REKHA CHOWDHARY RAKESH ANKIT

KASHMIR ISSUE
Gender and Conflict Whose was
Look Back, Look Farward
Situation in Kashmir Kashmir to be ?
By Talib Malik

J & K ’ S M O N T H LY M A G A Z I N E ISSN : 0974-5653

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SILVER LINING
IN DARK CLOUDS
TWO YEARS OF

CROSS LoC TRADE

REFLECTIONS ON KASHMIR SITUATION
N N Vohra, Prof Saifuddin Soz
Governor, J&K President Congress Party J&k Unit
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muzaffar Baig,
Chairman APHC-M Senior PDP Leader
M Y Tarigami, Bilal Lone,
MLA, Secretary J&k State Committee, CPI-M Chairman J&K People's Conference
Taj Mohi-ud-din Bashir Manzar
Minister Public Health Engg., Irri. & Flood Control, Editor Kashmir Images, Srinagar
Rigzin Jora, Hashim Qureshi
Minister of Tourism & Culture Chairman J&K Democratic Liberation Party
Nasir Hussain Munshi, Prof. Abdul Ghani Bhatt,
Councillor LAHDC-K Chairman Muslim Conference
Tsewang Rigzin, Aak Kacho,
Associate Editor Epilogue Chief Executive Councillor LAHDC-Kargil
Lobzang Rinchen, Thupstan Chhewang,
President Ladakh Buddhist Association Senior Leader LUTF, Former MP
Phunstog Namgyal, Rigzin Spalbar,
Congress Leader, Former Union Minister Former Chairman & CEO LAHDC
Tsering Dorje, Mohammad Shafi Lassu,
LUTF Chairman & CEO LAHDC Anjumian Moin-ul-Islam, Leh
Contributed by Belgian Association for Solidarity with J&K
1

Epilogue
because there is more to know

www.epilogue.in CONTENT
Editor Prologue 2
Zafar Iqbal Choudhary

Publisher
SILVER LINING Contributors to this Issue

Kashmir
Look Back, Look Ahead
3

5
Yogesh Pandoh

Consulting Editor
IN DARK CLOUDS Talib Malik
Another questions to ponder over
in Kashmir
7

D. Suba Chandran
Manu Srivastsa
TWO YEARS OF Basheer Ahmad Peer

Column

CROSS LoC TRADE

History of Ladakh in the Mughal 43
Associate Editors
Historical Sources
Irm Amin Baig Prof. Jigar Mohammad
Tsewang Rigzin
Zorawar Singh Jamwal Exclusive Series
Whose was Kashmir to be ? 45
Volume 4, Issue 10, October 2010 Rakesh Ankit
General Manager
Kartavya Pandoh Book
I N FOCUS Gender and Conflict 48
Art Editor Situation in Kashmir
Cross LoC Trade Rekha Chowdhary
Keshav Sharma
27 Darks Clouds and a Silver Lining
Research Officer Zafar Choudhary & Suba Chandran
Raman Sharma 28 The story so far
28 Trade “to” Other Kashmir or Trade
Phones & email “Through” Other Kashmir? : The
Office : +91 191 2493136 Problem of Perceptions
28 South Indian Coconuts and Chinese
Editorial: +91 94191 80762
Garlic in Cross-LoC Trade : The
Administration: +91 94191 82518 Problem of Proxies
subscriptions : +91 90188 87136 29 Interview : YV Sharma
editor@epilogue.in 30 I send Apples, You may like to send
subscription@epilogue.in Onions, or Ajwain : The problem of a
Barter Trader
Printed and Published by 31 Interview : Nazir A Dar
Yogesh Pandoh for Epilogue 32 I don’t know whom I’m trading with :
NewsCraft from Ibadat House, The problem of connectivity
Madrasa Lane, Near Graveyard, 34 More New Routes or Strengthen the
Bathindi Top, Jammu, J&K - 180012 Existing ones ? : The Problem of
Expectations
and Printed at : DEE DEE 35 Problems Galore, but there is a Silver
Reprographix, 3 Aikta Ashram, New Lining
Rehari Jammu (J&K) 35 Interview : Rakesh Gupta
36 Interview : Mubeen Shah
Disputes, if any, subject to jurisdiction 36 Interview : Shabaz Khan
of courts and competitive tribunals in 38 Srinagar - Muzaffarabad
Jammu only. Trade in Times of Unrest
40 Poonch - Rawalakote
RNI : JKENG/2007/26070 A Report from Trade Center
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www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 2 Epilogue, February 2010

PROLOGUE 2
From the Editor

Time To Go Beyond
Limited Travel, Symbolic Trade
ZAFAR CHOUDHARY

I
f you leave Kashmir issue to the people, there is no issue at all. This
may be an over simplification of the problem that has been plaguing
India-Pakistan relations and challenging the tranquility within Jammu
and Kashmir for decades but there is one process which is pointer to
the growing public sentiment for normalizing relations and enhancing
contacts across the divides. Politics plays at different levels. In Kashmir,
anything which ignores the proverbial core issue is opposed strongly.
Contacts across LoC offer healing touch to hundreds and thousands of those
suffering the wounds of separation from the dear ones for decades but the
process does not address the core issue. So what should be done? Do what is
doable in these circumstances or keep the reunion hostage to politics? The
former is more plausible. As a result of sustained dialogue and as
compliment to the public mood, India and Pakistan launched cross LoC bus
service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad in April 2005 and later
extended the service between Poonch and Rawalakote in 2006. In 2008 JUNE 2008
Cross-LoC trade was launched simultaneously on both routes. Though both
The process of Cross-LoC interactions
initiatives were described as major confidence building measures but
should be taken beyond limited travel
actually these were thrown as challenges on the people of Jammu and
and symbolic trade. Cooperation in
Kashmir on both sides of divide. Crossing the divide has never been as easy tourism, education and healthcare are
as said. One has to put in an application, wait for three to 18 months and go the other possibilities which should be
through a range of hurdles before being able to board the Cross-LoC bus explored
service. Over 20,000 applications are still pending. In case of trade,
scenario is even worst. No infrastructure, no banking, no courier, no
telephone, no currency exchange and still there is trade which is going up by
every passing week. By every passing week people are trying to send a loud
and clear message to the government on both sides that they are against the
divides and they want the lines blurred. Is there anyone taking this
message? As far as the public involvement and eagerness to transcend the
barriers is concerned, the process of Cross-LoC interactions should be taken
beyond limited travel and symbolic trade. Cooperation in tourism,
education and healthcare are the other possibilities which should be
explored. Reflecting upon the popular sentiment, the civil society groups
and conflict transformation organizations are already pushing for
cooperation in these areas. Governments in New Delhi and Islamabad must
take this message seriously.

