Give Peace a Chance in Kashmir

Kashmir: Musharraf`s many dilemmas

Feb. 8, 2002

http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DB09Df01.html

By Muhammad Rafique

ISLAMABAD - A startling statement by a prominent Sindhi politician and spiritual leader with hundreds and thousands of followers has presented a new dilemma to embattled President General Pervez Musharraf, who is locked in a dangerous standoff with neighboring India over the disputed and divided Kashmir.

On the eve of Solidarity Day with Kashmiris on February 5, the Peer Pagaro Shah Mardan Shah, the spiritual head of the Hur tribesmen and a known supporter of the military in the key Sindh province, shocked both the nation and the military by declaring that the Kashmir Valley never belonged to Pakistan and ``it never will``.

Although the military regime did not directly respond to the Peer`s statement, several pro-Musharraf politicians, mainly belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League party aspiring to form the bulwark of the ``real democracy`` Musharraf is planning to introduce in Pakistan after the upcoming October elections, condemned the statement as ``unpatriotic``.

The Peer Pagaro heads his own faction of the Muslim League, which is divided into half a dozen or more factions, and the military is trying desparately to unite them in order to pick a prime ministerial candidate from among them, by helping it to win the elections. Musharraf himself will become an all-powerful president under the new dispensation, after dumping the ``sham democracy`` under which Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif twice became prime ministers.

The Peer Pagaro, who helped General Zia ul Haq topple prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in a coup in 1977, has always been close to the generals, not because of any political skills or popularity among the masses but simply because he commands the unalloyed loyalty of the hundreds of thousands of Hur tribesmen who live in the deserts of Sindh, bordering India, and who have always formed the second line of defense for the Pakistani regular troops in the soft belly of Pakistan.

Most observers say that if and when the war breaks out in the context of the present standoff between the two nuclear-armed adversaries, India will attack from the same very region. In both the 1965 and 1971 wars with India, the Hurs of the Peer (the hereditary spirtual head) fought side-by-side with the Pakistani troops in that strategic area and they will again need the Peer`s help if the war breaks out.

Reliable political sources have told Asia Times Online that the government has sent intermediaries to mollify the Peer to keep him on their side. The Peer, according to sources, wants a nominee from the province of Sindh to become the prime minister of Pakistan under the ``real democracy`` which Musharraf wants to introduce after amending the 1973 prime ministerial constitution patterned on the Westminster model, which all military dictators in Pakistan have spurned and amended to enable them to wield real power.

Musharraf has constituted the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) under a retired lieutenant-general to amend the constitution, which he is allowed to do as the Supreme Court of Pakistan validated his coup until October 2002. The NRB is now busy making the amendments which Musharraf plans to have validated by the new parliament, the seats of which he has already increased by about 30 percent. The NRB is also making provisions for Musharraf to handpick about 50 technocrats to strengthen his hand.

Musharraf has also increased to 70 the quota of seats allocated for women. These will be elected on the basis of proportional representation while the regular candidates will be elected along party lines on the first-past-the-post basis.

But Musharraf is determined to keep both Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, both of whom are in exile, out of the electoral arena. Bhutto is now in Washington to lobby for support from the right quarters to allow her to return to Pakistan to participate in the elections. She has even said that she is ready to become prime minister under the new Musharraf dispensation, and has supported his move to crack down on Islamic jihadi organizations. But Musharraf has stuck to his stand that he will never allow either Sharif or Bhutto to contest elections while he is in power, and he is determined to remain in power even beyond the permitted five years from October of this year, unless the fates or the Americans intervene, according to independent political analysts.

And the general has removed far from the scene all the mullahs who can and are determined to muster street power to force the general out and install another general more to their liking.

Politicians other than the Peer of Pagaro are eyeing the key positions, including the prime ministrial post, and they are looking to the Americans more than the ruling junta because they perceive that power in Pakistan comes via Washington. Meanwhile, the Americans, especially the very active American Ambassador Wendy Chamberlain, are keeping a close eye on who might become the next prime minister.

