Kashmir Conflict and Chinese Design In the Region: Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri Addressed Chinese Interest In Gilgit Baltistan, A Part Of The Former Princely State Of Jammu And Kashmir
Seminar Report compiled by Jamil Maqsood
(Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri Chair UKPNP (Human Rights
Council 6Th Session UN Geneva)
United Kashmir
People’s National Party Organized Seminar On “Kashmir Conflict and Chinese
Design in the Region” On 22nd February, 2012
The United Kashmir People’s National Party
(UKPNP), Belgium branch held a seminar on the title of “Kashmir Conflict and
Chinese designs in the Region” Workers and office bearers of the Party’s
Belgian branch has vehemently participated in the seminar and a larger number
of Kashmiri Diaspora as well as activist from the different political parties
were also among the participants. Local journalists as well as Pakistani
journalists were present there. Mr. Beersmans Paul, President of the Belgian
Association for Solidarity with Jammu & Kashmir (BASJAK), and renowned
writer and intellectual Mujahid Hussain also participated in the seminar and
shared their personal experiences and shed light on the present situation in the
region and in Pakistan and its historical perspectives and future prospects.
Muhammad Ishaq Khan presided the seminar while Jamil Maqsood General Secretary
of the Party’s Belgian Branch was moderator.
Chairman United
Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP), Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri addressed
as a chief guest in the seminar and he has comprehensively elaborated about the
history and politics of the region as well as he bring into light all the
aspects on recent Chinese interest in the region of Gilgit Baltistan which is
part of the former princely state of Kashmir.
Dear friends, ladies and Gentlemen, First of
all I welcome all of you here to encourage us and give us your support in
peaceful endeavour for the rights of our people and for the cause of
unification of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The State was divided due to
tribal and military intervention of Pakistan in 1947, despite the fact that Maharajah
of Kashmir had signed a standstill agreement with Pakistan. It was the violation of our boundaries drawn
in 1846, under treaty of Amritsar. It was unfortunate that since its inception
Pakistan has taken the position of intervention in to neighboring countries and
the target was princely state of Kashmir. Later Pakistan also violated UNCIP
resolutions and stipulations imposed by the truce agreement. Pakistan has
failed to comply with the UN resolutions and disrespected local leadership and
created proxies to rule that region under its administration. Tragically
Pakistan segregated Gilgit Baltistan from rest of the areas and keeps the
people marginalized and political voices suppressed. After failure of snatching
Kashmir by force Pakistan started proxy war in the region of Kashmir. The
Chinese interest started back in 60s when both China and India were engaged in
the war of 1962, a year later in 1963, Pakistan handed over one of the
strategic part Trans Karokaram Tract to China which is part of the state in
Northern Kashmir in Gilgit-Baltistan. First of all Pakistan has no locus standi
on Kashmir and however Pakistan has no legal authority to distribute Pakistani
Administered Kashmir with third country or to trade our natural resources with
anyone else. It was not in the mandate of Pakistan by Security Council
resolutions and truce agreement.
The people of the
Gilgit Baltistan were occupied in 1949, under Karachi agreement which has never
been validated by nationalist and pro-people forces in the area. All the
signatories of that accord were none local and later one of the main accused
Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan president of Pakistani Administered Kashmir at
that time denied many times in public rallies that he didn’t signed Karachi
Agreement. His statements of denial shows that Powerful Pakistani institutions
have bulldozed local authorities and public opinion since long and present day
situation is the result of those foundations lay down at the time of country’s
birth.
Ladies and
Gentlemen,
The United Kashmir
People’s National Party and the people of Gilgit Baltistan have been demanding
that Karachi agreement must be revoked and both regions must be linked in
socio-economic and socio-political discourse of the region fell under the
administration of Pakistan in 1947.
Ladies and
Gentlemen,
In September-2009,
Government of Pakistan has introduced Gilgit Baltistan empowerment package
which was called that old bottle has been filled with new wine and that package
has inadequate social, political and economical freedoms for the people of the
region. And the new package is also failed to address social, economical and
political demands of the people of that region.
