Kashmir, Where Every Day is a Black Day

By:       Aasef Chauhdry

The history of Kashmir is full of bloody accounts of killings, tortures and rapes of the innocent Muslims at the hands of the brutal Indian forces and the corneas of Maharaja Hari Singh. How can one forget the ruthless and heinous killing of over 2.5 lakh Kashmiri Muslim immigrants on 6 November 1947 in Jammu and surroundings? During the partition of the Sub-continent, the people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) which comprised Muslim majority decided to join Pakistan according to the British-led formula, however, Dogra Raja Hari Singh, a Hindu who was ruling over the J&K, in connivance with the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Governor General Lord Mountbatten, treacherously joined India.

That gory tale never ended and so did the sordid stories of Indian brutalities against the inopportuneKashmiris until the recent wave death and tortures by the forces in the valley that killed scores of unarmed Kashmiris who were protesting against the death of a young hero Burhan Wani. Amidst the sleeping world the Pakistanis and Kashmiris all over the world protested against the current wave of brutalities. Pakistani nation is observing Black Day on July 20, 2016 to express solidarity with their Kashmiri brethren who are being subjected to worst brutalities in Indian-occupied Kashmir by Indian armed forces. Rallies and functions are being held across Pakistan and Azad Kashmir to draw attention of the world community towards the burning issue of Kashmir. The officials are wearing black arm bands while performing their duties to express political, moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiris during working hours. Special prayers would be offered for the departed souls of martyred Kashmiris after Zohar prayers for the Shuhada of Kashmir. The call to observe black day on July 20 was made national leadership after tensions in the valley escalated following killing of Burhan Wani, a freedom fighter.

India occupied two third of the territory of Jammu and Kashmir known as IOK, whereas one third area was liberated by local Muslims as Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Since then, India has been suppressing the innocent people of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) through mass extra judicial killings, forced disappearances at the hands of forces, gang rapes, indiscriminate use of force and torture, firing on demonstrations, custodial killings, encounters and detentions etc.Since1989, over 50,000 (according to some other reports nearly 100,000) Kashmiri people have been killed during the ongoing conflict) State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has found 2,730 bodies buried into unmarked graves scattered all over Kashmir believed to contain the remains of victims of unlawful killings by Indian security forces.

If we look back at history of Kashmir then every single day of their lives can be declared as a black day. About 59 years back as a part of pre-planned plot, on November 5, 1947, announcements were made everywhere in Jammu, asking Muslims to assemble in police lines where from they would be sent to Pakistan. On November 6, Jammu Muslims including men women and children were seemingly dispatched towards Pakistan in trucks, nevertheless, before they could reach the destination, Indian army, forces of Maharaja and Hindu Mahasabai goons and extremists at Samba Reasi and other places martyred them in gruesome manner. Thus, over 2.50 lakh Muslim inmates of Jammu city and adjoining areas were killed through a mass murder plan which could be termed as the holocaust of the subcontinent. As it was expected, the huge deaths had stunned the world and the ‘Time” magazine, in its November 47 publication also pointed out the figure of 2, 50,000 deaths of Jammu people.

That was not one occasion. In fact the Indians have a black track record of killings the innocent Kashmiris, before and after 6 November 1947, in the burning valley. According to a report on human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir, since 1989, there have been deaths of 1,00000 innocent Kashmiris, 7,023 custodial killings, 1,22,771 arrests, 1,05,996 destruction of houses or buildings, 22,776 women widowed, 1,07,466 children orphaned and 10,086 women gang-raped/molested. Besides Human Rights Watch, in its various reports, Amnesty International has also pointed out grave human rights violations in the Indian controlled Kashmir, indicating, “The Muslim majority population in the Kashmir Valley suffers from the repressive tactics of the security In its report on July 2, 2015, the Amnesty International has highlighted extrajudicial killings of the innocent persons at the hands of Indian security forces in the Indian Held Kashmir. The report points out, “Tens of thousands of security forces are deployed in Indian-administered Kashmir.

The Armed Forces Special Powers Act allows troops to shoot to kill suspected militants or arrest them without a warrant…not a single member of the armed forces has been tried in a civilian court for violating human rights in Kashmir…this lack of accountability has in turn facilitated other serious abuses…India has martyred one 100,000 people. More than 8,000 disappeared (while) in the custody of army and state police.” In this respect, European Union has passed a resolution about human rights abuses committed by Indian forces in the Indian held Kashmir. It is of particular attention that in 2008, a rights group reported unmarked graves in 55 villages across the northern regions of the Indian-held Kashmir. Then researchers and other groups reported finding thousands of mass graves without markers. In this respect, in August, 2011, Indian Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission officially acknowledged in its report that innocent civilians killed in the two-decade conflict have been buried in unmarked Notably, foreign sources and human rights organisations have revealed that unnamed graves include those innocent persons, killed by the Indian military and paramilitary troops in the fake encounters including those who were tortured to death by the Indian secret agency RAW. Indian authorities are not willing to talk with Kashmiri people on political grounds. New Delhi reached to a conclusion that only bullet is the right way of dealing with Kashmiris, demanding their right of self-determination.

Despite India’s harsh and repressive measures, Kashmiri movement for self determination cannot be suppressed. India has no moral or logical right to protest on Pakistan’s efforts to highlight the Indian oppression in the burning valley. It’s a truth like the day light that Pakistan being a legitimate party to the dispute, by virtue of partition plan and UN resolutions, has right to support the cause of the right of self determination of Kashmiri.

No doubt that the people of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir display solidarity with the Kashmiri brethren in Pakistan, AJK and elsewhere in the world. Rallies are held in the small and major towns of AJK to pay glorious tributes to the martyrs of last week and of past. This Black Day is in fact observed at both sides of line of control in Jammu and Kashmir to commemorate the supreme sacrifices, however there are two main issues which keep disturbing the concerned minds; for how long the Kashmiris will remain the children of a lesser god and secondly when will the conscience of those ignorant people will wake up who, in the middle of this endless killing are showing a lost sleep to have friendly relations with “Killer India”? It’s time for the world body and the West who blow the trumpet of freedom of expression and demonstration to support the Kashmir cause and put their weight behind the struggle of Kashmiris as they did for East Timor.

 

India with the ‘Shanti Mask’

 

By:       Aasef Chauhdry

Since long the Indians were raising a false alarm about Pakistan’s so-called interference inside India and sponsoring the terrorist acts. There is an old saying that you can make fool some people, some time but not all the people all the time. Same was the case about the Indian cunning strategy vis-à-vis Pakistan. A section of smart world did believe the Indians for some time and fell prey to their notorious propaganda however, soon they realised that it’s the thief who is shouting at the top of his voice, “thief, thief….. catch him”.

The latest drama by the Indians just before the drop scene of a ‘reality show’ in Pakistan was attack on Pathankot. Our neighbour would have again touched the heights of a filthy propaganda had Pakistan’s agencies not nabbed their serving commander red handed while planning and commanding the terrorist activities inside Pakistan and categorically in Balochistan thus making it the most turbulent province of the country. It’s on record that the so called biggest democracy of the world India has never accepted the reality of partition of sub continent and has always sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan through its proxies. Unfortunately her past experience in case of East Pakistan has wrongly encouraged her hence now, to re-alive the 1971 experience, Indian Govt has tasked RAW to support terrorist activities in Balochistan.