One of the current favorites is Mehmood Kasuri, a lawyer from Lahore who runs a string of schools throughout Pakistan. As for the unpredictable and sometimes jocular Peer of Pagaro, his favorite could be anybody from the half a dozen politicians who go and touch his feet, as is the custom for the holy men of Sindh. The Peer is no fundamentalist and is known to keep the compay of beautiful women.

Intriguingly, some analysts believe the Peer of Pagaro might have made his Kashmir remarks with a wink and a nod from ``someone important`` to help solve the Kashmir dilemma by having both India and Pakistan maintain the parts of Kashmir they now hold - which just may be the ultimate solution.

http://www.newsline.com.pk/html/impressions.html

Indian Spring

MARCH 2001 ISSUE

- By Sairah Irshad Khan

A Muslim Indian explained why. ``Traditionally, the Indian Muslim has displayed a visible arrogance towards the Hindu faith. He has mocked his deities, shunned his beliefs and adopted the high moral ground in relation to the Hindu lifestyle. If this is the Indian Muslim, who has coexisted with the Hindu forever, it is presumed, naturally, that the Muslim from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan will be far more intolerant. The arrival of seven Pakistanis for the Kumbh and their obvious respect for Hindu customs, has therefore, made for a pleasant surprise. And this really is how we can build bridges, gulf the divide.``

Said an Indian Muslim businessman with a Pakistani wife and a large branch of his family on our side of the border, ``There used to be a time when Pakistanis would visit their relatives in India and speak of the quality of life they enjoyed in Pakistan as first-class citizens. The Indian Muslim would then bemoan his lot, and wonder whether he`d taken the right decision at Partition. But over the years, things changed. Between the Middle East, India`s economic boom, their own initiative, the Muslims have done better. Then along come the `mohajirs` from Pakistan with their tales of oppression and injustice, and suddenly the Indian Muslim thinks, `we`re not so badly off after all.``` He added that Kashmir has created another problem for the Indian Muslim. ``Always hard-pressed to prove his loyalty to his country, every time the Kashmir issue flares up, the loyalties of Muslims in India come under suspicion. Recently, I heard a group of Indian Muslims discussing the situation, and one of them turned around and said the Pakistanis are not interested in Muslims – only Kashmir. If they were, they`d worry about what happens to the huge Muslim community in India every time they instigate trouble in Kashmir.``

Another VERY INTERESTING bit of writing today
in The Times of India at:

http://www.timesofindia.com/today/30edit4.htm

Ras

Shankar #119

If you have relatives and poor or extremely rich relative you know what I mean.

Saudis are not custodians of Islam, nor do or can they claim. They are custodians of Holy mosque and traditionally their job is to take care of people visiting it.

Inspite of this at Government level they have been traditionally helpful to Pakistan and we should be grateful for it.

As far as their rude behaviour, it is being complained by many and was one of the reason for me not thinking of going there for job. (I avoided the jobs in Pakistan where I came to knew about this kind of behaviour)

As far as Nawaz Sharif going to Saudi. I don`t think Saudi Arab by itself would take such a decision and pressurize Musharraf(at most request) Nor would Musharraf take such a decision on his own (knowing the repersussions). So that is why I said that.

Although it is possible that Musharraf might have taken the decision to purge Pakistan of Nawaz Sharif and Saudi Arabia accepted to take Nawaz Sharif without Clinton being involved. Or Saudi Arabia requested and Musharraf found a good moment to purge Pakistan of him.

Not knowing nothing about the deal we have to present our conspiracy and non-conspiracy theories.

KRashid,

{{To put it another way. We are the poor relatives of Saudis.

As far as treatment of Pakistanis or Indian or Bangladeshis. They treat their workers as masters and if you know what a Kafeel is. (Newly enriched people`s behaviour).}}

I suppose even the guardians of Islam can get corrupted by their billions, huh?

