By Sardar Khan Niazi
The Modi regime has introduced new land lease rules in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), depriving the local farmers, hoteliers, and businesspersons of their long-held lands on lease and handing them to the Indian army and non-state settlers.
The move aims to bulldoze systematically the current demography as well as the economy of the disputed territory. The new law aims at snatching properties from local leaseholders and giving them to outsiders.
Pakistan Foreign Office has termed the new land lease rules allowing non-Kashmiris to purchase agricultural land for commercial and other non-agricultural purposes as another manifestation of India’s colonial-settler mindset.
A case study of Kashmir from India’s military invasion of the territory in 1947 to its illegal integration in 2019 substantiates the statement that India has a colonial-settler mindset.
Indian designs to strengthen control over Kashmiri lands are a clear violation of international law. Pakistan has reiterated its resolve to extend unstinted moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, for their right to self-determination under the UNSC resolutions.
Now the Indian Army has sweeping powers to take possession of agricultural land and residential areas in any part of IIOJK, after declaring them as “strategic”. Reportedly, over 430,000 Kanals of land are already under illegal possession by the Indian military and paramilitary forces.
IIOJK Opposition parties have strongly reacted to the administration’s decision to bring the new law into effect. They say the move’s objective is to give the land to outsiders, dispossessing local businesspersons and entrepreneurs.
Owners of hundreds of businesses in Jammu and Kashmir, including hotels at the skiing resorts, are worried that they might have to close down after a new land law has come into effect.
According to a notification, the administration has asked the owners to hand over possession of leased land immediately, failing which they shall face eviction. The administration has also refused to renew the lease of outgoing lessees and decided to outsource it through an online auction.
Sajad Lone, president of Peoples Conference says the new rules are not at par with the rest of the country and it will start a dark chapter. Altaf Bukahri, president of J&K Apni Party termed the notification as draconian and inhumane.
“We have never seen such laws anywhere in any part of the world. People in possession of the land do not deserve a kick-out. Deal with them in an appropriate way. These new land laws cannot be implemented and will not be allowed to be implemented,” adds Altaf.
The hoteliers in the skiing resort Gulmarg say the decision will shut their businesses and destroy the tourism sector. All tourist facilities in most of the tourist resorts in J&K are on leased land. The government had given the land on lease for a period of 40 years under the 1960 law to promote tourism.
“Lease period of these properties has expired for the last several years. We have been repeatedly requesting the administration to renew lease agreements and we are ready to pay as per market rates. But after dillydallying for years, they have come up with a new land rule,” says a hotelier.
“After years of turbulence in Kashmir, tourism was revived. We have been doing good business and the tourism sector is creating a large number of jobs. The new land rules will uproot hoteliers who have invested heavily during difficult times in the Valley,” says another hotelier.
The silence of the countries that claim to be standard-bearers of human rights, the UN bodies, and world powers over brutal militarization, ethnic cleansing, demographic change, and a wave of state terrorism unleashed by the Indian fascist government in IIOJK is beyond your understanding.