Pakistan has been all along making hue and cry to the world to realise the true and hegemonic intentions and designs of aggressor India but world never took the issues seriously. Pakistan, without any doubt is a peace loving country and promoting peace in the neighborhood/region and non interference on bilateralism basis have been the key components of Pakistan’s foreign policy initiatives. However, despite the unprecedented efforts by Pakistan the latter’s sacrifices while fighting against terrorism have never been acknowledged.

Till date, all the allegations that India has placed on Pakistan are totally on hear-say basis and our neighbour has never succeeded in proving Pakistan’s hand in such so-called subversive activities. While contrary to that history quotes about dozens of various instances of Indian involvement in Pakistan like support to Mukti Bahini in creation of Bangladesh, exploitation of sub nationalists in Balochistan and Sindh links with sectarian extremists groups including TTP etc to create unrest in FATA/overall country. Unfortunately this all is happening through the kind courtesy of the India James Bond Ajit Doval, whose offensive-defensive doctrine is enough to make the world understand about the Indian intents vis-à-vis Pakistan.

What world must not forget is that Pakistan itself is a major victim of terrorism waged by state and non state actors, nevertheless, India is mindlessly pursuing the same old obsolete anti Pakistan narratives concerning terrorism. The Indian establishment vis-à-vis Doval have become habitual of organizing false flag operations. They create false alerts, security hype and attract attention of international community etc. Pathankot incident is another attempt of Doval’s mischievous scheming against Pakistan after the shameful failure of terror boat drama last year.

While coming to Doval, it may be noted that  besides planning various terror attacks in Pakistan as part of Indian offensive-defensive doctrine, India’s devilish NSA (National Security Agency) has now started arranging and executing various subversive acts inside India to shift the blame game to Pakistan like orchestrated drama of Gurdaspur episode, boat incident etc. The main aims behind were to defame Pakistan and its security agencies. Those who still have doubts about the false flag operations being conducted itself by the Indian government, they must read the report that carried out by Indian media and which shows that former home ministry officer R.V.S Mani had submitted signed affidavits in court citing member of CBI-SIT team accused incumbent governments of orchestrating the terror attack on Indian Parliament and the 26/11 carnage in Mumbai.

The Indians as they asked for Pakistan’s help, instead of appreciating Pakistan’s gesture about sending the JIT, are creating hurdles in Pak JIT’s investigations that discredited Indian claims. The Pak JIT had asked for handing over swab of four alleged terrorists Nasir Hussain (Punjab), Abu Bakar (Gujranwala) and Umar Farooq and Abdul Qayum (both from Sindh), however, the JIT was provided the DNA reports instead. The Pakistani team found the lights along 24 Kms perimeter wall of Pathankot airbase to be faulty on the eve of the attack, whereas, according to the report the Pak JIT team was only informed about the negligence of Border Security Force (BSF) and Indian forces and the important fact about perimeter blackout was intentionally skipped.

The recent shocking happening in this regard is the murder of NIA Muslim Officer Tanzil Ahmed who was believed to have irrefutable proofs about the Indian agencies involvement in the Pathankot Attack. No one has forgotten about the mysterious murder of the Indian police officer Hemant Karkare who was killed by Hindu extremists after he had exposed their involvement (saffron terror) in the wave of terrorist incidents of 2008 Malegaon in India. Like Hemant, Tanzil Ahmed was also part of the India government team to probe Pathankot terror attack. He was punished for having knowledge about the false flag operation at Pathankot and was suspected of sharing the same thing with the Pak team.

The world must not forget that Pakistan condemns terrorism of all sorts and is committed to stand by its international commitments. The security policy of Pakistan supported by all stake holders including the Government and Security institutions aims at eradicating terrorists from its soil. India’s various mischievous attempts to hyphenate Pakistan with terrorism will definitely remain futile despite the Indian media’s frenzy and volley of allegations against Pakistan which is a true reflection of Indian establishment and Hindu mindset which are intolerant to any improvement in the bilateral relations between both neighboring countries.

 

 

 

 

Kalat Accession: Allegory and Actuality – 2

By:  Aasef Chauhdry

 

By February 1948, the discussions between Kalat and the Government of Pakistan were coming to a head. The Quaid wrote to the Khan of Kalat: I advise you to join Pakistan without further delay and let me have your final reply which you promised to do after your stay with me in Karachi when we fully discussed the whole question in all its aspects. On February 15, 1948, the Quaid-i-Azam visited Sibi, Baluchistan and addressed a Royal Durbar, where he announced that until the Pakistan Constitution is finally written in about two years time, he would govern the province with the help of an advisory council that he would nominate. However, the main reason for the Quaid’s visit to Baluchistan was to persuade the Khan of Kalat to accede to Pakistan. As it transpired, the Khan failed to turn up for the final meeting with him, pleading illness. In his letter to the Quaid, he said that he had summoned both Houses of the Parliament, Dar-ul-Umara and Dar-ul-Awam, for their opinion about the future relations with the Dominion of Pakistan, and he would inform him about their opinion by the end of the month.

While the Dar-ul-Awam, met on February 21, 1948, decided not to accede, the Dar-ul-Umara asked the Khan to seek three months to consider this request. An intelligence report on the proceedings of the meetings reported that copies of the Instrument of Accession were distributed at the Dar-ul-Awam and Dar-ul-Umara before the members cast their votes, and that the Kalat State National Party was propagating that accession meant restriction on their forces and armament, undesired freedom for their women and migration of Muslim refugees into the State which will weaken the voice of the original residents. The Khan of Kalat, the report said, made a brief speech before the Dar-ul-Awam, in which he emphasized the need to have friendly relations with Pakistan, and also said that the intentions of the Quaid towards Kalat were good. The Prime Minister of Kalat spoke next, and said that since this House had voted for Kalat’s independence, he went to see the Quaid in January and had a two-and-a-half hour meeting. He said the Quaid was prepared to help the State in every way, and while independence of the State would remain intact, the only way forward for Kalat was to accede to Pakistan in the matters of Defence, Communications and Foreign Affairs.41 The Prime Minister argued that with accession in respect of the three subjects, the internal independence of Kalat would not be affected. But Mir Ghauos Bakhsh Bizenjo spoke against accession to Pakistan, and he argued that if Pakistan wanted friendship with Kalat, it should restore its leased territories as well as Kharan and Las Bela. Meanwhile, prior to the meeting of the Dar-ul-Awam, on February 25, Agha Abdul Karim, the brother of the Khan of Kalat, met the members of the Kalat State National Party at Dhadar to discuss the issue of the accession of Kalat to Pakistan, and it was here that a resolution was drafted rejecting the accession.

On March 9, 1948 the Khan received communication from the Quaid announcing that he had decided not to deal personally with the Kalat state negotiations, which would henceforth be dealt with by the Pakistan Government. So far there had not been any formal negotiations but only an informal request made by the Quaid to the Khan at Sibi. This request was placed before the Council of Sardars of the state, which asked for three months to consider the matter. The Khan was, however, under pressure from the Afghan government, which would have liked to negotiate an agreement on their own terms. On March 17, 1948 the Pakistan Foreign Ministry sent a telegram to London announcing that Kharan, Las Bela and Mekran had applied for accession to Pakistan and their accession had been accepted. The Khan of Kalat objected to their accession, arguing that it was a violation of Kalat’s Standstill Agreement with Pakistan. He also said that while Kharan and Las Bela were its feudatories, Mekran was a district of Kalat. The British Government had placed the control of the foreign policy of the two feudatories under Kalat in July 1947, prior to partition.