Ladies and
gentlemen,
Both countries were
assigned different responsibilities under the United Nations resolutions. India
came into Kashmir through a treaty while Pakistan was asked to withdraw its
forces and civilians who are staying there for the purpose of war. It is
unfortunate that India also didn’t act according to the letter and spirit of
the Treaty of accession. It was prime responsibility of India that she has to
restore state integrity. We also demanding that UN resolutions must be
implemented but majority of Pakistani nationals think contrary and are not
aware what is written in those resolutions. India should realise its
responsibilities regarding former princely state and it is her legal
obligation.
Ladies and
Gentlemen,
We had immediately
held a seminar in 2009, in Brussels to herald world community about the future
repercussions of that package. Our findings at time were that Pakistan is
trying to advance its agenda through the division of our state and that she is
gradually colonizing natural resources of the region. The entire scenario was changing
in the light of delicate US, Pakistan fragile diplomatic relations since Osama
Bin Laden was found in Pakistan in May 2011. We have always emphasized on the
world community that Pakistan is using terrorism as foreign policy tool and
also importing and exporting terrorism and extremism in the world. We have also
told the world community through our meetings and briefings in the European
parliament, at United Nations Council for Human Rights, with other high level
intellectual and civil society activists in various western capitals.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Two years back China has changed its policy towards the citizens of the state
under Indian administration. Beijing has issued sample visas while they have
another policy for the people of Pakistani Administered Kashmir regions of so
called Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. We have criticized double standards
and dual Chinese foreign policy on Kashmir. We had apprehended that China is
violating line of control and encroaching over borders.
Since two years some
dramatic changes have took place in our region. The news has given an alert to
the regional actors that Chinese regular forces have seen deployed to Pakistani
Administered Kashmir (The so called Azad Kashmir) and Gilgit Baltistan. We have
had showed our resentment over such news and rejected Chinese military presence
in the state.
Now it is open to us
and also to the world community that China is taking lease of Gilgit Baltistan
28.000 Sq miles, and approximately two million populations, from Pakistan which
would have serious threat to international peace and to the regional stability
as well.
We the people of
Pakistani Administered Kashmir have strong political and historical links with
Gilgit Baltistan. Our concern is that both China and Pakistan are not allowed
to colonize our area and its natural resources for their own interest and
benefit that the historical border of the state must be respected.
Ladies and
Gentlemen,
We shall not allow
both countries to occupy our land to advance their national agenda. We have
pragmatically put forward our historical road map in 1993, in the European
Parliament and we are peacefully striving for the unification of the state. We
believe that former princely state in multi-lingual, multi-religious,
multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi- national and we have to recognize these
facts and educating our people and rest of the world on modern realities of the
state. We believe that by respecting the boundaries of our state the entire
south Asian region would grasp the opportunities of peace, development and
stability.
Ladies and
Gentlemen,
We are also thankful to the European
Parliament and many European states that they have supported rights of the
people of former princely state as well as they have stressed on Pakistan,
India and China not to disturb the
historical boundaries in May-2007, through a European Parliament resolution. We
stressed on Government of India to fulfill its obligations of uniting Kashmir
and play its role not to divide the state of Jammu & Kashmir. We emphasized
on Pakistan through this august gathering that the policy of dividing Kashmir
wouldn’t benefit Pakistan, but it could further hostile the war torn region.
Pakistan must accept the right of self rule of the people under its administration
and it should refrain from the policy of using both regions as terrorist’s hub,
and launching pad. The entire terrorist infrastructure must be dismantled and
lease plan to Gilgit Baltistan must be revoked.
Mr. Beersmans Paul in
his speech elaborated his personal experience during visit to the different
parts of the former princely state. He said that he has been working in United
Nations Military Observer Group in India, Pakistan (UNMOGIP), and that he knows
about the Kashmir case out of Kashmir. He told the gathering that he met with
several leaders, civil society activists, journalist, and other common man on the street of Jammu, Srinagar and
Ladakh. He narrated his story of visiting Pakistani Administered Kashmir as
official guest of the Government of Pakistan in back-1995. He was the guest of
Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, and during his visit to Hajira border town he was
arrested by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), he was detained and forcibly
pushed back to Islamabad. He also intends to visit Gilgit Baltistan but he was
not allowed to do so. He said that Pakistani state security apparatus is
ruthlessly operating in the region and there is no remedy against that
impunity. He said that situation is normalizing in Indian Administered Kashmir
and people to getting back to daily business it is welcoming signs and cross
border trade is also a welcoming steps and it should be grow on other sides. It
is alarming that now China wants to get in to conflict and people must think
and protest on new developments. The case is between Pakistan, India and
Kashmiri people on all parts and China should refrain from the policy of
occupying any part of the state. I’m thankful to United Kashmir People’s
National Party friends for inviting me to address this seminar.
