Dr Bharti Gupta
The interconnected nature of geo-political dynamics with prevailing power structures and their multifaceted aspects significantly influences the lives of ordinary individuals. Understanding the complexities of geo-political issues is crucial for cultivating awareness about one’s surroundings, thereby directly and indirectly shaping the identities of the inhabitants of the territories.
This article aims to delve into POJK and POTL, the parts of India currently under the unauthorized control of Pakistan. To gain a comprehensive understanding, it is essential to examine the map of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, encompassing three regions-Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh. Presently, these regions are designated as Union Territories (UTs) of Jammu & Kashmir and UT of Ladakh within the map of India. To fully comprehend the context, it is essential to take into account historical facts. POJK is the Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir; POTL is the Pakistan-Occupied Territory of Ladakh.
Before going into the details of the POJK and POTL it becomes essential to be aware of the history that opens up the vistas of understanding on the consolidation of the state of Jammu & Kashmir.
Consolidation of Jammu & Kashmir
The state of Jammu & Kashmir was consolidated in its original form under the Dogra empire that Maharaja Gulab Singh founded. Before becoming the King, Gulab Singh was a brave General of the Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Gulab Singh played a prominent role in the consolidation and extension of the Lahore State of the Sikh Maharaja by crushing local rebellions. His services received recognition when in 1820, the state of Jammu was given to Gulab Singh as a Jagir.
Moreover, Gulab Singh signed a separate treaty (Treaty of Amritsar, 16th March 1846) with the British for the transfer of these areas in lieu of Rs. 75 Lakh. The Treaty of Amritsar marked the beginning of the Dogra rule in Kashmir. Under the leadership of the legendary General Zorawar Singh, Maharaja Gulab Singh expanded his realms significantly. Conquests in the Himalayan Mountains, encompassing Ladakh, Tibet, Baltistan, and Iskardu, marked the extension of his territories. The safeguarding of these expanded lands became the responsibility of the successive heirs (Maharaja Ranbir Singh, Maharaja Pratap Singh, and Maharaja Hari Singh) of the Dogra Empire.
POJK (Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir)
POJK or Mirpur-Muzaffarabad, which Pakistan calls “Azad (independent) Jammu and Kashmir consists of less than 15 percent of the land mass under illegal occupation of Pakistan. POJK is divided into three divisions, namely Muzaffarabad, which constitutes the Kashmir part of the territory; Poonch and Mirpur, which together constitute the Jammu part of the territory. These have been further divided into 10 districts and 32 divisions. Muzaffarabad division has three districts namely Muzaffarabad, Neelum, and Jhelum Valley. The Poonch division has four districts namely Bagh, Haveli, Poonch, and Sudhnoti. The Mirpur division has three districts namely Mirpur, Kotli, and Bhimber.
In 1947, before the accession of the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh sought “Standstill Agreements” with both Dominions on 12 August 1947 through telegrams to which Pakistan conveyed its consent whereas India’s stand was “no standstill agreement without accession”. Pakistan, in its zeal to make the Princely state of J&K part of Pakistan, first violated the standstill agreement by stopping the supply of essential food items and fuel to Kashmir. Later, Pakistan under Operation Gulmarg invaded the princely state. The invasion is popularly known as the Tribal invasion of Jammu and Kashmir as in this plan the military officers of Pakistan had mobilized tribals from NWFP (North West Frontier Province). According to Alok Bansal and Nidhi Bahuguna, in the book Occupied Territories of Bharat, on page no. 30, the Muslim officers and men of the 4th Battalion of Maharaja’s army who were guarding the bridges on the border, were co-opted in the plan. The Muslim troops killed their non-Muslim colleagues, while sleeping and ensured that no forces were guarding the bridges to stop the raiders, when the invasion started on the night of 21/22 October 1947. Muzaffarabad, Uri, and Baramulla were attacked. Raiders indulged in looting, raping and killing Hindus and Sikhs. At Baramulla, they stayed on for looting thus delaying the attack on Srinagar. The forces of the Maharaja were hopelessly outnumbered but they valiantly defended their posts. Brigadier Rajendra Singh fought to the last man and was awarded the first Mahavir Chakra of Independent India. In this turmoil, Maharaja approached the Indian Government for help and acceded to the dominion of India on 26th October 1947. Thereafter, Indian forces landed in Srinagar to flush out the raiders. India’s pursuit of a resolution at the UN Security Council (UNSC) occurred on January 1, 1948, under the leadership of the then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru. Following the establishment of the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP), on April 21, 1948, the UNSC passed Resolution 47. This resolution mandated an immediate cease-fire and called upon the Government of Pakistan to ensure the withdrawal from the state of Jammu and Kashmir of tribal forces and Pakistani nationals not typically residing there, who had entered with the intent to engage in conflict. By midnight of 31 December 1948, UN- mandated ceasefire came into effect and the areas of Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Mangala, Kotli, Bhimber, etc which remained under Pakistan’s occupation, came to constitute Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK). In July 1949, India and Pakistan reached the Karachi Agreement, which established a ceasefire line to be monitored by military observers. This ceasefire line would later evolve into the Line of Control (LoC), dividing the region into the state Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
POTL (Pakistan Occupied Territory of Ladakh)
Gilgit-Baltistan comprises POTL, spanning more than 72,000 square kilometers. Historically recognized as the ancient “axis of Asia,” this region served as a hub where commerce from South, Central, and East Asia intersected. Traditionally, Gilgit-Baltistan has been the gateway to Central Asia and beyond for both India and Tibet, fostering connections into the heart of Europe along the historic Silk Route. This route, with its rich history, has significantly contributed to the prosperity and civilization of Bharat. Presently, the region is divided into ten districts. Gilgit division is comprised of four districts namely Gilgit, Ghizer, Hunza and Nagar. Diamer Division has two districts Diamer and Astore.; and Baltistan Division consists of Skardu, Shigar, Kharmang, and Ganche districts.