{{I don`t expect them to take interest in Kashmir as much as Palestine particularly due to Al-Aqsa mosque and Arab nationalism.}}

Its interesting to know that subcontinental muslims are considered somewhat ``lesser`` muslims than their Arab brothers. I dont understand what they feel so superior about. They are just lucky to sit on that oil. They sit on their lazy butts & have Westerners pull out that oil & desis do the work of coolies. With all the money they have & access to the best education money can buy, I havent heard of a single Saudi scientific or technological achievement in the last century.

{{As far as fiasco of NS is concerned. I think it was the deal between Clinton, Saudi Arabia and Pervez Musharraf with NS agreeing for escape.}}

What evidence do you have about American involvement? It seems conspiracy theories are quite commonly floated in Pakistan, even among educated elite. Maybe your history has something to do with it. Almost every Pakistani president/pm has changed by backdoor deals & conspiracies.

{{Any way this post of yours is a little out of trend to your usual style.}}

I`m afraid I dont understand what you mean by that. I`ve always maintained that Pakistan has been jerked around by Arabs. Doesnt Islam say you should treat your poor relatives as equals? Dont they realise that Kashmir is as important to Pakistan as Palestine is to Palestinians?

What did their Palestinian brothers do in the gulf war? They openly supported Saddam Hussein against SA & Kuwait. Eventhough many Pakistani citizens were sympathising with Saddam, the govt was very clear in their total support of SA & Kuwait. I think SA has a very short memory; or they are racist (favouring Arab muslims to Pakistani muslims). Just my opinion--they could be much better friends to Pakistan than they are.

From The News International today:

Bazaz pleads rethink on Vajpayee, Musharraf

By Nusrat Javeed

NEW DELHI: Pundit Bhushan Bazaz, the leader of Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Front, has urged the authorities and opinion-makers of Pakistan to provide ``Atal Ji (the prime minister of India) with reasonable time and space to prove the claim that he was seriously looking for a creative and humane solution to the Kashmir problem.``

Talking to The News at his New Delhi residence the other day, Bazaz also stressed that the contours of a lasting solution to Kashmir can only begin shaping, once India and Pakistan shed and think beyond the given constructs and prejudices. They have been hardened thanks to the acrimonious build-up of past 50 years.

Bazaz has returned to India on December 28, after spending six weeks in Pakistan. It was his first trip across the Kashmir divide since 1947. That could happen because of a trend-setting marriage at Rawalpindi in November, last year. The daughter and son of two prominent Kashmiri leaders, Amanullah Khan and Abdul Ghani Lone, had tied the nuptial knot then. The occasion momentarily softened the Line of Control (LoC). Many leaders from both sides of Kashmir were allowed to attend. That generated tremendous amount of the feel-good mood.

Bazaz is overwhelmed with his trip: ``Disregarding the fact that I am a Hindu-Pundit, everyone I came into contact with in Pakistan would instantly reflect the friendly warmth. All would want to have me for dinners and lunches. Some would come with cars, for taking me to places of my liking. I didn`t notice any deep-set hatred against India. People rather appeared keen to see an early end of tensions among us.``

``Atal Ji,`` he believed, ``has the right credentials to discard some of them. He had learnt the political ropes in RSS (the rigid outfit of Hindu extremists). Who else but he should know the disastrous consequence of recklessly pursuing the bigot obsessions?`` Besides Vajpayee, said Bazaz: ``Pakistan`s military leader should also be helped, by the opinion-makers of India, to get out of the image of a war-monger, developed about him during the Kargil days. They have been telling us that military in Pakistan does not let the political leadership to negotiate serious things with India. The military has taken the front seat there. And, its leader is repeatedly expressing the desire of engaging in the serious dialogue for lasting and the real peace in the region. Why not to check his claim with correct responses?``

Pleading the rethink on Vajpayee and Musharraf, Bazaz also said: ``Keeping the original constituencies of both the leaders in mind, I would even go to the extent of claiming that it is now or never, if someone really cares to begin a new and healthy interaction between India and Pakistan.`` Watching the Pakistani women was a great surprise to this romantic Pundit. ``We are given to believe that women are forced to hide behind Burqas or the four walls of their homes. But, I saw them driving cars and using the cell-phones. Things are surely not dismal for them.``

