Written by Muhammad Yahya Mujahid,
The issue is not only of strategic, political and economic significance but also of ideological
centrality.
When the Creator of the universe spread the earth, He so beautifully joined the Valley of Kashmir with Pakistan through its rivers, mountains, water channels, and land routes as if nails are attached to a person’s fingers or head is artistically placed over our body. The ancient historians are agreed to the fact that Kashmiris interacted with the outer world in the areas now called Pakistan. They used the area for their transportation and trade with Central Asia and other regions. The remains of the small route on the bank of River Jhelum are still present on which the people of the area would walk while the Kings and Knights would travel by riding on horses or elephants. In 1880, the Dogra rulers constructed a road on the left side of the River Jhelum. Through this road, the vehicles moved from Srinagar, and via Muzaffarabad would reach Raja Bazar of Rawalpindi. From that period to till today, despite passing hundreds of years, this route always remained open. Even the cruellest of tyrants never closed this route and never banned travelling of human beings to and from the region. This route was forcibly closed for the very first time in 1947. The second route of the Valley was from Jammu to Sialkot.
The All Jammu Kashmir Muslim Conference (AJKMC) formally declared for annexation with Pakistan 27 days before the day of partition. This resolution was basically a resolution of annexation of Islam. India entered its troops into the Valley on October 27, 1947. It is a fact that the Kashmiris are sacrificing their lives and wealth till now only because Pakistan was created in the name of Islam. Though recently they have written new and glorious accounts of resilience through matchless sacrifices, but even long ago the people of Kashmir have been presenting their lives for the sake of Islamic Pakistan.
In the extreme cold weather, children, old men, and women are kept standing under the open sky for hours. They face all these pains for the greater cause of freedom and to join Pakistan. When they
gather for funeral of a martyr, they would risk their lives. During funeral prayers, they are not spared. When the Indian army sees them offering funeral prayers of the body wrapped in the Pakistani flag, they
would open indiscriminate fire on them. The Kashmiris would take bloodbath, but they would again gather whenever there is next funeral. Nothing could make them scared. No level of tyranny, oppression
or brutality would restrain them from their goal of freedom. They are given electric shocks in jails, tortured to the worst levels, thrown alive in chemicals, but they would not stop demanding for freedom.
Further, a large number of youths have been blinded by pellet guns, faces have been defaced, clots of blood would stick in their eyes, many have got asthma and breathing problems. Many youngsters have become handicapped. They are unable to continue their education, and their future has become a big question mark. Businesses have severely been affected due to routines of suffocating curfews and people have lost millions in this situation. Many respectable leaders such as Syed Ali Gilani, Syed Shabbir Shah, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik, Masarat Alam Bhat, and several others have continuously been kept in detention. As well as, Indian authorities have also accelerated their campaigns to transform the demographic structure and nature of Jammu-Kashmir. They are obliging and rewarding many of the families of the retired military officials whoever years ago “served” in Jammu-Kashmir by offering them homes and lands. Indian
oppressive rule in Jammu-Kashmir is the worst picture of modern imperialism. Killings, abductions, maiming, and torturing has become a routine matter. In the wake of all these Indian machinations, the Kashmiri youth is standing firm like a rock in front of India’s tyranny and state terrorism. Nastiest human rights violations and viles despotism are unable to deter the youth from pelting stones and raising slogans against the occupation with Pakistani flags in their hands or wearing on their heads. Look at their unshakable courage and tenacity. Sky- piercing slogans for their allegiance to Pakistan and declaring Kalima as the cause of this connection; “Pakistan sy rishta kea, La ilaha il Allah.” They have practically demonstrated their resolve to fight till the last Indian soldier is there in the area. When, despite all the Kashmiris’ sacrifices, India calls Jammu-Kashmir as its integral part, the
people of Kashmir look towards Pakistan. But our authorities, in response, would apologise for their “limitations” and problems. The Pakistani rulers and policymakers have failed to understand that many
of Pakistan’s regional and internal issues including water, India’s sponsorship of terrorism, Sir-Creek, Siachen, trade and economic issues are directly or indirectly linked to Indo-Pak dispute over Jammu-
Kashmir.
Everyone knows that the Kashmiris are under perpetual and intense pressure from India and our casual attitude won’t suffice for them. Just for the sake of formality, we observe the 5th of February as the day of solidarity with Kashmiris. This lip service is not enough, and the seriousness of the issue demands practical efforts and concerted campaigns against the tyrant India. The Pakistanis need to come forward. We must make the Kashmiris realise through our actions that they are not alone in their struggle. Our great Quaid Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s next mission after the creation of Pakistan was to win freedom for Kashmiris by freeing the jugular vein from India’s clutches. Pakistan is not complete without Jammu-Kashmir, and Pakistan’s economy is heavily dependent on the waters of Jammu-Kashmir.
Kashmir has entered into a critical and decisive phase, and it needs Pakistan’s and its people’s support most than earlier. This momentum the issue has gained through continuous sacrifices must not go wasted. These are rarest of the moments, and it would be sheer improvidence to lose the singular chance of the Kashmiris freedom. Pakistan must make strong decisions for Pakistan’s unalienable national interests.
The day of December 25 marks as a historic day for Pakistanis. It was 1876 the same date when the father of the nation, the worthy Quaid-e-Azam was born.
(Note: The writer is the spokesman of Jamaat-ud-Dawa. He tweets @YahyaMujahid)