is important, it means that Pakistan has rejected the policies of the separatist leadership who have been languishing in jails or locked in houses for decades or living in exile in Pakistan for the last three decades. Perhaps, Qureshi has not thought about it at the time of briefing to the media.
Concerns have already been raised that there is turmoil within the Hurriyat Conference across the Line of Control. They have been made to disappear in the Valley and those inside Pakistan are suffering internal chaos, most of who have been sidelined due to expressing their resentment on certain policies. It may be construed that if India has dethroned the pro-India Kashmiri leadership and has made Hurriyat altogether invisible, is Pakistan trying to get rid of the Hurriyat as well and adopting the discredited pro-India Kashmiri leadership? Can this be the result of the advice of the international community, which Pakistan seems to have accepted, to confine the dispute to the restoration of the statehood of JK now?
Shah Mehmood Qureshi must answer these questions because the 15 million population of the region has been suffering since 1947 from change of stance from one goalpost to another. In simple words, it would be another injustice to a Kashmiri nation that no longer has the strength to tolerate U-turn policies.
Saeed Hafeez, a Kashmiri intellectual affiliated with a London-based think tank, says that "India is pursuing a policy of eliminating Kashmiri identity and Muslim character of JK. Pakistan's U-turn policies have been creating an atmosphere of uncertainty. If Kashmiris do not unite and learn the art of fighting their own battle, then there will be only a miracle that could save this nation from complete extinction".