The ruler of Las Bela too had been lobbying with the Quaid-i-Azam to let his state accede to Pakistan. On September 5, 1947, Mir Ghulam Qadir wrote to the Quaid, saying that he had already written to the Pakistani Prime Minister offering accession of Las Bela to the Pakistan Dominion. The letter also mentioned the dire economic conditions of the people of Las Bela as its supplies seem to have been cut off by Kalat. On March 17, 1948, Las Bela too acceded to Pakistan along with Mekran and Kharan. However, by this time the Kalat Government had heard a Radio Pakistan announcement that the Government of Pakistan had accepted the separate accession of Las Bela, Kharan, and Mekran, and wanted this report denied. However, on March 18, 1948, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan issued a press note that the States of Kharan, Las Bela and Mekran had applied for accession to Pakistan, which was granted to them. The offer of accession was accepted by the Pakistan Cabinet when Jam of Las Bela, Chief of Kharan and Nawab Bai Khan of Mekran met the Quaid on March 17, 1948 and told him that if Pakistan was not prepared to accept their offers of accession immediately, they would be compelled to take other steps for their protection against Khan of Kalat’s aggressive actions. This was seen as a blow to the Khan as head of the alliance.

Quaid-e-Azam with khan of kalat ahmad yar khan

What finally forced the Khan of Kalat to accede was the furor caused by news on the All India Radio that the Khan had been negotiating with India. As a consequence of these developments, a report on March 20, claimed that the brother of the Khan, who was also the Governor of Kalat, was leaving for Afghanistan with his wife, who was from the Royal Afghan family.56 However, on March 28, the Reuters news agency carried a story filed from Karachi that Gateway State Joins Pakistan. The Khan issued a communiqué, which said, “On the night of March 27, All India Radio, Delhi announced that two months ago Kalat State had approached the Indian Union to accept its accession to India and that the Indian Union had rejected the request. It had never been my intention to accede to India. It is, therefore, declared that from 9 pm on March 27^th, the time when I heard the false news over the air, I forthwith decide to accede to Pakistan, and that whatever differences now exist between Kalat and Pakistan be placed in writing before Mr. Jinnah, the Governor-General of Pakistan, whose decision I shall accept”. The UK High Commissioner, commenting on the Khan’s denials, wrote, “Khan’s public denials of rumours about offers made to him by India and Afghanistan conflict with his own statements in earlier discussion with Pakistan representatives, when he used these offers as a blackmailing argument. There is good reason to believe that he has been flirting with both India and Afghanistan”.

While the Instrument of Accession was signed by the Khan of Kalat on March 27, it was placed before Muhammad Al Jinnah on March 31, 1948, who accepted it. There was no kind of resistance to the accession till the middle of July 1948, when the brother of the Khan returned from Afghanistan, where he had fled with a body of armed followers. The Pakistan Army engaged this band and the majority of his followers arrested.

As this account makes amply clear, the story of the accession of Kalat was a long drawn out process. And although Pakistan came into being on August 14, 1947, the accession of Kalat did not take place till March 27, 1948. The three feudatories, two of which Las Bela and Kharan, which were recognized by the British as independent, played a key role in forcing the Khan of Kalat to accede to Pakistan. The issue of the accession of Kalat has been clouded in argument and folklore, because little or no research has been done on the subject. One scholar has described the annexation as, a nine month tug of war that came to a climax in the forcible annexation of Kalat. The reality is quite different. Khan of Kalat had no choice but to accede after Kharan, Las Bela and Mekran’s acceded to Pakistan, cutting off Kalat from the sea. The announcement on All India Radio that Kalat had been negotiating with India, which Nehru was at pains to deny in the Indian Parliament, caused such an outcry within Baluchistan and outside that the Khan acceded immediately to Pakistan. That was the time from where this controversy abetted by Bizenjo started. And since last few recent years BSN has started observing 27 March every year as black day on alleged annexation of Kalat state with Pakistan in 1948.  Why these announcements of shutter down strikes in small and far-flung areas of Balochistan, demonstrations of small attendance by exiled BSNs and activities by a handful miscreants on social media are made, is no more a secret after the arrest and confession of RAW’s agent Kulbhushun Yadav.

(Concluded)

Sources Used for this research:

1. Wikipedia
2. Jinnah’s letter to Khan of Kalat
3. Instrument of Accession of Kalat State
4. The accession of Kalat Myth & Reality
5. Other sources

Kalat Accession: Allegory and Actuality – 1

By Aasef Chauhdry

There was a kind of tug of war between Kalat and Pakistan in the early days, however, making the accession controversial, doing propaganda and celebrating so-called Black Day every year on its basis is not acceptable. Many journalists would unashamedly lie that Kalat joined Pakistan by vigor but they can’t give any historic proof to this claim. If taking over of Kalat state was a myth, why would people like Mir Ghauos Bakhsh Bizenjo, President of the Kalat State National Party, who were against Kalat state acceding to Pakistan later on became the Governor of the Balochistan province? Another most vital truth is that why Kalat is termed as whole Balochistan province? Why people forget the reality that by the time of Accession of Kalat, most of Balochistan was already part of Pakistan but propagandists and planted agents would only talk about Kalat as if it was entire Balochistan. What is now called Balochistan had many Pashtun dominated districts which along with Quetta and other districts readily became part of Pakistan by August 1947 excluding Gwadar which belonged to Oman at that time and was later sold to Pakistan. Just to clear these misconceptions it was felt mandatory to take the help of authentic and well researched material to clear the doubts lurking in general public’s minds.

Baluchistan that Pakistan inherited consisted of three types of territory. First, there was a long strip of land separating Baluchistan from Afghanistan and the Northwest Frontier Province, which was directly administered by the British. Chiefs, who had treaty relationships with the British, controlled the rest of Baluchistan. They had internal independence but the Government of India controlled their external relations. The Khan of Kalat was the most important of these chiefs, whose territories were divided amongst a number of feudatories with different levels of independence. Kalat did not feature large in the competition between India and Pakistan for the accession of princely states at the time of the partition. Since it was on the periphery of the Indian sub-continent, it did not hold the same importance as Kashmir, Hyderabad, or even Junagadh. Nor did it have the disagreement of the ruler belonging to one faith while its people belonged to another, as both were Muslim. However, the Quaid-i-Azam had promised Kalat and other princely states independence, if they acceded to Pakistan. Independence in this environment meant that foreign affairs, defence and communications would be handled by Pakistan.

As the Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, sought to settle the question of accession of all princely states, Kalat was the subject of a meeting on July 19, 1947. While discussing the future of Kalat, Lord Mountbatten said that he would meet the representatives of the other princely states and suggest to them that they should adhere to one or the other of the Dominions. The minutes of the same meeting revealed that the Khan of Kalat claimed that Jinnah had asked him whether he would be willing to send representatives to the Pakistan Constituent Assembly, but he had responded in the negative, saying it would not be possible because of Kalat’s independent status. However, more importantly, the Khan had agreed with Jinnah that an understanding must be reached between Kalat and Pakistan on defence, external affairs and communications. A series of meetings between the Viceroy, as the Crown’s Representative, the Quaid and the Khan of Kalat followed, which resulted in a communiqué on August 11, 1947. The communiqué stated that, “The Government of Pakistan recognizes Kalat as an independent sovereign state in treaty relations with the British Government with a status different from that of Indian States. Legal opinion will be sought as to whether or not agreements of leases will be inherited by the Pakistan Government. Meanwhile, a Standstill Agreement has been made between Pakistan and Kalat. Discussions will take place between Pakistan and Kalat at Karachi at an early date with a view to reaching decisions on Defence, External Affairs and Communications”.