He wanted to went on and on with his feel-good observations. But the journalist has to get him back on ``the political track.`` That was possible by tossing the question: What stops peace, if both the political and the military leaders of India and Pakistan want it and the mass of their people desire it? Bazaz became angry: ``There are people in both the countries, who have thrived and amassed overnight millions by inciting the perpetual bloodletting in Kashmir. They are the real hurdle.``

But, would he name them? ``Yes. Farooq Abdullah, the so-called chief minister of the Indian Kashmir, is one for example. He fully understands that any serious move towards peace would immediately make him redundant for New Delhi. As an evil manipulator, he will do everything to keep him relevant. I seriously suspect that he engineered the massacre of Sikhs in Chattisinghpura, on the event of President Clinton`s visit to India in March 2000. The attack on his person, last Sunday, also looks stage-managed to me. I rather have no doubts that he would manoeuvre many more dramatic killings to convince the government and the people of India that getting the army and security agencies out of Kashmir would lead to widespread mayhem.``

But Abdullah is not the one and only, considered the villain of the peace-piece by Bazaz. There are others too, especially certain quarters of the Indian establishment. ``Listen, what we talk here are millions at your disposal for unaccounted spending and the arbitrary powers to intrude into the lives of ordinary citizens. Also important are the foreign visits, justified in the name of telling our side of the story.``

And, who is putting up the roadblocks in Pakistan? ``That is your burden to explain. I would only say that minions of your security agencies don`t monopolise the bleed-Kashmir-lobby. There also are truckloads of Jihadis, who have amassed staggering amounts of resources in the name of Islam.`` Bazaz doesn`t need to feel apologetic while taking on some of those, who project the problem of Kashmir in the context of Hindu-Muslim divide only.

After all, he is the son of a legend of Kashmir, Prem Nath Bazaz. He hailed from an affluent and respectable family from Sumbal, a village very close to Srinagar. The elderly Bazaz was born a Pundit, the Brahmin, upper-crest of the Hindu community, which furnished the oppressive bureaucratic apparatus for the cruel Raja of Kashmir during the British days. Though son of a police inspector himself, Prem Nath was set to repel and defy the cruelty of power.

After graduating from the Punjab University of Lahore, he came back to Kashmir in early 1930s. Sheikh Abdullah had also returned after completing the education at Aligarh by then. And, the two decided to pull their people out of the fatalistic submission. The attempts to inject political thoughts were considered suicidal those days. As if the tight colonial controls were not enough, the people of Kashmir felt doubly subjugated for the special arrangements, their Raja had struck with the English. After acquiring the strategic Northern Areas of this princely state ``on lease`` for keeping an eye on China, the colonial masters allowed its Raja to get away with anything. Soon, the young Prem Nath was arrested and put to sweat for two years in Mirpur Jail.

The jail he was kept in now lies buried under waters of Mangla Dam. Yet, during his visit to Pakistan, Bhushan Bazaz went to the spot and brought the rock stones from there to keep the memories of his father alive. Anyway, Prem Nath became more hardened in jail. In solitude, he rather developed himself to a ``free thinker,`` who must do something for the downtrodden of this world. Small wonders, after getting out, he called for a ``Mazdoor-Kissan (labours and peasants) Conference`` to devise a secular-socialist manifesto for the state.

But, then came the independence and partition of India and Kashmir became the bone of contention. Many in Pakistan should know that it was Pundit Prem Nath Bazaz, who first used and introduced the term ``plebiscite`` in Kashmir`s politics. He drummed it to demand that only the people of Kashmir have the right to decide as to how they would want to live: as an independent state or a part of either India or Pakistan. That really annoyed his mother community, the pundits, who dubbed him a traitor. But that didn`t bring him close to Sheikh Abdullah either, the populist Muslim leader of the Kashmir Valley those days.