Feedback : zafarchoudhary@epilogue.in NOVEMBER 2009

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010

3 CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE

Ankit, Rakesh; (Forgotten History Maini, Varun (In Focus, P40); is

p45) is a young historian from Bihar.
As a Rhodes Scholar recently he
studied various missing links in the
making of Kashmir conflict. Based
on his first hand study, he is
contributing exclusive series to
Epilogue
Chandran, D Suba; (In Focus, p27)
is Deputy Director at Institute of
Peace and Conflict Studies. Author
of many books and an acclaimed
expert on Kashmir and Indo-Pak
relations, he is Consulting Editor of
Epilogue Magazine
Chowdhary, Rekha (Books &
Reviews, P48), is Professor of
Political Science at the University of
Jammu
based in Poonch
Malik, Talib (Perspectives, P5); is a
social activist based at Rajouri. He
retired from an administrative
position in J&K Government
Mohammed, Prof Jigar; (History,
p43) is professor of History at the
University of Jammu. He is
associated with Epilogue since
inception as Editorial Advisor on
History of Jammu and Kashmir
Peer, Basheer Ahmed
(Perspectives, P7); is based in
Kupwara, north Kashmir and
working as a researcher with New
Delhi based Charkha Development
and Communication Network

Hussain, Bilal (In Focus, P38); is a Sandy, Sandeep Singh (In Focus,
financial Journalist and writer. In P36); is a scholar of Political Science
2009 he attended the McGraw-Hill and currently engaged with a New
Personal Finance Reporting Program Delhi based peace NGO
Courses, supported by The
International Center for Journalists.
Currently he is associated with
premier daily, Kashmir Times

Readers' requests for getting in touch with the

authors, for feedback, comments and further
discussions on their subjects of interest, are
welcome. Since all authors/contributors are not
interested in taking mails directly, the readers are
requested to send us interview requests at
editor@epilogue.in for passing on to the authors

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010

VOLUNTARY BLOOD DONATION DAY, IST OCTOBER 201
BLOOD DONATION CAN SAVE LIFE

Who can donate Blood ? Where don donate blood ?

q Healthy Person between 18-60 years of age q In Blood Bank
q Person having weight not less than 45 kgs q In a Blood Donation Camp

How often one can donate blood ?

q Men can donate blood after every 3 months
while women after every 4 months
q A person can donate blood about 168 times
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Remember : routine work within half an hour

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DIRECTORATE OF HEALTH SERVICES, JAMMU
5 kashmir
Opinion

KASHMIR ISSUE

Look Back, Look Ahead

TALIB MALIK

It becomes a moral duty to reorganize the state on taking into consideration its multi-dimensional dissimilarities
in culture, language, ethnicity, geography, history and political perceptions of Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh,
Rajouri-Poonch and Udhampur-Doda and work out a political mechanism which could make each region the
master of its own destiny and grow freely under an umbrella of a larger autonomy with well-know economic
dimensions

T he state of Jammu and Kashmir

signed the instrument of
accession on October 26, 1947, in
an extra ordinary situation, subject to
the condition that a plebiscite would be
held in the state when Law and order
situation allowed it. Anyhow the same
could not be held till date because of
various checks and balances operating
from within and without. Mahatma
Gandhi once referred Kashmir as the
"Crown of India" but did not call it her
head. A crown is a part of one's image
but not of his essential being, and this
perception is at the root of Kashmir's
claim to Autonomy or Azadi. Actually
there never was an organized
movement in Jammu and Kashmir
favouring accession to India even among being a Muslim majority state, while the The Indian leadership taking
Hindu population. It was the raiders leaders of Indian National Congress advantage of this situation offered the
who forced this state to accede to India wanted Kashmir to make a choice in help only on the condition, that the
in search of security and support. It was favour of secular India rejecting two- state accedes to India with full sport of
at this crucial juncture of 1947, when nation theory on the basis of which National Conference, the predominant
the Indian sub-continent was destined Pakistan had already taken its birth. The political party under its undisputed
to gain independence and the fate had Maharaja found it difficult to decide in leader Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah. So
to shape it into two sovereign states of favour of the either side or remain the state of Jammu and Kashmir was
India and Pakistan. Due to geographical independent. It was only when and compelled to accede to India but on
placement of Jammu and Kashmir, it emergency arose on account of tribal three subjects only, i.e. Defence,
had a chance to join either of the two entry into the state that Maharaja had external affairs and communication.
dominions. The leaders of Pakistan to find out external sport to face the The interim government of the state
expected it to join their dominion, as challenge. that was formed under the leadership of