While the Quaid on behalf of the Government of Pakistan agreed to recognize Kalat as an independent and a sovereign State, the Khan of Kalat tried to get the Crown Representative to do so as well. The Crown Agent refused on the basis of an advice from his political adviser. It is clear from the draft communiqué and the UK High Commissioner’s letter discussing it that not only was the British Government unhappy with Pakistan’s recognition of Kalat as an independent and a sovereign State, but it also did not want it to become a precedent.

Grafftey Smith mentions in his memo of September 24, 1947 to the Commonwealth Relations Office that a draft Instrument of Accession has been sent to the Khan of Kalat, and it is in the same form as the Junagadh Instrument, but that the Khan is unlikely to accept it. He further said that Jinnah has had second thoughts regarding the recognition of Kalat as an independent sovereign state, and is now desirous of obtaining its accession in the same form as was accepted by other rulers who joined Pakistan. The same note mentions that an interesting situation is developing as Pakistan might accept the accession of Kalat’s two feudatories, Las Bela and Kharan, and points out that this is like Junagadh, where India is negotiating directly with Mangrol. However, it says, the significant difference between the two situations is that the Crown Representative recognised Kharan and Las Bela as independent states prior to August 15, 1947, which was not the case with Mangrol. The note also mentions that the Khan has assured Jinnah of having no intention of opening negotiations with Iran, Afghanistan or India, but observed that the situation would become very difficult if the Khan attempted to open negotiations with New Delhi.

On August 15, 1947 when the British withdrew from India, the Khan of Kalat said in his speech, “I thank God that one aspiration, that is independence, has been achieved, but the other two, the enforcement of Shariah-i-Muhammadi and unification of Baloch people, remain to be fulfilled”. The speech was delivered in the Balochi language, with promises to work towards the unfulfilled aspirations. He also expressed the sense of incompleteness of the process of unification and independence, and appeared to be referring to the leased areas, which Pakistan had inherited from British India.
What complicated the situation was the desire of Kharan and Las Bela, two feudatories of Kalat, to accede to Pakistan, irrespective of Kalat’s decision. Moreover, Mekran, which was a district of Kalat, wanted to do the same. There are a plethora of letters from the rulers of Kharan and Las Bela entreating the Quaid to accept the accession of their states to Pakistan, irrespective of Kalat’s decision. Mir Mohammed Habibullah Khan, the ruler of Kharan, wrote to the Quaid on August 21, 1947, “I announce on behalf of myself and my subjects; and joins Pakistan Dominion as its suzerain and promises to serve Pakistan up to its extent”. In each successive letter, Habibullah Khan makes it apparent that the supremacy of Kalat is unacceptable to him. He wrote to the Quaid in November 1947, by then the Governor-General of Pakistan, “My State will never submit to the dictates of the Kalat State and will continue to oppose any moves aimed at an interference of the State’s freedom to act. A few days later writing again to the Governor-General, he argued that it is not possible any longer for Kharan to bear the undue interference from the Kalat state, and described the legal status of Kharan in these words, “Following the lapse of the British paramountcy, Kharan repudiated the supremacy of Kalat and acceded to Pakistan; Kharan also complained that Kalat was arming the mischief mongers in Kharan with the purpose of creating law and order situation in Pakistan-controlled areas.

By October 1947, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had a change of heart on the recognition of Kalat as an Independent and a Sovereign State, and wanted the Khan to sign the same form of instrument of accession as the other states which had joined Pakistan. The Khan was unwilling to abandon the nominally achieved independent status but ready to concede on defence, foreign affairs and communications. However, he was unwilling to sign either a treaty or an Instrument, until and unless he had got a satisfactory agreement on the leased areas. Fears were also being voiced that officials of the Government of Pakistan might start dealing with the two feudatories of Las Bela and Kharan, and accept their de facto accession, as these two feudatories were recognized by the Crown Representative as separate States prior to August 15, 1947.

Mir Mohammad Habibullah Khan, the ruler of Kharan, wrote to the Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah in December 1947 and explained why Kharan did not accept the suzerainty of Kalat. He said that before the advent of the British, Kharan was under the influence of Afghanistan, and that it was in 1883 that it accepted the supremacy of Britain. Kharan, he said, received an allowance of Rs. 6,000 per year from the British until August 15, 1947 in lieu of the allowance it used to get from Afghanistan. He argued that Kharan was an independent state under the supremacy of the British. Kalat, he said, has always wanted to subjugate Kharan, and even launched an armed attack against Kharan in 1939 to force it to accept Kalat’s hegemony. Habibullah Khan then declared, “After August 15, 1947, Kharan is absolutely an independent State. It has decided to accede to Pakistan. However, whether Kharan joins Pakistan or remains outside, this much is clear that it will never, in any way, accept Kalat’s hegemony. His position about the Brohi Confederacy was that Sardar Azad Khan, the ruler of Kharan, had not recognized the Khan of Kalat as his Sardar during Sir Robert Sandeman’s tenure of office. The ruler of Kharan in Baluchistan, while visiting Karachi in October 1947, issued a statement, saying, “Kharan was equal to Kalat and would never suffer subordination to her; Kharan would live and, if necessary, die for Pakistan. Kalat continued to deny that either of the two feudatories could be regarded as separate states.

(To be concluded)

Sources Used for this research:

1. Wikipedia
2. Jinnah’s letter to Khan of Kalat
3. Instrument of Accession of Kalat State
4. The accession of Kalat Myth & Reality
5. Other sources

Balochistan: The Hub of RAW’s Subversive Activities

 

By:      Aasef Chaudhry

An Indian Navy officer, who is serving for spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), was arrested in Balochistan few days back.  Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti while confirming the arrest, said that RAW officer, identified as Kulbhushun Yadav, was arrested from Balochistan three days ago.  As per initial investigation the Indian spy was in contact with Baloch separatists and members of religious organizations involved in stoking sectarian and ethnic unrest in the province. So is for RAW’s meddling in neighbouring countries affairs, while if it comes to domestic front, the innocent Indians can never think about any possibility of RAW undertaking a dangerous terrorist activity inside their own country hence its always ruled out, although there are a lot many examples that they have been doing the same in the past. The prototype of Indian propaganda pose a very terrible picture as whenever a terrorist or sabotage activity is planned by Indian RAW, Indian media pro-actively accuses Pakistan for an looming terrorist attack which is straight away labeled as ISI sponsored.

Sometime during October 2013,the then Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani spoke about the sharing of evidence with India regarding the Indian involvement in trouble in Balochistan Province. It was known to all and there was no doubt that Indian agencies were financing and arming Baloch youths for acts of violence but Pakistan used the diplomatic channels to convey this to India instead of openly airing its grievances. The real issue is why the government had not exposed it publically and the architects of the violence and those behind them were not exposed before the media and the internationally community. That gave Indians a free hand to train and finance their agents for acts of terrorism in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The arrest of Commander Yadav proved that Pakistan’s silence was taken as the latter’s weakness and the Indians more actively interfered in Balochistan. It’s just one agent who is arrested while God knows how many more are still at large; freely roaming in the province and doing harm to the innocent Pakistanis.

