Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider has asked the Kashmiris to “categorically and unanimously” reject bilateral talks between Pakistan and India on the issue of Kashmir “because any exercise sans their involvement, as primary party to the dispute, will as usual end up in futility.”
“It’s we who will decide the future of this state, including Gilgit-Baltistan (GB),” he said in his hard-hitting speech at a function held in Muzaffarabad on Thursday to mark the 33rd death anniversary function of revered Kashmiri leader K H Khurshid, who had died in a road accident on March 11, 1988 while travelling in public transport to Lahore.
K H Khurshid was just 20 years old when Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah anticipated his abilities during a visit to Srinagar in 1944 and chose him as his private secretary, a position he held till the death of the founder of Pakistan.
On May 1, 1959, Mr Khurshid was appointed by President Ayub Khan as AJK President, an office he accepted on the insistence of Fatima Jinnah who treated him as her son and had also financially supported him to earn the bar-at-law degree from UK’s prestigious Lincoln’s Inn.
In 1961, Mr Khurshid conducted the first ever (basic democracy) elections in AJK and also won the presidential election.
In the following year, he launched Jammu Kashmir Liberation League (JKLL) with the ideology of recognition of the AJK government as a ‘revolutionary provisional successor government’ of deposed Dogra ruler of Jammu and Kashmir with a freehand to take the freedom movement to its logical end while launching JKLL.
However, the ideology was opposed by his narrow-minded power-hungry opponents through a constant smear campaign which made many in the power corridors of Pakistan believe that he was averse to Kashmir’s merger with Pakistan
Alluding to the very opposition of Mr Khurshid, Mr Haider read out the late leader’s quote regarding the role of the government in Muzaffarabad from a banner displayed at the venue of the death anniversary function and said: “What was his fault? He had not killed anyone. It was his ideology, which was misconstrued, unfortunately…”
“How could a person who was the private secretary to the founder of Pakistan and [later] chief polling agent of his sister for West Pakistan be against Pakistan,” he added in the same breath.
Mr Haider who claimed during his speech that he had dedicated himself to “freedom of India occupied Kashmir and identity, integrity, honour and authority of AJK,” mocked claims by some “new historians” that the Mirs of Hunza and Nagar [in GB] had already acceded to Pakistan.
“History should not be distorted,” he said, and added: “Then how can you question the legitimacy of the alleged instrument of accession attributed to the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir who was the constitutional head of the erstwhile princely state while these (Mirs) were just fiefs under him.”
The AJK premier went on to warn that conversion of GB into a province of Pakistan would be a direct and indirect endorsement of India’s Aug 5, 2019 move.
Terming the forthcoming AJK polls as crucial, he asked people to mindfully cast their vote in favour of the party that could protect AJK’s identity and status.
Claiming that he had snubbed a suggestion to remove the word ‘Azad’ from AJK, he reiterated that as long as AJK remained in existence, no one would dare wind up Kashmir issue without its settlement.
He said some AJK leaders had emerged with calls for grant of provincial status to AJK in the name of its development.
“Go and ask Balochistan as to how much development was done there after it was made a province. Soon, the people of Gilgit-Baltistan will also wake up to reality… Development will continue to take place, but what matters more is your political freedom and authority,” he said.
Stating that the Joe Biden administration was more dangerous for Pakistan than that of its predecessor because Indians enjoyed more influence over the Democrats, the AJK premier urged the government of Pakistan “not to fall prey to the American conspiracy out of weakness.”
“Pakistan should stay firm on its stand on Kashmir, particularly after India’s Aug 5 move. Don’t be afraid. No one is going to do you any harm except political instability and economic downturn,” he said.
Underlining the need for political harmony in Pakistan, he said: “No single party can bring this country out of the crisis; each one will have to put its share in this regard.”
He pointed out that there was no ideological divide among the Kashmiris on the other side of the divide but in AJK people would come up with different slogans.
“This is India’s plot to divide us ideologically. The right to self-determination should be our common demand and in order to achieve this right, you will have to ensure a special status of Azad Kashmir and present a Kashmiri face before the world community. Unless that happens, there cannot be any way forward.”
“Yes if you want to wind up this issue then it’s another thing. But whosoever will deceive the Kashmiris will invite the wrath of the Allah Almighty.”
Referring to a statement by an opposition PTI AJK chapter leader, he said they were not speaking about the real issues for fear of anger of their masters.
“Why don’t they speak against bilateral talks or conversion of Gilgit-Baltistan into a province? Why don’t they speak for the distinctiveness of Azad Kashmir as well as preservation of the 13thconstitutional amendment that empowered the government in Muzaffarabad?”
Apart from Mr Haider, JKLL president Manzoor Qadir advocate, Jamaat-i-Islami leader Shaikh Aqeelur Rehman and others also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, Mr Haider and others offered fateha khawani at the grave of Mr Khurshid and also showered rose petals on it.
Tariq Naqash
