Every whisper talks of fear, every breath is filled with uncertainty and confusion. What will be our future? What about our Freedom? The dream! The dream that was pursued by many lives, many steps were taken towards gallows, many steps away from loved ones knowing there won’t be any return. Motherland was soaked in our blood for a long time but things have become worst now.
Pulwama attack that killed several Indian military personals and injured scores was the game-changer for Kashmir as well as Bharti Janata Party (BJP). Right-wing BJP politicised the attack and swept the election, later further leading to the removal of Article 370 on 5th August 2019. Unilaterally ending the special status of Jammu Kashmir India later divided the disputed region into two different union territories. More than half a million troops were stationed in the region. Before the days of annexation, thousands of extra troops were deployed. People were restrained to their homes and thousands were arrested. The world saw a major communication blackout in the region where services like internet, call and texting were also restrained. All these actions were done to quell the voices which differ from the policy of the state.
It is been said that the state has decided to attempt settler colonisation in the region. Although this colonisation has been done from decades it has been legalised now by removing the special status of J&K. India,s Councillor General is US stated it in a video that India should follow Israel’s settler colonisation plan in J&K. Domiciles were issued to non-residents of J&K especially Hindus. Such demographic changes raise fear of making Muslims of J&K a minority.
Now constitution is paved to take control of J&K political, economic and administrative institutions. There is a complete instability and fear in the region while India is more concerned about fulfilling its election interests. People face mass arrests, judicial apathy, media ban, tortures and killings. The Indian government on other hand claims that this step will bring peace and economic stability in the region. People of Jammu Kashmir have faced up a lost of $4B.
On the other hand after a year of this action from the state of India, amid Gilgit Baltistan Elections Pakistan’s Prime minister announced that Pakistan is going to make Gilgit Baltistan its provisional province. Gilgit has faced a lack of political, administrative autonomy and people want to end this instability and gain more economical and political benefits. Pakistan also tends to make a politically beneficial move. Critiques suggest that Pakistan’s unilateral move on J&K will legitimize India’s move on J&K.
If Pakistan also changes its article 257A or Article 1, its whole stance will be burned to ground internationally and its administrated regions will be called Occupied territories. This move can also create instability in these regions as strong voices against this move are coming from Pakistan Administered Kashmir(PAK).
Most of these are Nationalist moments but on this occasion almost every party even current one in the government of Pakistan’s franchise PTI in PAJK could not openly support the narrative of the federal.
Another concern of people all around the globe is that in backdoor diplomacy such moves have been bilaterally agreed upon. Pakistan and India have agreed upon status quo of J&K. Pakistan and India according to their interests and with some influential states in between have decided to guide the issue towards a permanent division of the state of Jammu Kashmir. The Rest are staged actions to defuse public sentiments gradually to change public opinion.
However such moves have made clear that the UN is unable to deal with these ambitious nations and UNs Resolution on J&K have been violated like forever.UN resolutions come later even Human Rights violations are on the peak in the state of Jammu Kashmir. Exchange of fire on LOC from both sides is killing the people of Jammu Kashmir. Consent of people of Jammu Kashmir is never present however some dummy representatives are there to complete the formality of the procedure. Administrative and economical control through Acts between dummy governments of Jammu Kashmir on every side made it possible for the States to control the political process according to their will and the true representation of people dies behind the curtains.
Jammu Kashmir has been a war industry, political tool and free land to plunder but these extreme steps from both sides have placed every citizen of the state into an alarming situation where he feels insecure. Insecure about losing his identity.
We have been pushed to the edge already. Facing an existential threat we are looking for some heros, another Maqbool butt or some liberator but the situation demands every individual to be a hero for the nation and stand against every individual, organisation or state who wants to flourish on the cost of our history, civilisation, nation and blood. We as a Nation admit and Respect every nation, every flag but the ones who defy us are Condemned and will be.
The writer is a student of Governance and Public Policy at National University of Modern Languages. Besides this, he is a writer, social and political activist.