Just three years back, in July 2013 Indian media, fed by their Intelligence Bureau, shamelessly hinted against ISI for reactivating its terrorist network to attack Hindu leaders and their establishments in several cities in India. However, notably during the same time, veteran Baloch politician Sardar Akhtar Mengal admitted to the presence of death squads sponsored by Pakistan’s neighbours and foreign powers. He acknowledged that so-called Baloch insurgents had been targeting non-Baloch settlers, mainly those from Punjab, in Balochistan. It was perhaps the first time that Mengal had openly condemned the activities of Baloch insurgents — not easy to do since his younger brother Javed Mengal and two of his nephews – Nooruddin Mengal and Bhawal Mengal – were also allegedly involved in insurgency. The irony is that despite having the strong irrefutable proofs against the Indian involvement, the government, for unknown reasons played on the back foot.

On the other hand the Indian spin doctors especially those linked with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and other extremist Hindu groups are continuously propagating against Pakistan and aggressively use anti ISI storyline with a view to show Pakistan in bad light while slandering Pakistan’s top intelligence agency, ISI. Their sick mind and elusive psyche spread captivating thoughts and breed malice and evilness against Pakistan’s ISI. Driven by their dishonesty and sense of unfriendliness they coin fresh jargons and initiate daydream to conduct nonstop psychological operations which are damaging to Pakistan’s interest and cause aspersions against ISI.

Through such false alarms the Indian Govt was warned to put the security mechanism on high alert as RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat was touring multiple Indian states. Ultimately the entire plot was proved fake and fictitious. Pakistan wrongly ignored the Indian malevolence, suggesting that such baseless allegations will jeopardize the peace process between India and Pakistan. As a matter of fact the Pakistan government should have taken the Indian culprit quarters to task. Sadly, the Indian propagandists learnt nothing and ignored Pakistani advice.

There are no two opinions about good neighbourly relations as well as composite dialogue with India but not at the cost of Pakistan’s prestige. We should keep in view that New Delhi day in and day out has been trumpeting propaganda against Pakistan about terrorists using Pakistani soil against that country. The fact of the matter is that since 2008 there has been no major incident of terrorism in India while on the other hand Pakistan is being targeted every day through blasts or suicide attacks. These acts cannot be executed without arms and finances, which are being supplied to the anti-state elements in Balochistan and KPK by India and some other alien agencies that have their own vested interests. We strongly believe that time has come that Pakistan should raise the critical and crucial issues with India in categorical manner because it is not question of just a province or two but the security and sovereignty of State of Pakistan and New Delhi must bring an end to interference in our internal affairs immediately.

As operation, Zarb-e-Azb is proceeding well and India feels out of sort. They have planned to keep Pakistan, Pak Army and ISI under pressure. Besides that RAW is leaving no stone unturned to fail the CPEC project which will bring prosperity; categorically for the province of Balochistan and generally for the country. The apprehended cover agent commander Yadav was on one such mission. It’s high time for India to realize that the fire they are fueling in the neighbour can soon catch their own house too. However at the same time the government of Pakistan is direly needed to clean under its carpet and remove those suspected Indian agents like Najam Sethi and others from the key post where they are harming the national interest and ruining the institutions like cricket etc.

Kashmiris: The Sold Nation

By:       Aasef Chauhdry

The fifteenth century will always be remembered for the start of European slave trading in Africa with the Portuguese transporting people from Africa to Portugal and using them as slaves. Dejectedly, from the ancient Greek and Romans of the medieval times till today this brazen buy and sell still exists. The olden times confirm that it has been the practice since from the start of the civilization that the dominant and fortunate society would buy deprived people for their household jobs, sex, farming fatigues and countless other menial jobs. It is called human trafficking; the trade of humans or their organs. How could the British stay behind? Hence, in 1562, they also joined in on this inhuman trade in Africa. In 1600s, other countries from the ‘civilised’ European jumped into the slave trade. These included Spain, North America, Holland, France, Sweden, and Denmark. Modern America also has a rich history of Human Trafficking.

Although history is choked with events recounting incidents of human trafficking, nonetheless, the historians seems either not interested in narrating or they are scared about talking of one of the worst ever human trafficking occurrence that had happened in 1846, when East India Company sold Kashmir to Maharaja Gulab Singh Dogra for 75,000 Sikka Shahi which was the ruling currency of Punjab at that time (and not rupees as commonly referred) (7.5 million) which if converted at the current rate of exchange in Sterling Pounds amounts to a meager sum of approximately £ 93,750.00. So it means that each individual of Kashmir was sold at the rate of 7.5 Sikka Shahi per human, with one horse, 12 Pashmina (fur) goats annually and 3 Pashmina shawls.

Prior to the deal, Gulab Singh sent Dewan Jawala Sahai to the British authorities with a request that Jammu territory along with the residents be sold to him. The Dewan had a detailed parleys with Lawrence and Currie, who after discussing the issue with Hardinge, laid the condition that if the Maharajah paid the indemnity of ten million rupees, the British would be willing to grant him the territories lying between the source of the Bias to the Sindh, including Kashmir and Hazara. Gulab Singh was, however, not in a position to pay such huge amount, hence, suggested, leaving out of the grant of the territory lying to the right band of the Bias and corresponding cutback in the amount demanded. The amended proposal was approved, rather welcomed by the British authorities, thus while considering the keeping out of some territory, the amount of guarantee to be paid by Gulab Singh was reduced by twenty-five lacs. This is the only sale deed in the history of mankind when not only the land but along with it the basic rights of the people with their property were also sold. The disgraceful treaty is known as Treaty of Amritsar. In return of this petty amount, Gulab Singh acquired “all the hilly or mountainous country with its dependencies situated to the eastward of the River Indus and the westward of the River Ravi including Chamba and excluding Lahul.

The deal was struck between the British government and Maharaja Gulab Singh Dogra. It is remembered as the Treaty of Amritsar, which was signed on March 16, 1846, to settle a dispute over territory in Kashmir after the First Sikh war with the United Kingdom, ceding some land to Maharaja Gulab Singh Dogra. Based on the provisions of the article-1 of this shameful treaty, Gulab Singh acquired the lands “River Indus and the westward of the River Ravi including Chamba and in return paid amount of 7.5 million Sikka Shahi or Nanak Shahi, along with one horse, 12 goats and three shawls, to the British Government as the price for the cessation along with other annual tributes like, One shawl and 100 goats every year, failing which, Kashmir was to revert back to the British. Unfortunately, this disgraceful Treaty of Amritsar marked the beginning of Dogra rule in Kashmir.

Some other important articles of the treaty, which will reflect the crux of the agreement, are appended below:

Article 4 The limits of territories of Maharajah Gulab Singh shall not be at any time changed without concurrence of the British Government. Article 7 Maharajah Gulab Singh engages never to take to retain in his service any British subject nor the subject of any European or American State without the consent of the British Government. Article 9 The British Government will give its aid to Maharajah Gulab Singh in protecting his territories from external enemies. The most interesting, though quite humiliating is the Article 10 which says, Maharajah Gulab Singh acknowledges the supremacy of the British Government and will in token of such supremacy present annually to the British Government one horse, twelve shawl goats of approved breed (six male and six female) and three pairs of Cashmere shawls.

The 9th of November, 1846 was that dark day of the history of Kashmir when Gulab Singh, an illiterate to the end, entered capital city of Srinagar.  M. L. Kapur in his book ‘The History of Jammu & Kashmir’ mentions about the atrocious manners of Gulab Singh in the following words “to quell the rebellion in Poonch and Chibbhal territory, Gulab Singh returning from Peshawar and after some desultory warfare, the rebels were completely routed.