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010

kashmir
Opinion
Sheikh Abdullah in October 1947 tried
its best to secure and safeguard the
special position for the state and
succeeded in corporating it into legal
and constitutional framework of Indian
union through an agreement between
center and state leadership. Thus on the
promulgation of the Indian constitution
on January 26, 1950 it was made clear
that only two articles i.e. Article 1,
which declared Jammu and Kashmir to
be a part of Indian Union, and article
370, which defined the special status
granted to it, will apply in-full to the
state. It stipulated that Legislative
Authority of Parliament in respect of
Jammu and Kashmir would be confined
to the matters specified in the
instrument of accession only.
Accordingly a constituent
Assembly was formed in the state in
1951. The Assembly was assigned the
task of framing of its own constitution
for the state within the framework of
special position it was agreed upon.
Anyhow, the central leadership under
communal pressure, forced Sheikh
Abdullah to change the promised
Autonomy of 1950, and come to a new
compromise with the central
leadership, that resulted in what came
to be known as the "Delhi Agreement of
1952". But, in spite of this
understanding the relations between
the two did not sustain any longer. The
state leadership was pressurized again
for a new agreement. The political
events of 1953, that led to the
dismissal of Sheikh Abdullah, the most
potent advocate of the state's
Autonomy, facilitated the process of
grater merger of state within the
Indian Union, beginning with the
Parliament order of 1954, which left
only the provision the "State Subject"
of sum effective worth with the state,
so for as article 370 was concerned. In
the decade and a half that followed
www.epilogue.in
the Sheikh Abdullah's arrest, the
Autonomy of the state was destroyed
bit by bit in connivance with the state
legislature elected through massive
rigging and use of naked force.
Indianisation of the state might have
worked if it had functioned honestly,
but by unfair and foul means, India
attracted much of the popular disgust
and discredit. Moreover communal
riots of 1950 and anti-autonomy
agitation of Jammu-based Parja
Parishad made common Kashmiri fear
What the times demand is honesty,
courage, vision and creativity to
explore a course which all the sides
can accept. The best and possible
way to resolve the existing deadlock
is to implement the article 370 in the
true spirit and restoring to pre-1953
position. There is no other
democratic way sensing the popular
mood in the entire state. The
restoration of autonomy within the
frame of Delhi Agreement of 1952
would definitely give a sense of
achievement to the people of
Kashmir
that their autonomy was in danger. The
response of Sheikh Abdullah as their
leader was only natural and the way
his voice was muzzled, that killed
creditability of India in their eyes. The
story of the later accords i.e. Indira
Gandhi - Sheikh Abdullah accord of
1974 and Rajiv-Farooq accord of 1986
was not much different. It is argued
that conditions of disorder, militancy
and recent struggle, have caused by
the insensitivity of the government of
India to words its commitment to
Jammu and Kashmir that led to the rise
of militant separatism.
Vol. 4, Issue 10
6
Beig-Parthasarthy accord and
Sheikh Abdullah's assumption of power
in 1975 seemed a welcome
development, but the manner in which
the Late Girdhari Lal Dogra was asked to
step-down as leader of Congress
Legislature Party to make way for Mufti
Mohammad Sayeed in mid-1975, with an
eye on the office of the Chief Minister by
the Congress withdrawing support to
Sheikh Abdullah was yet another
exposure. Anyhow, his impressive
electoral victory in 1977 in what has
been considered to be the most fair
election in the state, an era of peace
and prosperity prevailed in the state till
his death in 1982. All the separatist
powers seized to exist in Kashmir. Dr.
Farooq's impressive electoral
performance in the state in 1983 was
outcome of the same legacy. The roots
of present crises in the state can be
safely traced back to Dr. Farooq's
dismissal in July 1984. It was during the
Governor/President rule in 1986-87 that
the extremists started gaining strength
and the state parties with secular
ideology like the National Conference
started losing ground, and new faces
with more non-secular tinge started
gaining popular sport in the valley.
However it is not yet clear,
probably not even to the separatist
leadership what exactly they want and
to legitimize their demand and
expectations. Kashmiris are
sophisticated enough to realize that only
a high level of autonomy or Azadi can be
the goal. What about the surrounding
Muslim-majority regions of Kargil,
Doda, Udhampur, Rajouri and Poonch if,
at all, it is to become a sort of "Mini-
Pakistan"! Such a blatant communal
approach will carry disturbing potential
and may not necessarily reflect the
interests and sober decision of many
people and repeat the communal riots
of 1947. A man of wisdom may not
Epilogue, October 2010
7 kashmir
appreciate it in 21st century. In a way it
is the revival of two-nation theory
which has already died it's own death in
1971 with the formation of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has become 4th poorest out
of almost 200 countries of the world.
Day in and day out, the people of
Bangladesh are caught, both male and
female, on Indian borders and in
International market to be sold out of
poverty. The condition of Pakistan is not
much different. An undeclared war is
being fought within and outside Pakistan.
The question has reached of its own survival.
The northern regions of Gulgit and
Biltistan etc, once a part of Jammu and
Kashmir, are fighting for their "right to
vote" for the last more than 65 years.
The position of so-called Azad Kashmir
is not different. The champions of
Jamat-e-Islami, at the head of the
recent agitation have already served its
"Purpose" in Pakistan. Their entire
literature stands banned in Bangladesh.
If we do not want to repeat
history all over again but benefit by
the lessons from it, we should avoid
such fatal risks. Being the custodians
of the faith, we are not supposed make
an "island" of Islam, but to carry the
massage of the creation plan of God to
a common man. We should clear the
doubts of the people of Jammu,
Ladakh and other regions and try to
win their love and cooperation for a
mutual goal. Peaceful co-existence is
the only way of existences in this
world. It becomes a moral duty to
reorganize the state on taking into
consideration its multi-dimensional
dissimilarities in culture, language,
ethnicity, geography, history and
political perceptions of Jammu,
Kashmir, Ladakh, Rajouri - Poonch and
Udhampur - Doda and work out a
political mechanism which could make
each region the master of its own
destiny and grow freely under an
www.epilogue.in
umbrella of a larger autonomy with
well-know economic dimensions. In
the case of Jammu and Kashmir, what
we need is a just and beneficent
regime which is responsive to the
needs of the people, particularly the
youth. We must insist upon an
educational curricula stressing to the
young students the need of
understanding each region. A dialog be
encouraged among the , people of all
the regions and sub-regions of Jammu
and Kashmir state at an informal level,
including interregional study-tours.
Although psychological and
biological studies show that human
beings attain maturity only after
reaching middle age, they are not in a
position to form any sound opinion on
the realities of life and need a mature
wisdom. The beautiful valley of Kashmir
created by God, is well on it way to
being ruined by man. We have to work
sincerely to save it in the interest if all
the humanity. We have to stop counting
our dead-bodies and number of days
involved in it. You are free to use
peaceful methods, but you are not
entitled to use violence. What the times
demand is honesty, courage, vision and
creativity to explore a course which all
the sides can accept. The best and
possible way to resolve the existing
deadlock is to implement the article 370
in the true spirit and restoring to pre-
1953 position. There is no other
democratic way sensing the popular
mood in the entire state. The
restoration of autonomy within the
frame of Delhi Agreement of 1952 would
definitely give a sense of achievement
to the people of Kashmir. However it
must settle down the demands of
autonomy of other region and sub-
region as well. All other options are
behind logic and relevance but suicidal.
Views expressed by author are
his personal
Vol. 4, Issue 10
Education
Another
question to
ponder over
in Kashmir
BASHEER AHMAD PEER
Despite the euphoria over schools
re-opening in the Valley, is all
really well with the education
system, existing now for decades?
If indeed Kashmiri youth need all
the opportunities to compete with
best and brightest in the country
surely, this merits a closer look
and possibly concerted action on
the ground.
K
ashmir has been under severe
duress for the last three months
taking a heavy toll on everyday
lives of ordinary citizens. As is often the
case in areas of conflict, the worst hit
and the most vulnerable are the chil-
dren. With schools not being able to
function, anxious parents cloistering
their wards at home, they faced a dis-
turbing scenario of uncovered syllabus
and perhaps even the possible loss of an
academic year. Mercifully, after a long
gap of 100 days, schools in Srinagar and
parts of the valley re-opened signaling a
phase of peace, normalcy.
This is perhaps a good time to pon-
der over whether all is well with the sys-
tem of education in the state, not only
in times of stress but in its normal func-
tioning? Does the education system
