Mohammad Shehzad

Sardar Muhammed Abdul Qayyum Khan is 81—older than the bitterest blood feud between India and Pakistan, and an inherent part of it. In 1947, he was part of the Pathan invasion that split the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir under Maharaja Hari Singh into two. After the creation of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, or Azad [Liberated] Kashmir as he calls it, Khan has been a prominent political figure there—four times president, prime minister once, and leader of the Opposition.

Last year, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf handpicked him to chair the 22-member National Kashmir Committee, which spearheads Islamabad's efforts for a solution to the Kashmir trouble. In this capacity, Khan is also believed to be leading his country's Track Two diplomacy with New Delhi.

Question: How do you view the current progress on India-Pak relations?

The progress is positive and leading towards a solution. But this solution might not be permanent. If not sustainable, it will definitely be of interim nature.

Question: What is your vision of a permanent or interim solution?

I don’t have a solution in mind. I only have a few interim initiatives in mind:

1.  Ceasefire from both sides
2.  Free and unrestricted movement across the border
3.  Trade between the two countries with all sincerity
4.  Drastic reduction in the unlimited powers that Indian government has given its military in Kashmir
5.  Release of political prisoners
6.  Withdrawal of Indian troops from the population
7.  Opportunities for Kashmiri leadership on both sides to meet each other and discuss the future of Kashmir

Question: This word ‘Kashmiri leadership’ is very disputed. Who will determine the ‘Kashmiri leadership?’ What it really is?

Everybody knows what is “Kashmiri leadership”. If we are honest and sincere we will come to know who deserves the right to be the leader of Kashmiris. Those who are consulted on the issue of Kashmir are Kashmiri leadership. Yes, I agree that the Kashmiri leadership is divided. I recognize both factions of All Parties Huriyat Conference [APHC] as Kashmiri leadership. The jihadi outfits too are part of the Kashmiri leadership. You cannot ignore such citizens of the state that are involved in militancy.

Question: What is the problem of Kashmiris? Can’t they be happy with equal rights?

The problem of Kashmiris is the same as the problem of the entire Muslim population of undivided India. The only difference is that rest of the population of the subcontinent had its problem resolved, while the problems of Kashmris were never resolved. Kashmiris don’t enjoy the rights that are enjoyed by other citizens of India. Kashmiris want freedom. They want to make their own decisions.

Question: Has not Pakistan lost its case on Kashmir? The international community does not take our stance on Kashmir seriously.

There was a time when the international community would strongly recognize and support our stance on Kashmir. We don’t enjoy the same level of support, however, the positive thing is that the international community has started recognizing Kashmir as a troubled territory where Kashmiris are suffering. So, the Kashmiris’ stance is being recognized but from a different perspective.

Question: Has not militancy damaged the Kashmir cause?

Militancy has benefited the Kashmir cause. It had become almost dead. Militancy gave it a new life. It has made it a volcano. The political movement did not have much importance. Although, the solution to this issue is political, militancy will not end as in the absence of a clear roadmap to resolve this issue. And the roadmap is the ‘interim initiatives’ that I have just described.

Question: What is the future of jihad now?

Jihad has become a business now. In fact, the worst damage to the Kashmir cause has been caused by the jihadis. They have maligned jihad as well as the true mujahideen. Jihad has no future now. It is over. Pakistan has put a lid on the jihadis but you have to see that the freedom struggle is indigenous. Pakistan just took advantage of this by providing moral and diplomatic support.

Question: But the former ISI Chief Hameed Gul openly says that Pakistan had a jihadi policy...

There is no dearth of ‘Sheikh Chillis’ [a comic character in the Urdu fiction] in Pakistan. Pakistan had no jihadi policy. The freedom struggle was indigenous and it got some support from the outside. But the government of Pakistan did not have any jihadi policy. I am not talking about a section of the establishment.

Question: Don’t you think that Kashmir is a stalemate and there could be no solution other than converting the Line of Control [LoC] into the international border?

Granting LoC the status of international border will not stop infiltration. There are still some jihadis who would jump over the 16 feet fence and fight with 0.8 million Indian army. Kashmir is a disputed territory and the world is recognizing that. If Kashmir is not resolved soon, the world could witness a situation far worse than Kargil. Both countries are nuclear power now and a nuclear war between India and Pakistan cannot be completely ruled out. So, a solution beyond converting the LoC into international border is indispensable. At the moment, the best solution is the ‘interim-initiatives.’

Question: Don’t you think the Indian government is too tolerant towards the Kashmiri leadership than ours? Syed Ali Shah Geelani openly abused India and shows his loyalty with Pakistan. If a Pakistani Kashmiri would do vice versa, he won’t survive...

You are right. Because, there is too much at stake in Pakistan. Whereas, there is nothing at stake in India!

Copyright ©2005 Mohammad Shehzad and The Friday Times. About the author