Many of them were captured, and treated with revenge and reprisal; their hands and feet were severed by axes, while skins of Mali Sabaz Ali, two of the close accomplices of Shams uddin, were peeled off their bodies, and their heads were hung on gallows in a crossing as a warning to others. Hands were ultimately laid on the chief rebel as well, and his head was cut off.” He further mentions “Examples of brutality were thought necessary but the cruelties perpetrated by Gulab Singh both in this and in the other campaigns in which he has commanded have caused his name to be generally decried and detested.” Gulab Singh as a treacherous and licentious person is further described as “the Panchas applauded the talks with the Jammu Raja, (Gulab Singh) which went on for about a week; and during this period the latter entertained the former with “abundance of food, sweetmeats, drinks and women”.

The tragic part is that during Gulab Singh’s rule, the condition of the people of the state was appalling and intolerable. Almost everything was taxed heavily and after paying their dues to the government, fulfilling the illicit and unlawful demands of the corrupt officials, the farmers were hardly left with the one-third of their crop. Secondly, the security of life and property had disappeared. British Government received complaints against the tyrannical rule of Gulab Singh Dogra, though the succeeding governments of Ranbir Singh, Pratap Singh and even Hari Singh were no different as corruption was always at its peak and the Muslim majority community suffered at the hands of these dogra rulers who treated people like animals and would get a thrill by humiliating them which the rulers did on daily basis. To give an example, a Muslim would be sent to gallows for killing a cow compared to a Hindu who would be given a minor sentence for a similar offence or for killing a Muslim.

It is ever since the Dogra rule that the inopportune Kashmiris are considered as the children of the lesser god because their life hasn’t changed. Hari Singh, succeeded his uncle Maharaja Pratap Singh, and ascended the throne on October 14, 1925. He maneuvered to maintain his independence by playing India and Pakistan with each other by signing standstill agreement with both the countries. He was forced by India to Sign the doubtful instrument of accession on 26th Oct, 1947. As it happens with every puppet ruler, in 1951 Hari Singh’s rule was terminated by Government of India and the miseries of the Kashmiri Muslims hastened from there on. The Indian rulers are found apologetic all along vis-à-vis Kashmir case since they don’t have a logic stance. They invaded and captured the valley, unlawfully and unethically. The unarmed and innocent Kashmiri Muslims are brutally being murdered by the Indian military and Para military forces. Hence, the Indians have proved that their rule is in no way different from their predecessors; the Dogras.

Asma Gandhi? (The Saffron Lady)

By:    Roohi Wanchoo

There is a bandwagon carrying a squad of notorious anti Pakistan and anti armed forces elements who spare no chance to bash and malign the forces but among them the one who shout at the top of her voice is none other than a so-called human rights watcher Asma Jahangir. She is famous for dragging any issue miles away from the cantonments and making it a reason to slander the army or ISI. The blind lady can’t see even a small portion of what good the armed forces have done for the country, may that be on security and peace front or on humanitarian front. It appears as if she has been tasked and paid to spit venom against the armed forces and ISI in first place and Pakistan in the second position.

It’s not understood that why government fears to chain these mad creatures who hurt the feelings of millions of patriotic Pakistanis? Instead they are honoured and decorated with the highest national awards. Do they really deserve this honour and respect? There is another lethal and dubious character named Pervez Hoodbhoy who is a Physics professor but teaching everything except Physics. The State pays this anti Pakistan character for making fun of Pak army and ridiculing our nuclear program. He is openly polluting the minds of the youngsters of that university where he teaches.

Coming back to Asma, who is always active and aggressive against the Khakis, is determined to poke her nose in affairs not related to her by any way. Ever since General Raheel Sharif took over the command and set his national priorities, one way or the other Asma Jahangir has banked upon criticising him and army without any rhyme or reason. She is the same Asma who once cried and asked the army to reach Swat and save the people and Pakistan from Taliban. Those who have a short memory can be given the allowance to forget the cries she made at the Constitution Avenue Islamabad and when the army ensured and restored peace in the restive valley, she came out with her real motive as she was tasked by her mentors.  She suddenly turned against them and her humanity woke up out of nowhere. Surprisingly she along with her likeminded has again started raising the voice against Pakistan army and ISI, as it was done in 1971. People must have not forgotten about her address, few years back at Agha Khan University which was given a wide coverage and was extra ordinarily highlighted by the Indian press and electronic media.

However, it would be very difficult for people with sharp memory to forget her suspicious meetings in India with the radical leaders like Bal Thackeray whom she met while wearing a specially tailored Saffron suit, a color perfectly matching Bal’s dress. Though Bal Thackeray was not the only one whom she met. The question is that for how long her anti Pakistan activities would be tolerated by the government and she would be allowed to continue her mudslinging game against the sacred institutions of the country. Not only Asma but those television channels with vested interests should also be collared and chained who invite her and allow her cheerfully to ridicule the forces and call the soldiers duffers who lay their lives in the line of the duty.

She claims to be a human activist but her struggle is confined to the Indian prisoners rightly placed behind the bars for the heinous crimes like bomb exploding and killing, nevertheless she has never uttered a single word or has raised even a faint voice for the inopportune Pakistani prisoners rotting in the Indian jails or Dr. Afia Siddiqui.

Asma, as the legend goes ensured fetching divorce to thousands of innocent women during last two decades, yet she claims to be a ‘Rights’ Watchdog’. The point to remember is that those who lit candles at Joint Check Post Wagah and dance with their Hindu friends in India, ‘religiously’ celebrate Diwali, have no right to show a lost sleep for Pakistan or to criticise Pakistan army. The breaking news is that lately, she has happily joined the anti army/ ISI clan that is active on Facebook and Twitter. It is difficult to please everyone and every time. The public must show some guts to ask the lady that why must she always clutches to the Indian straws and why she displays so much hate for Pakistan and its armed forces? If she is so fond of the neighbouring country then its right time for her to drift since her adorable brother Narendra Modi who is on the same wave length, is in chair, there.

 

 

The Unforgettable Black November of 1947

By:    Aasef Chauhdry

At times I feel disappointed to see the attitude of those ignorant Pakistanis who are desperate to have cordial and warm relations with a cunning neighbour like India, amidst the latter’s dual character, atrocities in Kashmir and the brutal killings of the Muslims and other minorities of India. One fails to understand that how could one ever think of having friendly relations with a neighbour who has never admitted your existence ever since the independence?

The history of Kashmir is full of bloody accounts of killings, tortures and rapes of the innocent Muslims at the hands of the brutal Indian forces and the corneas of Maharaja Hari Singh. How can one forget the ruthless and heinous killing of over 2.5 lakh Kashmiri Muslim immigrants on 6 November 1947 in Jammu and surroundings? During the partition of the Sub-continent, the people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) which comprised Muslim majority decided to join Pakistan according to the British-led formula, however, Dogra Raja Hari Singh, a Hindu who was ruling over the J&K, in connivance with the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Governor General Lord Mountbatten, treacherously joined India.

