JEDDAH, 27 September 2004 — The protracted Kashmir dispute is not over territory but over the right of self-determination of Kashmiris. Anything short of that is not acceptable, veteran Kashmiri leader Sardar Abdul Qayyum said here yesterday.
Rejecting a recent report in the international media about the readjustment of the Line of Control (LoC), Qayyum said that Kashmiris are human beings and cannot be treated like a herd of animals who can be pushed anywhere without their consent.
“This is a wrong proposition and not viable. I see it just as an act of kite flying.
“If the LoC is readjusted and a few districts are ceded to Pakistan, what will happen to the Kashmiris living in other parts of ‘occupied Kashmir?’ How will it be decided who will go with the ceded districts? A lasting solution can only be arrived at when all three parties — India, Pakistan and Kashmiris — agree to it.
“I believe solution to the Kashmir issue lies in giving Kashmiris the right of self-determination. Let us allow them to choose their destiny.”
Report of an LoC-based solution appeared in the Time magazine, which was immediately denied by New Delhi. The report suggested that India was ready to offer territorial concessions to Pakistan by altering the line by “a few miles eastward”. The former prime minister of Azad Kashmir welcomed Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil’s announcement on Saturday to resume the stalled peace talks between India and Pakistan. “It is a good development and the first step to resolve the issue.” But Qayyum was skeptical about the outcome, saying “the present Indian government lacks courage and strength to resolve this contentious problem.”
“The president, the prime minister and the ruling party chief are all from minority communities and hence not in a position to take a firm and resolute stand on Kashmir,” he said. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is not a politician but an economist. He might boost the Indian economy but is not strong enough to decide on the course of action on Kashmir, Qayyum said. Kashmir is a very sensitive issue and it takes a person with political stature to take a firm stand on it.
Asked about the recent talks between India’s External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, he said: “I was neither surprised nor shocked about the outcome. I was not expecting any breakthrough anyway. But then it was only their first meeting and was successful to a limited extent. Things will get better when they meet again.”
Qayyum said the Indian Army’s withdrawal from Kashmir was one of the most important prerequisite to solve the problem. “India must also improve the human rights situation there. Hundreds of innocent Kashmiris have been killed in ‘fake encounters.’ That must stop once and for all.”
The Kashmir issue cannot be solved by waving a magic wand. A lot of groundwork needs to be done. He suggested a three-pronged strategy: All parties to the dispute should first strive to reduce tension. They must stop giving provocative statements. Then, they must create an atmosphere of mutual trust. Once trust is established and the rhetoric ended, they should sit down and negotiate a solution acceptable to all.