After helping the ``accession of Kashmir to India,`` the Sheikh rather began feeling highly uncomfortable with Prem Nath, who kept demanding the right to self-determination. Enough was enough. Throughout the formative years of Sheikh Abdullah`s government in held Kashmir, Pundit Prem Nath Bazaz was kept in this or that jail of the state. Finally, he was forced to exile in 1953.

But things for Bazaz didn`t improve even in India. The then prime minister, Nehru--also a Pundit of Kashmir origin--didn`t like him and always felt embarrassed with his pro-self-determination demands. That rather qualified the elderly Bazaz to get arrested under security charges. He had to prove that he wasn`t in the pay of Pakistan. Another long stint to jails for hardened criminal in the Indian Punjab became his fate. Ironically, during his term at the notorious NAWA jail of that province, Bal Thakrey, the founder of Shiv Sena, had joined him as a student activist, pursuing the Marathi chauvinistic ideals. Bazaz brought him to the reading of Geeta, a Hindu scripture.

You can`t stop Bhushan from referring to the conduct of his father, while taking on some of those who project the problem of Kashmir in the context of Hindu-Muslim divide only. And, he also wonders as to why Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami in held Kashmir, is perceived as the one and only freedom fighter these days. ``Don`t people remember that he contested and won for a seat in the J&K State Assembly for four times? Which constitution, he would vow to protect after getting into the assembly? Obviously, the one imposed by the Indian government.

The same, to defy which my father, a Hindu-Pundit, was rotting in jails of India and Kashmir till his death. Yet, Geelani Sahib is perceived as the ultimate friend of Pakistan and Islam. Something is surely wrong somewhere. But, I won`t speak more. That may help Farooq Abdullah, whom I really hate.``

http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/news/pages/sti/2001/01/21/sticoncon01001.html
Britons take war holidays in Kashmir

Dalip Singh and James Clark


AT LEAST 900 young British Muslims are leaving the country each year to take part in the battle for Kashmir, with many using holidays from good jobs to fight in what they regard as a holy war, an investigation has revealed.

Recruited in mosques, bookshops and community groups, they spend three months being trained in mountain camps on the Pakistan border before entering the conflict against India.

Delhi is so angry about the increasing numbers of fighters being trained, and the £7m raised in Britain to ``defend`` the disputed province, that a private meeting has been called in the Indian capital tomorrow with representatives of the Foreign Office and MI5, the security service.

Indian officials will demand that Britain take stronger action to stop recruitment and fundraising, which they claim goes directly to terrorism and sees up to 1,800 Britons making the journey each year.

MI5, which has a special section dedicated to looking into the problem, disagrees with the Indian estimates. However, a security source said: ``There are about 900 UK citizens who make this trip for training each year. About 10% of those stay and fight, the rest take their political and religious indoctrination and bring it back to their own communities, mostly for fundraising and recruitment.``

He said the service was accutely sensitive to accusations that it was targeting Muslims, but insisted that it was targeting terrorists regardless of colour.

The Sunday Times spoke to three men in north London, all university graduates from middle-class British families, two of whom held down highly paid jobs. All three had trained or fought in Kashmir.

Abu Yahya, 27, said: ``I have just returned from Pakistan. I joined Islamic camps and met Islamic leaders. There I was trained with Islam jihad movements like Lashkar-e-Toiba, Harkat-ul-Jehad-Islami and Harkat-ul-Ansar. We were trained to use Kalashnikovs, make bombs, everything that an army would need to wage battle.``

Izzadeen Abdullah, a 25-year-old white former Christian with a degree in optical engineering, adopted Islam, had also recently returned. ``I crossed the border in Kashmir. I think for any Muslim, the most eagerly awaited opportunity is to kill the enemy.

``The Indian soldiers don`t deserve any mercy and I`m happy to say that I took part in wiping them out.