Concerned about Russian expansion in Central Asia during the 1860s and heightened by the Russian Revolution, British apprehensions regarding the region escalated. Consequently, the Maharaja was compelled to lease the Gilgit Agency to the British for 60 years, allowing them to assume control over the civil and military administration of the Wazarat of Gilgit Province. This arrangement meant that, despite being within the Maharaja’s jurisdiction, Gilgit and the surrounding regions of Dardistan were practically administered by the British from 1935 to 1947.
Following the lapse of paramountcy in 1947, the British Indian Government transferred administrative control of the entire Gilgit Agency, including Hunza, to the Kashmir State Government. Brigadier Ghansar Singh was appointed by the Maharaja as the Governor of these areas on July 19, 1947. Amidst India’s partition, the British officer in the Gilgit Agency opted for Pakistan. During this time Major General Scott served as the Commander in Chief of State Forces, and Major Brown as the commandant of Gilgit Scouts.
According to the mention in the book Occupied Territories of Bharat, page no.33-35, Captain Durga Singh, commanding a company of the 5th Jammu and Kashmir Infantry stationed at Bunji, situated 34 miles from Gilgit, was subsequently replaced by the 6th Jammu and Kashmir Infantry. Led by Lieutenant Colonel Abdul Majeed Khan, the 6th J&K Infantry comprised two companies each of Sikh and Muslim troops. Following the arrival of the 6th J&K Infantry in the region, Muslim officers from the State Force initiated contact with the officers of the Gilgit Scouts, aiming to establish Pakistani rule in Gilgit.
Following Pakistan’s tribal invasion of Jammu and Kashmir, widespread rumors circulated, suggesting that Srinagar had fallen. Concerned by the escalating tensions, the non-Muslim population’s anxiety prompted the Governor to urgently request army detachments from Bunji. On October 30, 1947, he directed Lieutenant Colonel Majeed Khan at Bunji to swiftly move to Gilgit with the largest force he could assemble. However, shortly after midnight on November 1, 1947, approximately 100 Scouts surrounded the Governor’s residence. Yielding to their demand to surrender, ostensibly to safeguard the lives of non-Muslim residents, subsequently leading to disintegrated State Forces, accompanied by the large-scale killing of Sikh troops.
Following the Governor’s arrest, a provisional government named the “People’s Republic of Gilgit and Baltistan” was established. On November 4, 1947, Major Brown hoisted the Pakistani flag at the Gilgit Scouts lines, terming his action a “coup d’etat.” He promptly informed Peshawar about Gilgit’s accession to Pakistan. Concurrently, the rulers of Hunza and Nagar, vassals of the Maharaja of Kashmir, also proclaimed their accession to Pakistan. This move was deemed illegal as only the Maharaja held the right to accede, and he had already acceded to India on 26th October 1947. Major Brown later asserted credit for bringing the region into the fold of Pakistan. Posthumously, he was awarded the Star of Pakistan. Major Brown’s involvement lends weight to the conspiracy theory suggesting British support for Pakistan over India.
This is how India’s territories have been in the illegal possession of Pakistan since 1947. It is also pertinent to mention here that besides POJK and POTL, there is a significant territory of India under Chinese occupation which is COTL (Chinese Occupied Territory of Ladakh). This includes the Trans-Karakoram Shaksgam valley, unilaterally ceded by Pakistan to China in 1963 as part of a boundary settlement; and Aksai Chin and Western Ladakh, militarily occupied by China in 1962.
(The author is from Department of Tourism and Travel Management, Central University of Jammu)
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