The design to wrest Kashmir under duress began to open out on August 16, 1947, with the announcement of the Radcliffe Boundary Award which gave away the Gurdaspur District; a majority Muslim area to India to provide a land route to the Indian armed forces to move into Kashmir. There was a rebellion in the state forces, which revolted against the Maharaja and were joined by the tribesmen from the NWFP (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). Lord Mountbatten ordered armed forces to land in Srinagar. When Pakistan responded militarily against the Indian aggression, on December 31, 1947, India made an appeal to the UN Security Council to intervene and a ceasefire ultimately came into effect on January 01, 1949, following UN resolutions calling for a plebiscite in Kashmir to enable the people of Jammu and Kashmir to determine whether they wish to join Pakistan or India. On February 5, 1964, India backed out of its promise of holding plebiscite. Instead, in March 1965, the Indian Parliament passed a bill, declaring Kashmir a province of India-an integral part of the Indian union.

As part of pre-planned plot, on November 5, 1947, announcements were made everywhere in Jammu, asking Muslims to assemble in police lines where from they would be sent to Pakistan. On November 6, Jammu Muslims including men women and children were seemingly dispatched towards Pakistan in trucks, nevertheless, before they could reach the destination, Indian army, forces of Maharaja and Hindu Mahasabai goons and extremists at Samba Reasi and other places martyred them in gruesome manner. Thus, over 2.50 lakh Muslim inmates of Jammu city and adjoining areas were killed through a mass murder plan which could be termed as the holocaust of the subcontinent. As it was expected, the huge deaths had stunned the world and the ‘Time” magazine, in its November 47 publication also pointed out the figure of 2, 50,000 deaths of Jammu people.

That was not one occasion. In fact the Indians have a black track record of killings the innocent Kashmiris, before and after 6 November 1947, in the burning valley. According to a report on human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir, since 1989, there have been deaths of 1,00000 innocent Kashmiris, 7,023 custodial killings, 1,22,771 arrests, 1,05,996 destruction of houses or buildings, 22,776 women widowed, 1,07,466 children orphaned and 10,086 women gang-raped/molested. Besides Human Rights Watch, in its various reports, Amnesty International has also pointed out grave human rights violations in the Indian controlled Kashmir, indicating, “The Muslim majority population in the Kashmir Valley suffers from the repressive tactics of the security In its report on July 2, 2015, the Amnesty International has highlighted extrajudicial killings of the innocent persons at the hands of Indian security forces in the Indian Held Kashmir. The report points out, “Tens of thousands of security forces are deployed in Indian-administered Kashmir…the Armed Forces Special Powers Act allows troops to shoot to kill suspected militants or arrest them without a warrant…not a single member of the armed forces has been tried in a civilian court for violating human rights in Kashmir…this lack of accountability has in turn facilitated other serious abuses…India has martyred one 100,000 people. More than 8,000 disappeared (while) in the custody of army and state police.” In this respect, European Union has passed a resolution about human rights abuses committed by Indian forces in the Indian held Kashmir. It is of particular attention that in 2008, a rights group reported unmarked graves in 55 villages across the northern regions of the Indian-held Kashmir. Then researchers and other groups reported finding thousands of mass graves without markers. In this respect, in August, 2011, Indian Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission officially acknowledged in its report that innocent civilians killed in the two-decade conflict have been buried in unmarked Notably, foreign sources and human rights organisations have revealed that unnamed graves include those innocent persons, killed by the Indian military and paramilitary troops in the fake encounters including those who were tortured to death by the Indian secret agency RAW. Indian authorities are not willing to talk with Kashmiri people on political grounds. New Delhi reached to a conclusion that only bullet is the right way of dealing with Kashmiris, demanding their right of self-determination.

Nonetheless, 6th of November is commemorated by the Kashmiris and Pakistanis as the Jammu Martyrs Day; another gloomy day to remember the supreme sacrifices of lives, laid down by 2,50,000 people of Jammu, who were ruthlessly massacred by the Hindu extremists, Indian forces and the Dogra military troops on November 6, 1947. No doubt that the people of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir display solidarity with the Kashmiri brethren in Pakistan, AJ7K and elsewhere in the world. Special ceremonies including seminars and symposiums are held in the small and major towns of AJK to pay glorious tributes to the Jammu martyrs. Besides that the Jammu Martyrs Day is also observed at both sides of line of control in Jammu and Kashmir like the rest of the world every year to commemorate the supreme sacrifices, however there are two main issues which keep disturbing the concerned minds; for how long the Kashmiris will remain the children of a lesser god and secondly when will the conscience of those ignorant people will wake up who, in the middle of this endless killing are showing a lost sleep to have friendly relations with “Killer India”?.

 

 

Iqbal Died at the Hands of the Politicians

By:    Aasef Chauhdry

First time in the history of Pakistan Allama Iqbal’s birthday was made controversial; deliberately or by err but certainly the attempts were made to lower his gigantic stature which was prevailing ever since the Subcontinent’s independence movement. Declaring his birthday as a national holiday was just a small token of humble deference which this indebted nation could offer to the Thinker of a separate Muslim State; nevertheless, since many years the deliberate campaigns were launched in print, electronic and social media to belittle his image of a hero, legend and Messiah for the Muslims of Indo-Pak. Confusion at the national level was created by cancelling the national holiday. Later a mockery was made of the decision when in federal areas it was declared as a working day while in some of the provinces it was declared as the holiday. To be honest Allama Iqbal never deserved this sort of treatment. His role as the Thinker of Pakistan stays beyond any doubt, come what may. As a matter of fact his role was more important and worth acknowledging since he was the one who convinced Quaid e Azam to lead the Muslims of India during their struggle for the freedom movement. He is regarded as the only philosopher, poet and politician in British India who inspired the Pakistan Movement. He is considered undisputedly one of the most important figures in Urdu literature, with literary work in both the Urdu and Persian languages.

Now the time has come that every Tom, Dick and Harry can get up and picks the courage and guts to criticise Iqbal. There are idiots like Hassan Nisar who remained drunk for 25 hours out of 24 hours and then publically talk nonsense like blaming the great poet of the East and accusing him for the downfall of the young generation specifically and the nation generally. The Pseudo like Hassan Nisar and Pervez Hoodbhoy have done a great damage to our national heritage through their careless, irresponsible and immature behaviour. They are playing their role to belittle the image our national heroes, purposely.

Iqbal was born in Sialkot with ancestral roots to the Brahmins from Kashmir who converted to Islam. Iqbal is admired as a prominent classical poet by Pakistani, Indian and other international scholars of literature besides been acclaimed as a modern Muslim philosopher. Although his first poetry book, Asrar-e-Khudi, appeared in the Persian language in 1915, however his Urdu works like Bang-i-Dara, Bal-i-Jibril and Zarb-i Kalim attained more fame and popularity in the Subcontinent. In Iran and Afghanistan he is famous as Iqbal-e Lahori (Iqbal of Lahore), and he is most appreciated for his Persian work. Iqbal is known as Shair-e-Mushriq meaning Poet of the East. He is also called Muffakir-e-Pakistan (The Inceptor of Pakistan), and Hakeem-ul-Ummat (The Sage of the Ummah). Pakistan has officially recognised him as its “national poet”.

Iqbal had remained active in the Muslim League as he did not support Indian involvement in World War I and remained in close touch with Muslim political leaders such as Maulana Mohammad Ali Johar and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He was a critic of the mainstream Indian National Congress, which he regarded as dominated by Hindus and was saddened with the League’s factional division during 1920, when it gashed into the pro-British group led by Sir Muhammad Shafi and the centrist group led by Jinnah. He supported the constitutional proposals presented by Jinnah while parallel worked with Aga Khan and other Muslim leaders to mend the factional divisions and accomplish unity in the Muslim League.

