Afshain Afzal

Indian Chief of Army Staff, General Bikram Singh has spelled out Indian military strategy for the next decade. It is based on New DelhiƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s earlier concern over growing Pak-Chinese strategic and tactical cooperation in the field of defence and security. Ironically, Indian Intelligence agencies are totally blind in making an honest assessment of Chinese involvement in development projects in Pakistan. Indian Chief of Army Chief has expressed his concern over Chinese presence in Pakistan, especially in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan province. It is being claimed that India will continue military in held Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen Glacier especially Saltoro Ridge.

India is trying to negotiate with Pakistani authorities to come to an agreement on proper authentic demarcation so that forces of both the countries withdraw from Glacier area and disengagement takes place. As per the statement of DCIO Jammu, New Delhi has no plan of withdrawal from any part and after the demarcation of Glacier area. He claimed that Indian military would pressurize Islamabad to ensure that Chinese do not visit Pakistani areas; otherwise Indian forces would not leave the area. The DCIO added that New Delhi considers held Jammu and Kashmir state as integral part of India and would never leave it unoccupied for Pakistani military to occupy and add to its territories.

In another development, Pakistanis and Kashmiris are looking forward to give a very warm welcome to top Kashmiri leadership, which is scheduled to visit Pakistan in near future. The invitation to Syed Geelani was extended early this year by Pakistani High Commissioner in New Delhi, Shahid Malik but Syed Geelani is still under house arrest. Geelani in his special massage to Pakistani brothers and sisters asked to exert diplomatic and moral pressure on India to desist from human rights violations. It is pertinent to mention here that the house of Syed Geelani is under siege round the clock and anyone visiting him is not only thoroughly searched but and subjected to surveillance for many days.

It is irony the Kashmiris are not only prisoners of conscience from last 65 years but are subjected to torture and detention. Any leader who speaks against Indian brutalities in Indian held Jammu and Kashnir is imprisoned or subjected to extrajudicial killings. Syed Geelani in a recent statement has requested the international community to help Kashmiris in getting freedom from illegal detentions. Those who are still detains include Muhammad Rafiq Ghanai, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Syed Imtiaz Haider, Abdul Aziz Dar, Mir Hafizullah, Raja Mirajuddin, Shakeel Ahmad Thokur, Shakeel Ahmad Yatoo and others. These prisoners have developed various ailments due to lack of proper medical and food facilities in the jails. It has been reported that 908 political prisoners including Masrat Alam Bhat, Dr Qasim, Mir Hafizullah, Mushtaq-ul-Islam, Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, Ghulam Qadir Bhat, Dr Shafi Shariati, Mohammad Ayub Dar, Mohammad Yasin Yatoo and other were behind bars but despite protests New Delhi is not moved.

Pakistani former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani misjudged Indian mentality when he extended a hand of friendship to Indian former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and issued a statement, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The era of wars has ended. We are ready to sit and resolve all core issues at the negotiating table; whether it is Kashmir, Sir Creek, Siachen, water or terrorism.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ There should be no doubt in anybodyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s mind after the recent statement emitting from New Delhi, in which India has strongly reacted to the communiquƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚© issued at the conclusion of 4th Extraordinary Summit of Organization of Islamic Conference held in Makkah on 14-15 August 2012.

The communiquƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚© under the heading of Solidarity With Other Member States, said, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Summit affirms its solidarity and full support for Sudan, Somalia, Afghanistan and J&K, Iraq, Yemen, Ivory Coast, the Union of Comoros and the Republic of Turkish-Cyprus in addressing the challenges facing these countries.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ In an official statement on 17 August 2012, spokesperson from Indian Ministry of External Affairs termed OIC CommuniquƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚© as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-erroneous and factually incorrectƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and said, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-We note that there is an erroneous and factually incorrect mention about an integral part of India by the OIC in its communiquƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚© issued at its Fourth Extraordinary Summit held in MakkahƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ This is wrong, unacceptable and we reject it.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢

It is pertinent to mention here that that top Pakistani Kashmiri leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who is under continued house arrest, was not allowed to attend the OIC conference. However, a Kashmiri delegation from Indian held Jammu and Kashmir State made its first ever visit to OIC Headquarters, which was led by Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, Chairman APHC (M) and those who accompanied him included Barrister Majid Tramboo, Prof Nazir Shawl and Shameema Shawl. President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Yaqoob Khan also attended the conference. The Secretary General of the OIC, Prof Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, has reiterated continued support to the cause of the Kashmiri people, who are suffering at the hands of occupying Indian forces, and has called for a just resolution of the conflict in accordance with the aspiration of the Kashmiris.

There is no doubt that Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq is one of the most important religious and political Kashmiri leader but the wisdom and gigantic leadership of Syed Ali Shah Geelani cannot be ignored. Unless there is unity among the files of Kashmiri leadership, the solution neither of Kashmir issue can never be visualized, neither today nor in near future. It is very positive that Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq expressed flexibility during Friday congratulation at Jamia Masjid, Srinagar on 17 August 2012 and criticized Indian puppet state government for placing Syed Ali Shah Geelani under continued house arrest. Unless and until Kashmiri leadership does not realize the fact that neither US and UK nor any other western nation would help Kashmiris in achieving independence from the Indian occupation, the struggle would not move an inch further.
Syed Ali Geelani as well as all the Kashmiri leaders are determined that they would not allow New Delhi to divide Kashmir.

In a statement it was claimed that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Whole JK including Pakistan administered Kashmir is a single unit and the people of state will decide their future in the light of UN Resolutions through plebiscite.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ It is the responsibility of media not to act biased by projecting Indian view point. It is not fair to address Kashmiris as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-SeparatistsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ as they are Mujahideen, pro-freedom or freedom-fighters. No doubt, Kashmiris would have been separatists if they had merged with India. It is irony that despite the passage of 65 years to United Nations Resolutions, India and Pakistan have not moved and inch in resolving the Kashmir issue. The international community is watching the genocide of Kashmiris and human right violations as silent spectators.

The presence of foreign military and intelligence top officials including US, UK, Israel and Italy in held Kashmir as well as statement of General Bikram Singh is clearly indicating Indian long term designs in which in the garb of Chinese presence in Azad Jammu and Kashmir state, New Delhi would never order its forces to withdraw from held Jammu and Kashmir state. afshainafzal@yahoo.com