``We are planning to go there next month. I`m an engineer in fibre optics so I just contract out for a couple of months from work.``

Also in the house was Abu Ibrahim, a 29-year-old computer engineer. ``You would be surprised to know that there are many computer guys in places like Canary Wharf who are involved in these kinds of activities. I have had training here in the Territorial Army and again in Jammu and Kashmir in Pakistan.``

The one thing all three have in common is a fear of the government`s new anti-terrorism act, due to come into force this year. They believe it will lead to them being jailed in Britain if they continue to travel to Pakistan and Kashmir.

Ref krashid #: 115

[Any way this post of yours is a little out of trend to your usual style.]

Oh, no! I forgot to take my anti-psychotic medication and lapsed into my multiple-personality disorder!

I got to go back to being Dr. Headshrinker! Please help me take the child-proof cap off my bottle of medicine!

Shankar #114

To put it another way. We are the poor relatives of Saudis.

As far as treatment of Pakistanis or Indian or Bangladeshis. They treat their workers as masters and if you know what a Kafeel is. (Newly enriched people`s behaviour).

But overall Pakistan`s friendship with Saudi Arabia is long lasting on a Government level, beneficial to Pakistan.

I don`t expect them to take interest in Kashmir as much as Palestine particularly due to Al-Aqsa mosque and Arab nationalism.

As far as fiasco of NS is concerned. I think it was the deal between Clinton, Saudi Arabia and Pervez Musharraf with NS agreeing for escape.

In view of pardoning by Clinton of 100 prisoners, some his close associates, I think Clinton is a person who will do everything possible for his friends and benefactors. (Remember Kargil).

Any way this post of yours is a little out of trend to your usual style.

sadna,

{{Either the Kingdom of S A is part of the sovereign territory of Pakistan, or someone in the Pakistani Foreign office has a really guilty conscience.}}

Correction. Pakistan is part of the sovereign territory of SA. If the royal family of SA says ``jump``, the GoP says ``How high?!``

The royal family has the audacity of giving asylum to Pakistan`s First Criminal. Behind smoke filled doors, the royals & their loyal generals of Pakistan negotiate a deal for his release. Nobody bothers to ask what the average Pakistani feels! For the sake of some cheap oil & goodwill, it seems the GoP is willing to export their privileged criminals to their Saudi masters!

Ever since its birth, Pakistani govts has prostrated themselves in front of their Saudi masters. In return, those Saudis treat Pakistani workers just as badly as Indians in their country.

Have the Saudis supported their muslim Kashmiri brothers as zealously as their Palestinian brothers? Hah! They are ever willing to slam Israel at every international forum, boycott all trade & diplomacy & publicly dispute American pro Israeli policy..

What are they doing to India? Supporting Pakistan sponsored ``resolutions`` condemning India`s Kashmir policy?!! That is the biggest scam in the world. They turn around and do more trade with India than Pakistan!! They visit India & give a wink & nod to New Delhi. They protest about Kashmir, almost embarassingly & as an afterthought!

The problem is that this glaring fact is almost always downplayed by Pakistan govts. Its so painful that even talking about it officially is not done. God forbid if even expressing some doubts about ``reciprocity in frienship`` would offend their Saudi masters! No, its much easier to question the Indian foreign minister`s evil intentions than even wonder why SA has allowed the foreign minister to visit them. After all the support Pakistan has given them, not to support Pakistan to the hilt is not the act of a friend.

Putting it very bluntly, Pakistan is getting royally ripped off by the Saudis. Is the relationship that of friends on an equal footing or that between a master & a servant? I wonder if they even complain to them privately. Ofcourse Pakistan would much rather endure Saudi hegemony to India`s--no doubt about that1

Farzana,

{{Help! I did not admonish anyone for their ‘prejudiced bigotry’. I only reiterated that I was an Indian.}}

Hahaha..sorry, didnt realise we were shaking your words like a batons in our enthusiasm to slam the other side. Ok wont include you in anymore mudslinging.

I kinda like Pakistani bigots like URstruly & ali1 because I know they laugh while typing hindu insults.

