'Farooq trying to steal Hurriyat's thunder'

By Amit Baruah

ISLAMABAD, JUNE 28. The autonomy resolution passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly has, predictably, come under fire from the Government of Pakistan and pro-Pakistan, pseudo- Kashmiri groups based here but has been welcomed by the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) headed by Mr. Amanullah Khan.

The Pakistani Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdul Sattar, has been quoted as saying in Kuala Lumpur that the autonomy resolution was ``irrelevant'' and that the ``puppet Government'' of Dr. Farooq Abdullah was trying to ``steal the thunder'' of the Hurriyat Conference.

``The Chief Minister serves the aims and objectives of the Government of India and the recent decision of the APHC,'' Mr. Sattar was quoted as saying.

In Islamabad, a Foreign Office spokesperson stated: ``Dr. Farooq Abdullah is a puppet of the Indian authorities who is trying to divert attention from the freedom struggle of Kashmiri people by presenting himself as a champion of autonomy. Such gimmicks have been attempted in the past and have never succeeded.''

The spokesperson said the Kashmiri people would not be deceived or distracted by political stunts aimed at undermining their ``freedom'' struggle. ``The Government of Pakistan reiterates that a just and lasting solution of the Kashmir dispute can only be based on the exercise by the Kashmiri people of their right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations,'' he added.

Turning point: JKLF

Interestingly, the JKLF has termed the autonomy resolution passed by the Srinagar Assembly a ``pleasant surprise'' and said, if implemented, it might well prove a big leap forward towards the ``national liberation'' of Kashmiris.

Mr. Amanullah Khan has said that though his organisation stood for he reunification and complete independence of the entire Kashmir State, a reversion to the pre-1953 status would restore to a great extent the distinct national identity of Kashmir. If this were to happen, Kashmir would once again have its own President, Prime Minister, national flag, national language and independent judiciary.

The JKLF chief said that all National Conference members of the State Assembly had acted as patriots, especially representatives members from the Jammu region. The ball was now in India's court and New Delhi was ``morally, politically and democratically bound'' to accept the demand made by over two- thirds of the Assembly which India itself had been presenting to the world as the representative body of the Kashmiri people.

Calling upon the international community to pressure India to accede to the demand made by the Kashmir Assembly, Mr. Khan, however, made it clear that his party would continue to struggle for full ``national liberation''. Nevertheless, he felt, the adoption of the autonomy resolution could prove an ``important turning point'' in the history of Kashmir.

There is little doubt that the official Pakistani establishment is concerned at the passage of the autonomy resolution, which could, if implemented with sincerity, take the wind out of the sails of the ``jehadi separatists''.

Whatever the compulsions of the National Conference and the domestic politics behind the resolution, the fact remains that an ``official'' demand for autonomy has been raised by the State Assembly. Whether this demand it treated with imagination or rejection is something which will closely be watched in Pakistan.

In an editorial comment, The News said today that the autonomy resolution was a change of tack on the part of New Delhi. ``The wide-eyed amazement Delhi's policy-makers are expressing over the development is sheer deception. It is inconceivable that Farooq Abdullah, who is permanently oxygenated by the Centre, would have gone ahead with the autonomy plan against the wishes of the Bharatiya Janata Party Government... Mr. Abdullah's game must be seen in the light of Delhi's consistent attempt to signal to the world its reasonableness and open-mindedness on Kashmir.''

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : British Muslim youth being trained to fight in
           Kashmir
Next     : China lauds Nambiar's stint