which is the key to the development of
Epilogue, October 2010
kashmir
Education
any region, really reach the children in
districts, in rural pockets of Kashmir? Is
the opening of schools in the valley, no
doubt a positive step forward, enough
reason to cheer for the hundreds of stu-
dents across Kashmir?
The J&K State Board of School
Education was constituted in 1975
with a view to make elementary, sec-
ondary, higher secondary education
accessible to all.
The vision was far-reaching and
the purpose lofty. Let us remember
that this was also a different period of
Kashmir's turbulent political history,
long before militancy had set in. To
nurture talent in the youth, ingrain the
best values in them and enable them
to join the mainstream in the country
were the guiding principles. The
introduction of professional courses
and university level education was also
visualized.
Today this dream seems far-
fetched. For children in rural areas as
in the border district of Kupwara,
school systems are in shambles. In
Kunnan village, a mere 7 km from the
district headquarters, it is a story of
neglect of basic facilities. Abdul Aziz
Shad, Numberdar( village headman) of
the village, said,
“There are 400 houses in our vil-
lage, but even with such a large popu-
lation, we have been ignored by the
government, whether it is education
o f h e a l t h c a r e f a c i l i t i e s . We
approached concerned authorities and
political leaders many a times but sent
back with promises. I wish we had edu-
cated youth --they would have certainly
helped the village.”
Kunnan village as indeed the
whole of Kupwara district, infact
Kashmir itself has a role model, Dr.
Shah Faisal, the medical practitioner
www.epilogue.in
who made his region proud when he
topped the IAS recently. An icon, the
stuff of dreams of many a young
Kashmiri, the aspiration of the region
as it were. The situation of schools
however in Faizal's home district is far
from desirable. Ghulam Muhammad
Dar from Kunnan says “For name's
sake, we have two schools, a primary
and a middle school in our village but
there are no facilities available. The
quality of teaching is very poor. Besides
the students don't have proper seating
arrangements.”
The primary school in Dar
Muhallah reflected this sorry state.
Basheer Ahmad Lone, the school head-
master remembered when the school
opened in 2005 under Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan (SSA) with only 33 students.
While the numbers gradually increased
to 66, the infrastructure remained the
same.
The school is still run in a rented
place which is in bad shape. There is no
toilet; no play grounds any drinking
water facilities. Rues Lone, “I am also
suffering with the children. Who
should I go to narrate this story? When I
visit education department, officials
avoid me. The progress of children is suf-
fering.”
Villagers, who would like to send
their children for quality education,
know in their hearts that this remains
elusive; it is the preserve of only those
who can afford private schools for
their wards. Lone is quite categorical
“While government schools lack in
basic facilities, private schools even
have playing facilities. Our children
have talent, but no means to nurture
it”. The contrast is painful.
Muhammad Irfan, a villager says “Pri-
vate school gives 100% result in VIIIth
every year, while only three students,
Vol. 4, Issue 10
8
out of 33, passed in the government
school in 2009.
Nilofar Jan, supervisor of the
Anganwadi centre sees it from the
larger perspective of Education play-
ing a crucial role in enabling the vil-
lage children to join the mainstream of
society. Sadly there is much to be
desired in the quality of education
these children are getting. “The ques-
tion is in this age of computer and tech-
nology, if children are deprived of
basic facilities can one say that the
Education Board is fulfilling its respon-
sibilities? Are these only tall claims on
paper?”
So is there any room for euphoria
because schools have opened in the val-
ley after a long gap? No, this merely
indicates that the conditions which
prevented normal functioning of
schools have been removed. This has
been lauded by different sections of
society within Kashmir about the value
of education, the importance of regu-
larity in school routines and curricu-
lums. What one is not hearing are
voices addressing the gross lacuna on
the ground.
Euphoria apart, there is some-
thing telling about the pattern of
response to the reopening of schools
and educational institutions. The
Minister for Education, Peerzada
Mohammad Sayeed made a statement
saying that in all 80% students
attended schools in rural areas
whereas urban centers recorded a 30-
40% attendance.
This surely indicates that
despite the violence that has
wracked the region in recent months
and the complex tapestry of political
forces in the state today, rural
Kashmir has given thumbs up for qual-
ity education.
Epilogue, October 2010
9 kashmir
NN VOHRA
Governor, J&K
M
y thoughts are occupied entirely
by the sad happenings in Kashmir
in the past two months. Since
early June this year, normalcy of life in the
Valley has continued to be disrupted by an
unending series of stone pelting protesta-
tions, burning of public property and
attacks on the law enforcement agencies.
These incidents have led to continuing con-
frontations with the Security Forces and
generated a cycle of violence which has
resulted in many persons being injured
and 47 being killed, many of whom were
young men and even women and chil-
dren. Whatever may have been the why's
and wherefor's of the obtaining disorder,
the loss of lives is an extremely sad con-
sequence. My heartfelt sympathy goes
to the families who have lost their near
As President of the Belgian
Association for Solidarity with
Jammu and Kashmir, Paul
Beersmans has been visiting all
parts of Jammu and Kashmir on
both sides of Line of Control,
including Gilgit and Baltistan,
since 1994. He interviews the
leaders, civil society members
and common man on the street
to bring in neutral view points.
In his latest study tour, Paul was
recently in Kashmir Valley and
Ladakh where he conducted
interviews between June 24
and July 10, 2010 when the
unrest was at its peak. He has
contributed to Epilogue the
compilation of reports based on
the interviews. For more see
basjak.org
www.epilogue.in
and dear ones in the recent tumult. The
Security Forces, whose personnel have
also suffered significant injuries, need to
revisit their strategies and tactics of
crowd control for securing maximum pro-
tection of human life.
The recurring calls for strikes, pro-
cessions and day to day protestations, by
whomsoever given, have resulted in the
stoppage of all business, trade and eco-
nomic activities, with a particularly
adverse consequence for those who earn
their bread by daily toil. The impaired
functioning of the governmental machin-
ery has impacted adversely on the delivery
of public services and slowed down the
entire developmental process.
The educational sector has suffered
the most irreparable damage. The contin-
uing disturbed environment has resulted in
the complete disruption of the academic
schedules - schools, colleges, training
institutions, and universities have
remained closed in the past weeks.
This year, foreign and domestic tour-
ists had been arriving in large numbers.
However, the continuing turmoil brought
the tourist activities to a quick end and
adversely affected the livelihood of thou-
sands of families who live off the tourist,
travel and hospitality industry. With the
absence of doctors and paramedical staff,
the functioning of hospitals and medical
care units has been very badly affected,
enhancing the miseries of the sick and
the injured. The functioning of the judi-
cial apparatus, upto the State High
Court, has also been disturbed.
The people of Jammu & Kashmir have
been concerned, for many years now,
about certain issues relating to the State's
relations with the Centre. It is indeed for-
tunate that our liberal democratic frame-
Vol. 4, Issue 10
Perspectives
work allows enormous scope for divergent
viewpoints. The various differences can
and must be resolved through sustained
dialogue and discussion and not through
confrontations and violence.
All necessary steps to restore peace
and normalcy must be taken on the most
immediate basis. Once normalcy is effec-
tively restored a purposeful dialogue must
commence with all those who have been
agitating in the past months. The Centre,
on its part, would need to early launch and
vigorously pursue a sustained political ini-
tiative in J&K.
Like other States in the country, J&K
has also been striving to march ahead in all
arenas of human and economic develop-
ment. However, on account of the pro-
longed period of militancy and recurring
internal disturbances the overall develop-
ment of the State has remained signifi-
cantly deficient on several important
fronts. For achieving the goal of peace,
progress and prosperity it would be neces-
sary for all political parties, all the
social, cultural and religious organisa-
tions, and all other stake holders in
Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh to work
together closely and determinedly. It is
also necessary that every element of the
civil society urgently organises itself to
play a proactive role in promoting sanity
and harmony.
Concerted efforts are also required
to enhance the functioning of the adminis-
trative apparatus and promote honesty,
transparency and good governance in
every sector of governmental functioning.
We must work devotedly to build strong
and vibrant Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh
regions in which all our people lead satis-
fied lives in a harmonious environment,
free from hunger, want and fear.
Epilogue, October 2010
kashmir 10
Perspectives

