The Hindu : PoK Govt. programme for `Kashmir day'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 03, 2003

International

International

PoK Govt. programme for `Kashmir day'

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD Feb. 2 . The speech of the Pakistan Prime Minister, Mir Zafarullah Jamali, on Wednesday to a joint sitting of the Pak. Occupied Kashmir (PoK) Legislative Assembly and the Council would be watched with great interest not only for its contents but the nuances.

Mr. Jamali would be in Muzaffarabad, capital of PoK, on February 5 to demonstrate his `solidarity' with the Kashmir people. Since the early 90s, Pakistan observes February 5 as `Kashmir day,' with an official holiday.

The PoK Government has chalked out a `grand' programme on the day. The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation and the Pakistan Television would broadcast and telecast special programmes.

Human chains by the people of PoK belonging to all walks of life joining hands with the people of the adjoining areas of Pakistan at all the six bridges of Patten, Dhalkot, Holaar, Kohala, Mangla and Bararkot would be the hallmark of the day.

During his visit, Mr. Jamali will visit the camps of the Kashmiri refugees in Muzaffarabad.

It would be the first opportunity for Mr. Jamali since he took office in November last year to dwell on the Kashmir policy of his Government.

Meanwhile, there is growing pressure on Pakistan to change its stand on Kashmir. The recent statement of the United States Ambassador to Pakistan, Nancy Powell, that Pakistan "must stop being a platform for terrorism'' and implement pledges by Musharraf to halt infiltration illustrates the international pressure.

An increasing number of intellectuals within Pakistan has been advising the Government to re-think its Kashmir policy. In a recent editorial, the Pakistan English daily, Daily Times, chided the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, for his rhetoric in the U. N. Security Council on Kashmir.

A well-known Pakistani intellectual and journalist, M.B. Naqvi, in a write-up in the English daily, The News, made a strong case against the present Kashmir policy. Titled `A New India policy, please' Mr. Naqvi spared no punches.

``In trying to promote a Kashmir solution, Pakistanis now encounter a conundrum. It takes the shape of a deadly barter. Islamabad takes out one or two Indian cities in the first strike and buys in return the possible destruction of all its major urban-industrial centres. None of this, however, is acceptable to us, the people. The question arises: how can Pakistan's near total destruction promote Kashmir's independence, the desired denouement? If it cannot, Islamabad must then find new Kashmir and India policies.''

Of course, as things stand Mr. Jamali has little option but to toe the military establishment line.

Any change in the Kashmir policy is possible only with the approval of Gen. Musharraf.

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