Dr. Maqsood Jafri 

The Kashmiris observe July 13 as Day of Accession to Pakistan all over the world. What is the Day of Accession? It seems pertinent that our younger generation should know about it. The Kashmiris declared their accession to Pakistan on July 19, 1947, a month before the independence on their unbreakable ties with Pakistan on religious, geographic, ideological, cultural , economic and political grounds. The leader of Kashmir National Conference Sheikh Abdullah was busy conspiring with Nehru to make Kashmir an independent state. Muslim Conference was pro- Pakistan and believed in the leadership of Quaid-I- Azam. Smelling that there is some thing fishy, the established and recognized leadership of Muslim Conference gathered at the house of Barrister Sardar Ibrahim Khan in Srinagar and passed the resolution of Accession to Pakistan. Since that day July 19, is called Day of Accession. I must take this family pride that both, Sardar Ibrahim Khan who led the Freedom Movement and Sardar Mohammad Abdul Qayyum Khan who liberated Poonch from the autocratic reign of Mahraja Hari Singh were the students of my father Late Tehseen Jafri in Poonch City. Kashmir and Pakistan are inseparable. Pakistan is incomplete with out Kashmir. Kashmir is the”K” of Pakistan. India forcibly annexed a big chunk of territory. Indian army landed in Srinagar when the Kashmiri freedom fighters were very near to Srinagar. It were the Kashmiri freedom fighters who defeated the army of Maharaja of Kashmir and conquered Azad Kashmir and Gilgat- Baltistan. Seeing defeat by the freedom fighters, India went to UN and beseeched for cease fire. It is the same India that begged peace and cease fire and pledged to hold plebiscite in Kashmir per UN resolutions. Now, by revoking articles 370 and 35/ A ,India has proved to be an aggressor. The book of eminent Kashmiri historian Late Professor Khan Zaman Khan Mirza titled “ Who is Aggressor in Kashmir “, sheds ample light on this subject. The question is how the violator of UN resolutions can remain the member of UN? The travesty of time is that India is trying to become the Permanent Member of Security Council. India is trying to dupe America and the West. India is giving impression to them that India has a serious threat from China and needs to be supported by America and the West. During my stay in America, I had meetings with the American State Department, Congressmen and Senators. I visited British Foreign Office and also had meetings with Canadian politicians and parliamentarians and interacted on the fraudulent policies of India. I was shocked and bewildered when these people told me that they were never contacted and briefed by Pakistan embassy on Kashmir Issue. Our leaders and rulers like parrots keep on saying we are helping Kashmiris on moral and diplomatic grounds. For the last so many years through my speeches and columns , I am reiterating my suggestion that to mobilize world opinion on Kashmir issue, we must set up Kashmir Desks in our main embassies. A few months ago , I sent my book titled “ The Plight of Kashmir”, to the Prime Minister Mr. Imran Khan with a letter in which I gave some suggestions keeping in view the latest horrendous situation in Kashmir. I received the letter on August 28, 2019 from the Prime Minister Office signed by his Principal Staff Officer. I just quote a few lines from his letter. “ It has been desired to convey you the regards and best wishes on behalf of the Honorable Prime Minister of Pakistan in response to kind words and wishes expressed in your letter. “ These lines depict the cordiality and courtesy of the Prime Minister and his serious interest in the issue of Kashmir. But it is said with heavy heart that one year has elapsed when the articles 370 and 35/ A had been repealed from the Indian constitution, we don’t see any progress on diplomatic level. We need to accelerate and renew our Kashmir policy on urgent ground. Any further delay will be tantamount to irreparable loss. On diplomatic front we are doing nothing and only harping on the beaten strings. It seems to me as our conventional bureaucracy is mercenary. Either it lacks missionary spirit or is directionless. India has started changing the demographics of Kashmir by allowing the Indians to purchase land and build mansions and houses in Kashmir. The height of travesty is that land is being allotted for Military Cantonments. Under the ignition of Indian capricious mindset , we need to take urgent action on national and international level. July 21, 2020