Some people may choose to denounce views of a senior leader of Hurriyat Conference, Prof. Abdul Ghani Bhat, that United Nations resolutions of 1948-49 on Kashmir dispute are too impractical to be implemented in present times. Is he however saying something really strange? We all know that no one in the world community is interested (other than Pakistan as an affected party) in talking about these resolutions. Pakistan can’t enforce these resolutions by military means, so what is the solution?
Prof. Bhat called for taking up Parvez Musfarraf’s “4-point” formula to solve the Kashmir issue in a step-by-step manner. As per this formula, both Pakistan and India first need to allow free movement and free trade between two parts of Kashmir, with both armies to be withdrawn from the conflict zone. Joint management should take up matters of common interest such as governance, river waters and industrial growth. After a period of 10 to 15 years, Kashmiri people should decide whether to continue with the joint management of the valley. If response is ‘yes’, Kashmir dispute is resolved forever. If by somehow joint management process is not favored, then alternate arrangements would have to be worked out according to the wishes of both sides of Kashmiri people.
Bhat was of the view that Kashmiris should be recognized as the architects of their own destiny, therefore, a dialogue process should start among the three concerned parties – Pakistan, India and Kashmirs. The process has to be productive and with time limits, not to gain time to fool the Kashmirs once again.
But Bhat’s views will be denounced by hard-liners on both sides of the border because keeping the Kashmir conflict ‘live’ serves a number of parties. Perhaps one day we may have strong and risk taking governments in Pakistan and India who may come forward with an out-of-box solution to correct the mistakes done by their predecessors 64 years ago.
Masood Khan
Jubail
Gilani’s defiance
It is disturbing for democratic process in Pakistan that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has not resigned from his post on moral grounds after the Supreme Court found him guilty and also issued punishment against him. He stands to be disqualified from Parliament for five years. We look forward to him resigning or it will be a step back for the rule of Law and democracy in Pakistan. The matter is now referred to the Speaker of the Parliament for final decision. This is likely to be in favor of Gilani given the fact that Pakistan’s Peoples Party (PPP) government has been flouting the Supreme Court decisions during their four year tenure. In their history the PPP has always acted in the best interest of their party rather than Pakistan.
Zafar Raja
London
Burglary in Baghdadiya
Dec. 29, 2011 was supposed to be a normal day but it ended up being a very bad day for me. That Thursday my wife decided that we should go to Makkah to meet our relatives who had come to perform Umrah. We met our relatives in Makkah and when we came back to our house, we found that everything in the house was in a shambles. We realized that our house had been burgled but how did culprits enter the house still remains a mystery as the main door was locked from outside and windows were closed from inside. Upon checking our belongings we found that we were robbed of SR 40,000 cash and all our gold jewelry (approximately 600 grams) that we had.
I called the police immediately to report to them about the burglary. It has been four months since then but there has not been any progress on the case. I went to Kandra police station two or three times to ascertain the progress but on the last visit I was told by the investigating officer that I did not need to come to the police station as they would inform me when they cracked the case. Every day when I read stories in Arab News about police solving burglary cases, I think one day even my case would be solved and my belongings would be returned.
Syed Faiz Ahmed Fatimi
Jeddah
Letters to the Editor: Kashmir solution
