Monday, Dec 30, 2002
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By B. Muralidhar Reddy
In a lengthy letter to the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, the former President and Prime Minister of Pak.-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) has bitterly complained about `bureaucratic obstacles' faced by the committee headed by him in the last 11 months in performance of the task entrusted to it. Gen. Musharraf constituted the committee, consisting of representatives of members from all the four provinces in Pakistan and PoK, on January 14. It was meant to counter the fallout of September 11 attacks on American cities in 2001 on Kashmir and to mobilise the opinion of the international community in favour of the `indigenous Kashmir struggle'. The term of the committee was for one year. Mr. Qayyum told The Hindu on telephone from his village in PoK that "I decided to put the facts about the difficulties experienced by the committee before Gen. Musharraf. I have no idea whether the Government intends to continue the committee and if so in what form. The letter should serve as a wake up call for the Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali Government''. In his letter, Mr. Qayyum has said that the new government in Jammu and Kashmir headed by Mufti Mohammad called for a very serious and timely attention. "It has to be a multi-dimensional approach, from timely relief to political initiative, or else the movement might suffer a setback even on the political front. I shall be eagerly looking forward to your guidance''. The former Prime Minister of PoK has said that there has been little realisation that while the `movement (Kashmir) is revolutionary' in character, it has all along been dealt with bureaucratically, which itself a big contradiction. ``I had been reminding the Afghan leaders that `Afghanistan might be liberated but Afghans will suffer'. This is exactly what I visualise in Kashmir. It is rather worse unless addressed scientifically and with ample wisdom. Historically, the psyche of people plays the most important pivotal role, most vividly demonstrated by Lawrence of Arabia. I wish we were to follow the example,'' the letter said. Mr. Qayyum has said that he might have been wrong but he had accepted to chair the committee with the understanding that may be he would be able to make his humble contribution towards the Kashmir cause as envisaged by Gen. Musharraf's `policy statements'. ``While the whole domestic politics is in an endless turmoil, it was not proper for me to bother you at this time. But I hope, in your wisdom you would appreciate the importance, urgency and import of my statement. My concern ever since has been manifold. The committee was set up conceptually without reference to its operational requirements. Yet, we did not wait.
`Immediate response needed'
``We had to respond immediately to the call of the situation, which involved huge activity costing quite a bit. It took just eight months to take a confused and meagre start with logistic support. All told, I had no doubt in my mind that the committee was an unwanted affair. Many of the routine matters remain still unsettled, despite involvement of the Agency.'' The former PoK Prime Minister has said that while the committee was a great initiative on the part of Gen. Musharraf, the system did not permit any initiative. He has lamented that it presupposed only defensive and reactive response and no proactive role. The letter said there was a self-contradiction in the approach. "The situation demands initiative but short of your person, we seem to be scared to initiatives only lying in wait for an opportunity to react. This, in fact, defeats the very purpose of this committee. We are bogged down in half a century old conventionalism while this committee is absolutely an unconventional concept''. He has said that the most important rather urgent demand of the situation remains what is popularly called the Media War and said that his effort on this front turned out to be a fiasco. Mr. Qayyum has complained that nobody seemed to be involved or even interested in understanding the need to properly and objectively mobilise that front except for usual and periodical references in the domestic media. ``These references are also mostly contradictory and lacking systematic and scientific approach. Whereas needless to mention the Indian side whose working on Kashmir has ever since been consistent, target oriented and objective. While all said and done we have only been beating about the bush and remain contented over your imaginary achievements. I was sure that given the necessary cooperation from relevant quarters, may be I am able to fulfil that requirement. I am sorry to acknowledge that for reasons I cannot lay claim to any step forward, so far, nor there seems to be any future possibility'', the letter said. Mr. Qayyum has said that except for a few productive visits at home and abroad, the committee has nothing to offer as its credit. He has said that if this inaction was to continue for some time more, the very commitment becomes a question mark and the entire blame would rightly be put on me as chairman. ``I have been seeking guidance from the CE office (Prime Minister's) and other relevant quarters about the future of this committee. Whether or not the committee will exist, and in what shape; and whether or not it is any more required; whether or not it has to play any proactive role, I however find it embarrassing to continue as a sleeping partner nor I want to suddenly break off. As I have been consciously and scrupulously supportive of your Kashmir policy, I will not in the least cause any embarrassment however minor. If I am not in the least your desire to see the committee function, we have not come up to the mark, rather suffer uncertainty,'' the letter said.
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