Rethinking Plebiscite In Kashmir

Plesbiscite has been a slogan rather than a stand for the last 30+ years. The purpose of slogan is nothing more than to energize emotionally. Most people in Pakistan who think and those who matter in policy-making and its implementation have resigned to the fact that 1) India can not be forced into accepting plebiscite - for nationalistic and political reasons such as insurgents in the northeastern states demanding similar treatment, 2) technical difficulties of including/ excluding people of Kashmiri origin, 3) both India and Pakistan not agreeing to the third possibility of independent Kashmir, 4) Pakistan fast losing the edge of Kashmiris support with Hurriyat Conference split and due to the contribution to increase sufferings of Kashmiri people, 5) Pakistan disagreeing to include northern areas of Pakistan in any plebiscite who are likely to opt for independent Kashmir becasue it increases their clout in 10 million or so Kashmiri population and 6) the geo-strategic-economic allignments and predictions favor India much more than Pakistan.

Sharif government reached to these conclusions and tried to go ahead to tackle it with hindsight resignation to plebiscite demand. Musharraf derailed it then and after 4 years reached to the same conclusion. I mentioned in one of my articles that Musharraf has always been behind the curve - usually when his back is against the wall - except that US administration can get him to agree rather easily and quickly. With two assisination attempts in recent days and a deal with MMA on MMA terms has weakened him politically to be taken seriously anymore.

Having said it, I fully favor any move that is meant to ease the sufferings of Kashmiris, which have been accentuated unfortunately by forces not in their control or in their best interests.

All reasonable and level-headed Pakistanis and Indians want peace. Settling the Kashmir issue peacefully is a win-win situation for everyone in the region. If Musharraf settles Kashmir with India and lays down the foundation of a lasting peace between the two countries but pays the price for it by scrificing his life, he will die a hero’s death, not only for Pakistan but for all of Subcontinent.

Time for a wee bit of Urdu.

As far as India & Pakistan are concerned, on date, ``Chadar aaj aapkee hai, lekin khuda ka khauf aaj hamara hai``.

Our leaders have no option but to look ahead. And ahead is, ladies an gentlemen, an emerged middle class which has no time for solemn commitments going back 50 years and so much blood.

The reality is that there will be no United Nations plebiscite in Kashmir and both India and Pakistan have to accept the status quo in Kashmir. All that needs to be done is convert the LoC into an international border. Once the LoC is formally turned into an international border, the Kashmir problem will cease to be a factor in Indo-Pakistani politics.

Musharraf did not say anything new. Musharraf simply said aloud, what many in Pakistan have been thinking for some time, but were afraid to say openly. Granted that his statement might have ruffled a few feathers, but atleast he started a debate, on an issue, within Pakistan which will be a welcome development.

Ciao

``Time is running out for Pakistan. Rather than perform another
Afghanistan-style U-turn, it should seek practicable ways of settling
Kashmir before a solution is forced upon it. In effect this could mean a preparatory stage in which inflamed nerves are soothed and the high-pitched decades-old rhetoric is toned down. Subsequently, the Pakistani side of Kashmir and the Northern Areas should be formally absorbed into Pakistan. Negotiations should be conducted with India on an LOC-plus solution that allows for some territorial adjustments and soft borders, and possibly a 10-mile deep demilitarized zone.

While the division of Kashmir is unfortunate, it is better to accept this reality rather than live with endless suffering that has consumed nearly 90,000 lives since 1987.`` (Dr. Hoodbhoy)

a bold courageous and RIGHT statement -- between the marauding Indian army and the murderous Jihadis the average Kashmiri has been shorn of everything life, living, property, dignity and political rights and human rights ..

it is TIME to accept the `DIVISION` OF KASHMIR along the LOC -- with internal autonomy for both side and with a peaceful porous border...

It is not necessary that -- ``Pakistani side of Kashmir and the Northern Areas should be formally absorbed into Pakistan.`` -- they like the Indian side must have internal autonomy with a special status --

Folks in Pakistan and India -- just shake hands with each other and live like Canada and the United States -- will ya....

this is what I wrote in SAT 4 days ago -- ``MY ADVICE TO HURRIYET``

``Why APHC and Advani Are This Time Talking Seriously Posted: Dec 24, 2003 3:09 PM
Reply

as an American citizen -- for half a century -- of Muslim origin -- from that glorious subcontinent -- who has no axe to grind --

my ADVICE to HURRIYET is :

Learn to live with the Hindus, the Sikhs, the Buddhists and the Christians of India and of YOUR Kashmir --

Kassmir is a beautiful mosiac -- and please keep it such..

and please don`t seek shelter among your own kind.....Join the forces of secularism in India -- they are still very powerful -- and fight the regressive forces of communalism and religious bigotry -- whether from the Islamists or from the Hindutvas...

and FORGET THE DREAM OF A REGRESSIVE RETROGRADE `ISLAMIC State` in Kashmir -- that foul concept would never materialize again --

Kashmir will be a secular democratic irreligious state whether Hurriyet likes it or not -- where nobody else BUT -- the KASMIRI MAJORITY -- WILL RULE...

SO DON`T destroy your beautiful land for a -- Not-So-Pretty-An-Islamic-Mirage......

that Afghani Nightmare will not repeatr itself in Kashmir in million years -- period (SAT)

hold the ladoos


........but what happens if the jihadis knock off mushy and in the next elections the mullahs come to power?.............. since this is the most likely scenario, let`s not break out the champaign and ladoos yet ..............

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#1 by anew
//..Indians will put the ball in pocket and will tell Pakistan - the game is over, go home before it is dark...//

:) :) Man - you are funny!!!

But you are right. Because the playing field has changed, the rules of the game has been dramatically altered and the dice is loaded very heavily in favour of one player who in any case has always been the stronger of the two.

The wisest thing for pakistanis to do at this point is to cut the losses and go home before it is dark. As the author pointed out - ``Time is running out for Pakistan.`` .......It is going to be very dark indeed.....unless Pakistanis change course, rather take a U-turn ..... right now.

arjun_m, don`t be an ass in responding to the author...it`s uncalled for...

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Will Musharraf live to solve the issue!! & will the SAARC summit go ahead as planned...

(Ref: Suicide attempt on President`s convoy in Rawalpindi at 13:40 PST today!)
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/south/12/25/pakistan.blast/index.html

Agree entirely with Mr. Hoodbhoy, on the timeliness of this initiative, and the possible reasons that led to it.

Can Mr. Hoodbhoy, or other readers, provide some insight into how (or whether) this is being accepted by Pakistanis at large?

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oh boy, romair, urstruly, and anew are going to blow a gasket over this...hahaha...

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