Prof SAIFUDDIN SOZ

President Congress Party J&K Unit

S
tone pelting is not for young boys. They should be home,
study and prepare their exams instead of provoking the
security forces. If you use violence as an instrument of
dispute, there can't be peace. The gun can never decide: noth-
ing can be achieved by violence or force. Also in Palestine, we
have seen that intifada only brought misery. One should
respect life: live and let live. Let there be peace through dia-
logue and discussion. Separatist leaders should use only demo-
cratic means to further their aims.
There are positive and negative aspects in the gover-
nance of every country. In my position it is difficult to com-
ment on performance of the present coalition Government
headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. You should ask the
common man in the market and decide yourself what is good
and not as good as it should be. As far as Kashmir is concerned,
we are not at all communal and I can assure you that the
Amarnath Yatra will go on without incidents although Syed Ali
Shah Geelani tries hard to communalise this issue.
Track II diplomacy is on. The dialogue between India and
Pakistan has been resumed. The Centre invited the separatist
leaders for negotiations in order to normalise the situation and
to find a lasting peaceful solution. What happens now is to the
detrimental of the people: they are fed up with all this. Only a
small group of extremists is terrorising the whole Valley.

MIRWAIZ UMAR FAROOQ

Chairman APHC-M

T
he ongoing protest is a manifestation for freedom and for a political resolution of the long-standing Kashmir problem and not
against any religion as is being projected by some news channels and communal elements. Amarnath pilgrims are guests of
Kashmiris. Since ages, Kashmiris have been facilitating and will continue to facilitate a smooth Yatra. Our protests are
against the human rights violations and unabated killing of innocent civilians by the police and aathe security forces.
The movement has now passed on to a new generation and they would carry it forward. Our youth are being killed by
troopers and cops with impunity. We feel that J&K has turned into a police state and there is complete lawlessness. By trying to
suppress the freedom movement by force, New Delhi has already lost Kashmir.
The youth are forced to pelt stones when their peaceful protests are quelled by use of disproportionate force. If any force is
used to sabotage the peaceful protests, the reaction from the people will be harsher and the Government will be solely
responsible for its consequences. Youth have taken over the baton of freedom and there is sheer sentiment on the streets. It is
high time for people of India to know the truth and understand that our movement is indigenous and for a just cause.
If the mainstream parties are concerned and serious over the sufferings of people, they should join APHC-M and leave the
Assembly politics aside, they should come out of their rhetoric shell and lend support to the resolution of the dispute. No
election, no administrative changes or economic packages can be substitute to the right of self-determination of Kashmiris. It is
well established that Kashmir is not a military problem. It is a political problem and we are not averse to talks with New Delhi if it
released the political prisoners, undertake demilitarisation and revoke the special powers to the security forces. India and Pakistan
should discuss the Kashmir dispute on priority. Other issues including water sharing, trade links, etc. can be discussed later.
I want to maintain that if any member or leader of APHC-M gives any statement, it will be in his individual capacity. Only the
APHC-M spokesperson and I are empowered to make statements on behalf of the conglomerate. People want the unity among the
pro-freedom camp. They want to see a united leadership. I want to maintain that it is not a leadership issue but giving the right
direction to the movement and taking it to its logical conclusion. For the larger interest of the movement, I have been trying to
forge unity and I hope it will soon bear fruit.