What do you know!!! Its about time I confessed---I have this incredible supernatural power to look through my computer screen, traverse through the great information highways & watch their expressions while they type! It comes from years of dedicated worship to the Great Penis God.

Ofcourse, those idiots will angrily deny it. They just dont want to admit the incredible power that those of us who religiously worship him can attain.

URstruly,

Know something!! all these days I`ve been trying to download that damned SAfrican videoclip of Satya SaiBaba bringing a lingum out of his mouth. Yikes! The penis god has given him more powers than me! My &$# * computer doesnt want to do it! Damn, I might have done something to piss the god off.

On second thoughts though....what the hecks so great about that?! Any fool can do that! Heck, even Monica Lewinsky can do it. er..maybe not exactly the same way. But she sure had more fun doing her patriotic duty for the nation..

. Some of you fundos from the other side ought to try worshipping the penis god!. Will do wonders in..er..shall I say.. ahem..harem performance.. Heck, afterwords you can always fall at Allah`s feet & beg His mercy. The AllPowerful & AllMerciful will surely forgive you. Afterall, havent you followed His divine orders & chopped the heads of so many idolators?!

Either the Kingdom of S A is part of the sovereign territory of Pakistan, or someone in the Pakistani Foreign office has a really guilty conscience.

From jang.com.pk
Jaswant`s motives in Saudi Arabia questioned

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday questioned Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh`s motives on his visit to Saudi Arabia, saying he was likely to try to undermine Riyadh`s close ties with Islamabad.

``The visit of Jaswant Singh is obviously aimed at forging closer relations between the two countries and weakening Saudi Arabia`s support to Pakistan on the Kashmir issue,`` a news agency report said quoting a senior foreign office official.

Ref Farzana Versey #: 109

[I would also like to know what role the Pandits see for themselves in a real azaad Kashmir? Do you have any material on that?]

The same role the bakra sees for itself on Bakra-Eid. Ras may not have any material but the Ummah is sharpening their knives.

RE; Farzana 109

The recent attack at the airport is not Pakistan`s doing. There are some groups very much in the minority who want this war to continue.
(Some like myself wonder who is really behind them). They will continue to do their deeds till the local population in Kashmir withdraws support from them. By that time I hope that the locals will themselves have been offered alternatives to the freedom struggle (self-rule, maximum autonomy or regional plebiscites to ask which country they would like to live in etc.).
The Pandits will have a very difficult role in
defining the future of Kashmiriyat AND the possible geography of the area (I am not yet ready to call it a Partition because one cannot predict what character this entity is going to have).

Ras

Ras:

What do you have to say about the recent incident at Srinagar airport where militants managed to get past security? It is said that the 16-year-old girl who was killed could possibly have been an associate of the miltants. What peace can we talk about,and in what context?

Did you see that photograph of Dixit and Bhatti, supposedly representing our two countries, asleep even as discussions on important issues were on?

I would also like to know what role the Pandits see for themselves in a real azaad Kashmir? Do you have any material on that?

Regards,

Farzana

Shankar (Reply # 106):

“Urstruly, Ali1,

Tsk tsk tsk. You try & be so nice & protective of Farzana & she admonishes you for your prejudiced bigotry. When will you guys realize that it just might be possible that Indian muslims consider themselves just as much Indian as any hindu?”

Help! I did not admonish anyone for their ‘prejudiced bigotry’. I only reiterated that I was an Indian. I think these two are more likely to accept and understand this fact than many Indians on here. I would like to believe that just as you and a couple of others tried to understand my position, some of the Pakistanis too were responding to me at a purely ‘human’ level. When they did go off at a tangent, I cleared their misconception. Do you realize that I cannot do so with the Hindus here? They will call me a traitor, a hypocrite, elitist, a whiner, everything but an Indian.

I have had to worry over how the Indians would react to me being `supported` by the Pakistanis. It is a ridiculous fear, but that is how deep the prejudices are. You only have to check out the man who ``sux`` on these Boards to know what I am talking about.

Farzana