Shiban Khaibri
For the first time, India has questioned the veracity of the so called elections, stage managed by Pakistan in Gilgit Baltistan and made it clear that the exercise was an attempt to deny the people of the region their political rights with intention to absorb these territories. Ministry of External Affairs in a statement made it clear that “India’s position is well known, the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir which includes the regions of Gilgit and Baltistan is an integral part of India. The elections in Gilgit and Baltistan on June 8 under the so called “Gilgit Baltistan empowerment and Self Government order ” is an attempt by Pakistan to camouflage its forcible and illegal occupation of the region. We are least bothered, looking to the question of genuineness of these so called elections, as to whether it leads even in the remotest form, to any change in Pakistan leadership in administering this region which belongs to India as it was a part of undivided state of Jammu and Kashmir which acceded to India in 1947. These “Assembly “elections are being conducted there under a well thought of strategy, all under the shadow of Pakistan army where the voters have very less to exercise on their own than what the army wants them to do.
It is imperative to enumerate as to in which extreme conditions the inhabitants of the area, which is enchantingly beautiful and also rich in mineral resources, are living. Pakistan has all along, not only been denying the elementary political rights to the people of this region but has been treating it just like a subjugated colony where non natives mainly from Pakistan’s Punjab and Baluchistan areas have forcibly driven the natives helter skelter and grossly altered the demographic structure of this beautiful region. The economic exploitation is far worse, making it reel under poverty and backwardness so much so that the word “development” is an alien term. Taking certain basic economic parameters in respect of the region into consideration, it sounds quite astonishing that literacy rate has not been allowed to improve in this region by the successive Pakistani governments just that the people over there may not wake up to demand their political rights. Women, in particular, are denied education facilities or conditions, both social and economic, for them are created such that literacy rate among women is hopelessly as low as 3%. Economic backwardness and lack of educational and vocational facilities in Gilgit Baltistan which have their own ills inherent like sectarianism, communal hostility, mushrooming of madarasas and mutual antagonism between religious groups, fit into the policy objectives of Pakistani rulers.
The discrimination with the locals is to this extent that even their share in the armed forces has been declining as the same are managed by outsiders. It is despite the fact that the Gilgit Scouts (Now known as Northern Light Infantry) were yoked in by Pakistan, in which Parvez Musharraf is stated to have played a major role, to lead the Kargil conflict against this country. The trust deficit is increasingly because of the fact that the locals are from the Shia community. Just note that Baltistan has 96% of its population as Shias. Their persecution and discrimination, after decimating the Hindu minority in Pakistan during six decades, has been the state policy of Pakistan. We also know the level of violence, largely state sponsored, agreeably in veiled form, being orchestrated against Shia community in Pakistan even when in most of the cases; they have been targeted in the mosques in Pakistan itself. It may be pertinent to mention that religious fundamentalism is galore and reigning supreme in the Pakistani set up to this extent that tribal Shias and the Ismaili sect living in the terrains of this region have been “declared” as heretics. It is also because of the fact that in most of the cases, the people there have not wholly parted with their ancient connect with their non- Muslim traditions and customs practiced by them for centuries and various such signs and marks are visible on their dwellings, rocks, hills and even agricultural tools which progressively have been ensured to be stopped and erased by outsiders from across Pakistan. Not only this, Pakistan is allowing China undue interference into the region and the 3000 km China Pakistan economic corridor also passes through Gilgit Baltistan which poses threat to strategic interests of India. Strangely, with the active connivance of Pakistan, Chinese presence in the region is phenomenal, both in the shape of its troops in thousands as well as its political and economic interference.
Those Pakistani hawks, separatists and agent saboteurs of Pakistan in Kashmir valley must understand the plight of these people virtually subjugated by Pakistani establishment who have brazenly abolished the “State Subject Concept” initiated by the Dogra rulers which preserves the unique identity of the state, thus facilitating opening of flood gates of immigration of people from various parts of Pakistan. Those separatist “leaders”, especially hard core Pakistani Syed Geelani enjoying unlimited political freedom under Indian democracy are mum and dumb on the plight of these people . Inversely, perhaps these self styled leaders are keen to prefer such set up and even are ready to offer on the platter to Pakistan, their acquiesce to alter the demographic profile of Kashmir as they did and even now are doing in the region under reference for those very reasons based on broader religious affinity on which they day dream to “make” Kashmir a part of Pakistan. The huge political, religious and cultural freedom enjoyed under the great Indian democracy by these hawkish anti India leaders who have amassed fortunes, can arrange rallies and processions and spew venom against India , yet go free even not facing sedition charges for facilitating hoisting of Pakistani flags , must feel ashamed at least on making comparative analysis of the development, economic, political, educational, health related areas as to where we have reached and where are the people on the opposite side of the fence. Perhaps, it is this point which impliedly, Late Abdul Gani Lone attempted to stress upon and was silenced forever.
Is it not a fact that Pakistan had started feeling very low seeing how timely elections to Lok Sabha and state Assembly were conducted in the state of Jammu and Kashmir with unexpectedly huge turnout of voters, blasting the claims as well as threats of boycott by the separatist leaders whose writ runs large only in just three districts of the valley and unashamedly show their allegiance to Pakistan and now sham elections are stage managed by Pakistan in an attempt to paint self governance and self rule in the region by ensuring “elections” under the shadow of guns. It is pertinent that the NDA Government takes a very serious note of the situation and not remain passive diplomatically as did the Congress led UPA Government in 2009 when Pakistan “declared” the region as “autonomous”. Equally, it is important to review the “wait and watch” policy and “fighting politically” policy towards the anti Indian elements and traitors in Kashmir who have attempted to raise their heads yet again. These elements have gathered cheeks to thrive on account of soft peddling by the present PDP BJP coalition in the State whose acid test of efficient governance shall be known in how such elements are firmly contained, including the new ones like Mustafa Kamaal of NC who advises eagerly to “respect the flag” and “not treat it as a piece of cloth” theory regarding intermittently hoisting of Pakistani flags in Kashmir valley. BJP in the coalition has to answer more than the PDP for any casual or lackadaisical approach in this regard which it is well advised to note seriously.
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