Nasir Aziz Khan
Spokesperson of the party said that Party is vigilantly monitoring whole
situation in the region. We think that
Government of Pakistan would genuinely address our concerns about the region of
Gilgit Baltistan and lease plan should be cancelled. If Islamabad would
continue its policy to divide Kashmir than Kashmiri people would also think
about their peaceful endeavor for the unification and if there will be any
threat to peace and regional order Pakistan and its policy makers would be
responsible. Nasir Aziz said that we do welcome peace initiatives between India
and Pakistan but we shall not allow both countries especially Pakistan to trade
on our natural resources and divide our state.
Addressing at the seminar Sajid Hussain told
the audience that Party is in contact with the foreign affairs and human rights
committee of the European Parliament. We are demanding that Pakistan must
respect European Parliament resolution of 2007, and instead of making plans to
divide Kashmir Islamabad should help Kashmiri people in the establishment of
good governance and rule of law.
Ghulam Mustafa Khan
also spoke at the seminar and said that the United Kashmir People’s National
Party (UKPNP), has a constitutional stand regarding former state and peacefully
striving for the unification, and independence of the divided state. He said
that in the presence of the party the state can’t be permanently divided it is
not a cake in the region and that Party shall emphasized on China to refrain
from any policy which could destabilize entire south Asia.
Muhammad Ishaq Khan
president of the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP), Belgium unit
in his presidential address thanks all the audiences and reiterated that Party
would continue its efforts for the unity of the people, revival of our history,
civilization, culture and United States of Kashmir. We are blessed with the
leadership and guidance of our Party chair who is tirelessly working for the
rights of the common people and cause of liberty at all international forums.
There is no other force and political representation of the Kashmiri people at
international front than the party which lobbying on all powerful
institutions. Sherafzal Khan a local
poet and writer presented a touching verses on Maqbool Bhat and his struggle.
The seminar was concluded with following resolutions and meal was also served.
Resolutions:
1- All the participants unanimously agreed
upon and stressed on Pakistan that she should refrain from the policy of
handing Gilgit Baltistan to the People’s Republic of China that no conspiracy
shall be succeeded in this regard and Kashmiri people unitedly resist
expansionist designs of China.
2- The participants unanimously demanding
from the world community that they don’t accept any move to divide former
princely state and they stress on Pakistan for the revival of fundamental
constitutional, political, socio-economic, development, education and health
rights and that Pakistan must withdraw its forces and non state actors
according to the truce agreement.
3- All the participants unitedly demanding
that Skardu, Ladakh route on LOC (Line of Control) be opened so that
inter-cultural and historical trade relations are revived among the people of
both regions and divided families could benefit from the ongoing peace process
between both countries. We also emphasis that Chinese forces must be withdrawn
from the region.
4- The participants of the seminar call upon
world community to listen to the voices of pro-people and patriotic forces of
the region and they should take pragmatic steps in this regard.
5- The stipulations of UN resolutions, truce
agreement and recommendations of the European Parliament resolution of
May-2007, must be seriously considered, respected and implement, and the
legitimate concern of the state citizens must be listened and addressed.
6- Note that there is widespread resentment
in the people of the region in the presence of regular Chinese army troops in
the region.
7- The participants expressed their
solidarity with Baloch people and extending their support for their right to
self-determination, that they unanimously demanding fair trial for all those
who have been illegally kidnapped by the security agencies in Balochistan and
in Pakistani Occupied Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.
Issued by: United
Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) Belgium Branch International Secretariat: Rue Du
Trone-115/3 Brussels-1050- Belgium
URL: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/kashmir-conflict-chinese-design-region/d/6778
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