Disillusioned with the political elite of the Muslim League Iqbal came to believe that only Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a political leader capable of preserving this unity and fulfilling the League’s objectives on Muslim political empowerment besides drawing Indian Muslims to the League and maintaining party unity before the British and the Congress. Building a strong, personal communication with Jinnah, Iqbal was a dominant force in convincing Jinnah to end his self-imposed exile in London, return to India and take charge of the League, hence he wrote him, “I know you are a busy man but I do hope you won’t mind my writing to you often, as you are the only Muslim in India today to whom the community has right to look up for safe guidance through the storm which is coming to North-West India and, perhaps, to the whole of India.”

Iqbal always paid special attention towards awakening the Muslim youth. He was invited to Cambridge to participate in a conference in 1931, where he expressed his inspired vision to students and other audience in a historic speech, “I would like to offer a few pieces of advice to the young men who are at present studying at Cambridge …… I advise you to guard against atheism and materialism. The biggest blunder made by Europe was the separation of Church and State. This deprived their culture of moral soul and diverted it to the atheistic materialism. I had twenty-five years ago seen through the drawbacks of this civilization and therefore had made some prophecies. They had been delivered by my tongue although I did not quite understand them. This happened in 1907….. After six or seven years, my prophecies came true, word by word. The European war of 1914 was an outcome of the aforesaid mistakes made by the European nations in the separation of the Church and the State”.

Allama Iqbal was the poet of the Pakistan who will remain in the heart of every Pakistani particularly and every Muslim generally. While taking look at few of his masterpiece works, one can conveniently visualise that what service he did for the freedom of the Muslims of the Subcontinent and the unity of the Islamic Ummah;  Asrar-e-Khudi, Zabur-i-Ajam, Zarb-i-Mashriq, Ilm ul Iqtisad in 1903, Rumuz-i-Bekhudi in 1917, Payam-i-Mashriq in 1923, Javid Nama in 1832, Armughan-e-Hijaz in 1938, Bang-i-Dara in 1924, Bal-i-Jibril in 1935, Zarb-i Kalim in 1936, The Development of Metaphysics in Persia in 1909 and The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam in 1930.

Agreed that merely a holiday on his birthday wont serve the cause or will raise his image further but it is just a small token to acknowledge his role in the founding of a Muslim independent state. If we honestly analyse then there are many other closed holidays given throughout the year which are otherwise not relevant or important and the government needs to cancel those. As earlier said that a specific lobby with the vested interests is quite active since couple of years to defame this great poet of the East and no wonders if these elements once succeed in their mission will take on Muhammad Ali Jinnah as their next target because their mission is to ridicule our national heroes and undermine their images. If people at the helm of the affairs sincerely think that these holidays have got nothing to do with the cause they served then let’s do away with the one on Quaid’s birthday too.

Allama Iqbal very rightly said and I quote, “Nations are born in the hearts of poets, they prosper and die in the hands of politicians”.

 

27 October: A Day for the Indians to Feel Mortified

 

By:    Aasef Chauhdry

The Maharaja of the State of Jammu and Kashmir and the Indian government were in corroboration, hence former, on 26 October, very cunningly signed the Instrument of Accession (IOA) acceding the 75% majority Muslim region to the Indian Union. India was already waiting thus accepted the accession, regarding it “provisional” until such time as the will of the people can be ascertained by a plebiscite, since Kashmir was recognized as a disputed territory, however that excuse was an eyewash to shed away the world pressure.
Both the parties, as mutually and discreetly decided, the Indian army entered the state on 27 October on the plea of repelling the ‘invaders’. On 27-28 October, the soldiers of Indian army committed heinous crimes and the charges of atrocities by them are on record. Pakistan disputed that the accession was illegal given by the Maharaja who acted under duress and that he had no right to sign an agreement with India when the standstill agreement with Pakistan was still in force. .

India is committing human rights violations on larger scale in Indian Occupied Kashmir since long. In Jammu and Kashmir, a disputed territory administered by India the human rights abuses is an ongoing issue. The abuses range from mass killings, forced disappearances, torture, rape, sexual abuse to political tyranny and suppression of freedom of speech. The Indian central reserve police force, border security personnel and various militant groups have been accused and held accountable for committing severe human rights abuses against Kashmiri civilians. A Wiki Leaks issue had also revealed Indian systemic human rights violations. According to media reports, US diplomats have possessed the evidence of the apparent widespread use of torture by Indian security forces and Indian police. The judiciary remained overburdened, and court backlogs led to lengthy delays or the denial of justice. Authorities continued to infringe on citizens’ privacy rights. India’s illegitimate occupation of IOK for over six decades has been a perpetual source of gross human rights violation and atrocities against innocent people of IOK.  India is continuously disregarding UN resolutions for conducting plebiscite for the people of Kashmir.

To suppress the legitimate voices of IOK’s populace, India has positioned a large number of Security Forces in the valley.  Indian security forces are the major perpetrators of human rights violation in the state but no action is ever taken against the culprits in contravention to international law. The barbaric Security forces since 1989 have killed 100,000 innocent Kashmiris, in excess of 150,000 civilians have been arrested on fake allegations, 25,000 women have been made widows, over 110,000 children have been made orphans and over 10,000 women have been gang raped/molested.  Such a large scale of human rights violations amply highlighted by international community, have not shattered the Hindu centric mind set of Indian Governments.  These atrocities are escalating in the era of RSS driven, anti Muslim Hardliner BJP.

The global human rights group Amnesty International has slammed India for lack of accountability amid 25 years of human rights violations in Indian occupied Kashmir in its report titled: “Denied: Failures in accountability for human rights violations by security force personnel in Jammu and Kashmir”. The Amnesty International’s report documented the kind of obstacles there are in the way of accountability for human rights offenders. Other than highlighting several cases where Indian army personnel were not brought to justice for human rights offenses, the Amnesty report also puts a special focus on Section 7 of the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990 (AFSPA), which grants immunity to armed forces personnel from prosecution.

“Till now, not a single member of the security forces deployed in the state has been tried for human rights violations in a civilian court. This lack of accountability has in turn facilitated other serious abuses,” Minar Pimple, Senior Director of Global Operations at Amnesty International said.

Indian authorities have given a free hand to its security forces under AFSPA to carry out worst kinds of human rights violations in IOK to suppress the on-going freedom movement. Recently, besides search and cordon operations, a trend of target killing has surfaced in which several pro-movement activists have been gunned down just within a span of four weeks.

In July 2011, British parliamentarian George Galloway, the veteran campaigner on Kashmir, while addressing a seminar at the UN in Geneva had said that Kashmiris simply want plebiscite which was promised to them by the UN and former prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru. He pointed out to the world that due to a crime committed by the British empire the sufferings of the Kashmiris were greater than the Palestinians and some 80,000 had died in more than 20 years of freedom struggle, uncountable numbers had been imprisoned, exiled, wounded and maimed, while the rape was used as a tool of occupation. Mr. Galloway stated in unambiguous words that Kashmir was never the part of India.

The Indians have denied the Kashmiris, their very basic right of plebiscite, instead have browbeaten and subjugated them at gunpoint. Every rise has a fall, may it be of power and every dog has a day and so do India. It’s almost 68 years that the Indians are greedily clinging to the burning valley, not realizing that whatever gets aged it proportionally gets weaker. The writing is on the wall and soon the tyrants will not only have to vacate the valley but will be bowing to the Will of Kashmiris.