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11
MUZAFFAR BAIG
Senior PDP Leader
T
he international community has double standards.
They don't pay attention to the Kashmir issue whereas
Palestine gets all attention. The international media
keep silent: nobody recognises their protest. The
authorities and the security forces are fabricating fake
encounters, they are manipulating incidents, they are lying.
This results in more alienation of the people. Kashmiris
want recognition that atrocities are there, that the security
forces are committing human rights violations.
What happens now is an accumulated sense of
hopelessness and despair due to a combination of different
factors. There is the failure of the process of dialogue and
reconciliation between India and Pakistan and between the
Centre and the various stakeholders – mainstream politicians
and separatist leaders – in J&K State.
So many initiatives have been taken: behind the scene
dialogue, Round Table Conferences and installation of five
Working Groups. Not a single recommendation has been
implemented: it was a waste of time.
With Pakistan, there was Track II diplomacy. Had
Musharraf not run into difficulties, there would have been
an agreement between India and Pakistan. Due to
'conspiracy of elements of history', the probable agreement
was aborted. The situation worsened after the Mumbai
terrorist attack in November 2008.
There is a complete failure of governance from the side
of the present coalition Government. The pro-people policy
of Mufti Sayeed and Ghulam Nabi Azad was reversed under
the present leadership. The dreaded Special Task Force that
was disbanded by the then Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed was
revived by the present Government. The killing of innocent
people was started by that force, not by the CRPF.
The present Government dispensed the pro-people
policy of taking the common people of the State into
confidence and thus creating a political buffer between the
common man and the security forces. Corruption increased
manifold. The administration and the bureaucrats became
indifferent to the problems of the people. People's
grievances are not heard. How can they then be addressed?
www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10
kashmir
Perspectives
A series of human rights violations in which young
children were killed took place. The Government's initial
response was to justify and defend the culprits. The Chief
Minister displayed indifference and immaturity towards the
anguish and pain caused to the bereaved families. From the
side of Omar Abdullah there was no reaction, no
condolences, no announcement of investigation, no
statements of sorry, no punishment of the responsible police
officers.
Boys who grew up with violence are not afraid. They
are determined to pelt stones. Nobody can stop them. On
the other hand, we may not hide the reality. It is not
excluded that ISI, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Taliban exploit the
situation although the boys are not motivated or paid by
them. I am not ruling out that some leaders are being paid
by them and making money out of it, but certainly not these
young boys.
This is a very serious situation. We must find a way
out. India and Pakistan must resume dialogue. In India,
there are 160 million Muslims. Most of them are illiterate
and poor. You can find them all over India. What will
happen if Taliban finds its recruits in these masses? This is a
problem not only for India and Pakistan but also for the
entire world. India and Pakistan, together with the
democratic countries of the world must address the Kashmir
issue. Negotiations must be result oriented. Don't let the
Kashmir issue be a local problem. It is a problem for the
whole region, the whole world.
There are no negotiations between the separatist
leaders and the State Government. For that, they must
have the permission of the Pakistani Government and the
militant organisations. Apparently, they don't have this
permission yet.
Besides all the aspects mentioned above, I hold the
leaders of Kashmir primarily responsible for the mess in
which we are today. It is customary for the leadership of
Kashmir to blame mostly the Central Government and
sometimes Pakistan, ISI and military of Pakistan. Of course,
there are a lot of people in Pakistan who would like to
Epilogue, October 2010
kashmir
Perspectives
settle scores for the creation of Bangladesh. I don't
deny that they would like to exploit every situation in
Kashmir that they can find and in the rest of India. I
accept that as a great possibility and probability. But,
it is time that we, people who are in politics in J&K
State, must accept our responsibility.
We have failed our people, we have failed the
nation and the less we accept our responsibility, we will
keep on blaming India, the Indian leadership, the Indian
security forces, the Indian army, our own people. We
will have conspiracy theories, we will say this happened
in 53, that happened in 75, then this happened to
autonomy or resolutions, we will say we are not getting
enough funds, they don't trust us, we don't trust them.
We have to look into our own hearts and mind and
we have to find reasons why we are today caught in this
vicious circle. We have betrayed our young generation,
we have embodied them into this impossible dream.
We have spoken one language in Kashmir, another in
Delhi. When we go to Pakistan and when we had
meetings with Musharraf we apologised to them for
having acceded with India. We say our fathers and
grandfathers have committed a treachery because we
have acceded with India. We go to Delhi and we speak
a different language.
We have been telling our young generation that
you deserve independence, that India is a Hindu
country. We have been misleading them. If today our
young children are out on the streets and they
challenge our police people and security forces, they go
and challenge them to shoot them and they are shot at.
We are responsible and I don't know how long we will be
responsible for killing our young people and betraying
them. A young child of nine years gets killed and I feel
responsible, I am responsible.
I belong to a system which has lead to this
situation and we think of small political gains. Even the
mainstream political parties are trying to score small
political points. We are betraying our own population,
our own people.
These young children are the product of violence.
They are born after 1989. They have seen only
violence: go, blood, betrayal. Even today, whether
they are separatists or they are mainstream parties: we
don't have the collective wisdom or collective courage
to go and tell them the truth. We are not prepared to
tell them the truth. We have betrayed the nation and
our children.
www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10
12
MY TARIGAMI
MLA, Secretary
J&K State Committee, CPI-M
O
ur party asks the State Government to exhibit
utmost caution and restraint in its response to
the emerging situation. We express deep anguish
over the spate of civilian killings across the Valley. We
emphasise that the situation should not be seen through
the prism of law and order problem, nor as an issue of
whether the State police or CRPF is responsible for the
present situation. We believe that the blame game
between the Centre and the State Government over the
civilian killings will drift the situation towards more
chaos, and both governments are expected to respond
to the situation with a rational and humane approach.
The present situation is the manifestation of the
long pending political discontentment among the people
of J&K and demands serious political process, dialogue
and deliberations. The political initiatives taken by
India and Pakistan a few years ago had undoubtedly
given the people of the State a ray of hope but
unfortunately, those political processes have come to a
halt.
The peace process started during Manmohan-
Musharraf time and the subsequent interactions through
Track II and back channel levels had created an
atmosphere where flexibility was witnessed in the
maximalist attitude of the two countries. Certain
confidence building measures were also taken and had a
significant impact on the ground.
The prevalent situation of the Valley yet again
should make the Centre realise the importance of
initiation of a serious all inclusive political dialogue with
the people of J&K we hope the Centre will adopt a pro
active approach vis-à-vis the composite dialogue with
Pakistan.
The State Government with the help of the Centre
should address the genuine grievances of the youth, who
felt disillusioned. We firmly believe that the people
have the right to protest, but they should remain
cautious, lest their sentiments can be exploited by the
vested interests for their nefarious designs, at the cost
of blood of innocent people.
Epilogue, October 2010
13 kashmir
Perspectives

BILAL LONE
Chairman J&K People's Conference

T
here will be no peace unless and until we understand
that Kashmir is a problem. Both sides must cool down
temper. The killings should not have happened. We are
not at all happy with the present wave of violence. The failure
of the dialogue and the peace process is at the origin of this
eruption of frustration. It is high time to move forward. India,
Pakistan and the Kashmiris must feel that things are moving
forward, that progress be made. Until this is done, the
problems will remain.
Development and good governance is fine, but don't
forget the main issue: Kashmir is the main issue. Everyone
would fail in the present circumstances: Omar Abdullah,
Ghulam Nabi Azad or Mufti Sayeed. Only a change in the status
quo can lead to a solution and to peace.
The problems in the mind and the heart of the people
must be addressed. We must keep our mind open:
Kashmiris don't forget the main issue. In addition, the
Indian mindset must change. We are not extremists or
fundamentalists and we will never accept extremism or
fundamentalism.
To a certain extent, the secret process was on and slowly
moving forward but it failed and died a dead in a very initial
stage. We are not against a dialogue but it must be result
oriented, there must be a time frame and it should not be for
the sake of dialogue only. At my knowledge, there are no
contacts between APHC-M and the State Government, or
between Omar Abdullah and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. It must be
stressed here that we are not the only political players.

HASHIM QURESHI
Chairman J&K Democratic Liberation Party

U
ntil we don't discuss the Kashmir problem, engage the separatist leaders in the dialogue and work out a kind of solution you
can't stop this wave of violence. It will have ups and downs, there can be some lull for a period of time but as long as the
problem is there, violence will erupt again. Security forces are using brutal force. Young boys are being killed. Remove
the bunkers from the residential areas, let people speak, let people give vent to their frustration. Don't harass them, don't kill
them. If you don't allow people to express their view, they will turn into extremists, fundamentalists.
We have now one of the most corrupt regimes we ever had. People are totally fed up with this Government. NC never solved
the problem politically. They always used brute force. Omar Abdullah is a young Chief Minister killing young people.
Everyone is fed up: shopkeepers, businesspersons, the common people. Because of the harthals, strikes and curfews they
don't have business or income. They have loans they can't pay. The bank is after them. Everyone is suffering: the shopkeepers, the
students who can't go to school, patients who can't go to the hospital. Only the Government employees are happy: they are paid
without having to work. Security forces are humiliating Kashmiris: they are behaving like oppressors, like an occupational force.
The separatist leaders became jokers. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq tries only to stay alive as separatist leader, therefore he is
competing with Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Openly, there are no relations between APHC and the State Government. In reality, they
are hypocrites. They are all very friendly with each other and socialising during receptions and festivities.
I fully agree: it was not fair from Syed Ali Shah Geelani to demand the reduction of the Yatra from two months to two weeks
just ten days before the Yatra started. His intention was clearly to create problems for the Government and in this, he succeeded,
resulting in too many people being killed during these demonstrations. If Syed Ali Shah Geelani is serious without a hidden
agenda, he should start now airing his objections for the Yatra in 2011. He can discuss limiting the number of pilgrims, he can
discuss environmental aspects and waste control, he can discuss improvement of infrastructure. All these are technical,
structural aspects. They should be discussed in a serene atmosphere without stirring up emotions or giving it a communal turn.

