In an interview given to ANI in Geneva recently, Kashmiri claimed that officially Azad Kashmiri, or that part of Kashmir which is under the control of Pakistan, is referred to as the "base camp", as this region plays a basic and important role of working for the self-determination and freedom of Indian-held Kashmir, and efforts are consistently on from Islamabad to unite both areas.
"This is the stance of the ruling class of Pakistan and its allies in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and they have been preaching the same to the people for the last 47 years. These people have also been publishing huge literature of various types on daily basis, which is based on hatred. This way, they are trying to divert the peoples' attention from the problems they are facing and other issues," he said.
"Islam doesn't teach hatred which they (Pakistan) have been teaching. And because of this preaching, a huge part of society has become a part of this proxy war. This proxy war has also marginalized the forces of peace in Azad Kashmir (PoK)," he added.
Kashmiri further revealed that this policy was not only affecting the constituency of PoK, but also, giving boost to military forces who had the support of Pakistan's state institutions.
"Unfortunately, the people of Azad Kashmir are helpless and unarmed and, there is no one to pay heed to their grievances. The Pakistan Government doesn't care if people are murdered or go missing. Our natural resources are also being looted.No one cares," he added.
He also accused India of failing to fulfill its responsibilities as per an agreement reached in 1947.
"India completely backed out from the agreement, which was signed, like the treaty of accession. India had taken the responsibility of pushing back all infiltrators and that it would vacate this land so that the state could be reunited. India improved their relations with Pakistan over the resources of Kashmir, but the rulers of India pushed the core issue of Kashmir behind. And, I think, the policy they designed was aimed at appeasing Pakistan, and is anti-Kashmir. That is why we Kashmiris are victims of proxy politics and proxy war," the United Kashmir People's National Party chief claimed.
"We want our human rights protected. We want the progress and betterment of the people of our country. We want that our people should be given a chance to live a peaceful life. All the resources of that the state should be utilized for the progress and betterment of people of the state, which is not happening and due to which the people of state are getting poorer day by day," he added.
"Be it the people of this part of Kashmir or that part of Kashmir, there has been no positive change in their lives. That is why we have come to the UN with this agenda-that the lives of our people of Kashmir, their properties and their natural resources should be protected. There should also be no fear about development," Kashmiri said.
"We have to see the role of Pakistan and India in the context of the Kashmir issue. What is the resolution of the (UN) Security Council asking India and Pakistan to do. Pakistan hasn't complied with the UN resolution. This is the reason why Kashmiris have so many problems, and these are increasing with every passing day," he said.
"If Pakistan had stopped its army from entering the region in accordance with the UN resolution and the truce agreement of the UN Security Council, and handed this area to the UN for supervision, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir would have been reunited and the issue would have been resolved," Kashmiri claimed.
"Pakistan has been putting blame either on India or someone else for hanging this issue. But the reality is that Pakistan has never acted on the resolution and a truce agreement given by Security Council of the UN," he added.
Kashmiri also felt that China is an emerging power and that Pakistan is getting weaker by the day.
THis was one factor responsible for the exploitative depletion of resources of Gilgit Baltistan, he said.
"You can see the Chinese presence everywhere in the area. it is obvious that due to the weakening of Pakistan, china is looking to establish its presence in this area through its army in the form of workers," he added.
"Today, the democratic institution of Pakistan is very weak and the civilian leadership is not in a position to deliver anything, because intelligence agencies and the military establishment have created various fronts against them," he concluded.
By Ravi Khandelwal (ANI)
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