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kashmir 14
Perspectives

TAJ MOHI-UD-DIN
Minister Public Health Engineering, Irrigation and Flood Control, Senior Congress Party Leader

T
he agitation taking place now is directly related to Lashkar-e-Toiba. They are behind
this unrest. They changed their strategy: from direct confrontation, they shifted to
indirect actions. Now, they use a human shield of young boys in a much-organised
manner. They abuse the discontent among people and involve innocent civilians. It is very easy
to instigate people by appealing on their emotions, by introducing slogans like azaadi, by referring
to the sacrifices of the past. These are all slogans. This is a very dangerous situation. They want
complete chaos. We have to be very careful and now that we see through their real plan, we can
take the necessary measures.
Syed Ali Shah Geelani tries to communalise the situation. He is a puppet in the hands of
Pakistan. Kashmiris are religious and tolerant. They will not harm religious gatherings. The
Yatra will be safe: nothing is going to happen but we have to be cautious. We have taken the
necessary security measures.
There is more transparency, more developmental works, an active employment policy,
continuing hydro-electrical projects, etc. The first phase of the Baglihar Dam is operational.
The second phase started.
Secret contacts between the Centre and the separatist leaders are taking place. The
Indian Prime Minister wants a solution and I hope something consistent is going to happen.
India and Pakistan have almost decided about a plan and it can be announced at any time. It
can be Musharraf's four-point plan or any other plan. Any plan that brings peace is acceptable. If
Pakistan accepts that plan, violence will stop automatically. We must take Pakistan on face value.
There is lack of trust: we must build up trust. Our first priority is peace: for the people of Kashmir,
for the sub-continent, for the whole world. The Centre and J&K State have responsible
Governments: they will take care of the national and Kashmiri interests.
There are no points of agreement between PDP and the State Government. PDP is
opposing everything the Government initiates. Their job is to find fault in everything we do.
They are not directly but indirectly supporting what is going on now. We can't expect
anything better than that. The Congress-NC coalition will continue until the end: there are no
problems or frictions between the coalition partners. We will make our six years, perhaps there
could be some reshuffle in the Cabinet after three years. This is a normal process. Changing
loyalties of politicians is totally banned according new laws that were introduced.
There are no communal tensions at all. In Jammu Province, Hindu extremist elements
supported by BJP made a call for strike but they failed completely. People don't like
communal agitation. What happens now has nothing to do with communalism: only vested
interests are at the origin of this violence.

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15
BASHIR MANZAR
Editor Kashmir Images, Srinagar
P
eople are suffering. Those who live from
'street life', the vendors, shopkeepers and
businessmen suffer very hard. In addition, the
common man suffers: schools are closed, patients
can't go to the doctor or the hospital, tourists are
cancelling reservations and staying away.
There is a pattern in the ongoing wave of
violence, it is clear that someone is pulling the
strings:
? It starts always in the same season: May, June,
July;
? The same young people are coming on the
streets;
? They shift the 'battle field' up and down from
North to South of the Valley;
? First, a noble aim is inducted. This time, it
was the ultimatum for the reduction of the
Yatra from two months to two weeks because
of environmental reasons. Syed Ali Shah
Geelani started this deliberately, knowing very
well that it was impossible to accept this
ultimatum ten days before the Yatra started.
? After the 'noble aim' has been inducted,
demonstrations and agitation starts. Young
boys are at the head of these demonstrations.
Whatever separatist leaders say, these are not
peaceful demonstrations. There is stone
pelting and they are even using slingshots being
a deadly weapon. The separatist leaders
defend this kind of demonstrations. Even
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq justified the use of this
kind of violence.
? During these 'peaceful demonstrations' and
confrontations with the security forces
sometimes demonstrators got killed. Once this
happens new demonstrations, this time against
the human rights violations committed by the
security forces and the killing of innocent
people, start, and
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kashmir
Perspectives
This is the beginning of a vicious circle:
?
demonstrations, people killed, more
demonstrations, more people killed, ….
Only when there is a call for strike or
demonstrations from Syed Ali Shah Geelani people
die in confrontations with the security forces. One
should not only blame Omar Abdullah for what is
going on. Also, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and separatist
leaders instigating young boys to use violence
against the security forces are responsible for what
happens.
Under Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed, there was a
ray of hope. Things were going in the right
direction: there was the composite dialogue
between India and Pakistan, roads across the LoC
were opened, there was people-to-people contact.
There was no reason for the people to be unhappy or
frustrated. It was thanks to these positive
developments not because Mufti Sayeed was a
magician.
Since Musharraf was dethroned and the Mumbai
terrorist attacks, all came to a standstill. Syed Ali
Shah Geelani opposes negotiations, dialogue, and
the implementation of CBM. A troubled situation
vindicates his stand, he must keep the pot boiling.
He also wants to assert that he is the only leader.
He goes with his own program. Initially, he was
against stone pelting and wanted peaceful
demonstrations but the hardliners in his surrounding
were angry. Consequently, he had to change his
stand and now he justifies stone pelting but still
claiming these are peaceful demonstrations.
The administration made mistakes: they should
have imposed curfew after the first killing incident.
Eventually, they did it but after eleven more people
got killed. All positive developments of the past are
washed away. Instead of concentrating on
development, most of the energy is spent on the law
and order situation. Omar Abdullah failed to
connect with the people.
Epilogue, October 2010
kashmir 16
Perspectives

RIGZIN JORA ABDUL GHANI BHATT

Minister of Tourism and Culture Chairman Muslim Conference

W T
hat happens now is certainly a planned strategy. It took months he situation is what it is: same Valley,
to work out this new plan. They are shifting the battlefield on a same people, same struggle for
pattern: then the effort is in Kupwara, then it is in Anantnag, freedom, same army, same killings,
then it is in Sopore, then it is in Baramullah, then it is in Srinagar. Always same bloodshed with this marked difference
changing the location of the battlefield. We can call this agitational that it is the blood of our youth, of our
terrorism or even provocative terrorism. future. That is the difference between the
There is also a shift in strategy: previous killings and now. Young boys fall to
- they are promoting civil disobedience; the bullets of the security forces. Omar
- they are promoting the new slogan 'quit Kashmir'; Abdullah has huge problems to face. I think
- they are using very young boys in the frontline, and in a situation like the one obtaining in
- militant activities are at low ebb in order to focus on the human Kashmir, if you chose an angel to run the
rights violations of the security forces. country, even he will also have to face the
Now there is curfew and the situation is under control but I don't music. It is a huge, complex problem.
know what will happen when curfew is lifted. I hope we will be able to Statements on behalf of the Indian
control the situation and that normalcy will be restored in a week time. leadership are not encouraging by any
standards. They say troops open fire in self-
APHC-M is supporting the initiatives of APHC-G. In the media and
defence. Full-armed soldiers in full-
comments, much more attention is given to the hardliners and this could
protected dress just can't open fire on a
give the impression that the moderates are marginalised. However, this is
young boy. The Indian Prime Minister said
not so, they are very much there and participating in the ongoing unrest.
there should be zero tolerance regarding
As far as development is concerned, there is a lot of progress. Omar
human right violations. Now he is justifying
Abdullah is a progressive Chief Minister. He has a lot of support from the
killing of children in Kashmir. Why this
Centre. Tourism was going to be the best year ever. A good number of
difference? The situation is so embarrassing
people made houseboat and hotel reservations but due to the present
that even the pro Indian leaders like Omar
uncertain situation many reservations were cancelled.
Abdullah and Mufti Sayeed also endorse the
In Jammu, the Sangarsh Samiti, supported by BJP and some Hindu
position APHC-M has taken in regard to the
fundamentalist movements, tried to give the unrest a communal turn but
solution for the Kashmir issue. Omar
they didn't succeed. The people of Jammu didn't forget what happened in
Abdullah stated the Kashmir issue is a
2008.
problem that should be resolved through
There are no common points between PDP and the Government. The
dialogue between India, Pakistan and the
latter blames PDP to incite youth to create problems for the Government.
Kashmiris in the interest of the whole South
They are sponsored by Pakistan in order to force India to resume Asian region. What Indian leaders say is
negotiations. insulting for us Kashmiris. Kashmir as a
There is no animosity as such between Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and problem needs a solution. The fact of the
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Both are young, educated, intelligent and matter is that you can never think in terms
articulated. Mirwaiz is a part of the new strategy although not having a of bringing peace or improving relations
hand in it. The Kashmiri civil society is so complex: there is double between India and Pakistan until the
speaking and even triple speaking and this makes it difficult to know problem is amicably resolved.
exactly the situation. Kashmiris are very volatile. Corruption is all- Afghanistan and Kashmir seem to me to
pervasive, all over the State. This is not being checked enough. be interlinked. India and Pakistan are

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17
operating against each other on the soil of
Afghanistan. This will cause headache to
US strategists in that country. Peace in
Afghanistan therefore is unmistakably
linked to peace in Kashmir. We will have
to resolve disputes: this is why the USA is
encouraging India and Pakistan to talk and
to resolve disputes as well as preparing to
engage Taliban to talk with the
Government of Afghanistan.
If talks between India and Pakistan
proceed on a positive note and in the
process solutions are worked out,
including Kashmir, I suspect vested
interests will feel frustrated and create a
situation like the one in Kashmir today.
Extremist elements are out to undo the
efforts that the sensible people put in
towards finding as solution to the
problem. The Government should come
down heavily on them.
Communalism is absolute no problem
as far as Kashmir is concerned. The
Indians themselves during the rule of
Governor Jagmohan introduced this
element of communalism in Kashmir.
During his first tenure in 1986, he
communalised the atmosphere by stirring
up communal frenzy and emotions. During
his second tenure in 1990, he
communalised, criminalised and
commercialised the whole system.
PDP is not instigating the present
wave of violence. In fact, they are angrily
disturbed at the turn of events. They
don't want Kashmir going to dogs but
understand the Kashmir issue has to be
addressed. It is the people of Kashmir
that is doing this, it is not PDP. They are
up against injustice, killings and Indian
hegemony.
APHC-M had no secret contacts with
the State Government or with the
Centre. No purposeful contacts have
developed between them. APHC-M hopes
that a serious dialogue will happen soon:
hope maintains people alive and things
going on.
www.epilogue.in
kashmir
Perspectives
NASIR HUSSAIN MUNSHI
Councillor LAHDC-K
The behaviour of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is irresponsible:
He is too young and inexperienced;
t
He doesn't have a consistent policy;
t
He is giving premature comments on dramatics events that happen. He
t
makes irresponsible statements. As a result he is backtracking, he has to
change his stand, he has to apologise;
tIt seems he has no good advisors and if he should have them he doesn't
listen to them or they give wrong advices. The senior NC politicians don't
seem to have any positive input. Also the political advisor to the Chief
Minister doesn't come into the picture;
tWhile Kashmir was burning, he was enjoying life in Leh. When he
returned from Leh he was only a few hours in Srinagar and went then to
Gulmarg to enjoy life there, and
He is young, intelligent, wants development, has a vision but he doesn't
understand the Kashmiri psyche and that is the most important. He has no
contact with the people. How can we expect something from him?
We also wonder where the other politicians – Ministers and Members of
the Legislative Assembly – are. They should be in their constituencies, they
should listen to the people, they should bring the healing touch. Now they
are just blaming each other and adding to the confusion. They are filling
their pockets, making easy money. Nobody is sincere. All parties are playing
dirty politics and just looking after their own interests. The mainstream
politicians are behaving irresponsible thus alienating even more the common
man: he can't go anywhere with his sorrows and problems. Also the
bureaucrats and the administration have to be blamed. There is corruption
at all levels.
There is lack of leadership in Kashmir in the mainstream group and
among the separatist leaders. Charismatic, experienced leaders like Mufti
Sayeed, Farooq Abdullah and Ghulam Nabi Azad are in Delhi. Meanwhile,
they are leaving the political floor to the separatist leaders who are filling up
this vacuum. Syed Ali Shah Geelani seems to be the strongest leader.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq tries hard to strengthen his position.
The Government totally failed. I don't see any positive result. Nothing
remarkable has happened. After being 18 months in power, his predecessors
Mufti Sayeed and Ghulam Nabi Azad had showed already remarkable and
commendable results. They had done very well at the ground level, they
where in contact with the people. Omar Abdullah is only inaugurating the
projects started by the previous Government.
For a solution, there should be a common platform. Everybody (the
biggest question however is: who is everybody?) should be involved and only
then can emerge a solution acceptable to all. Let us start by implementing
the recommendations that came out of the Round Table Conferences and
that where projected by the five Working Groups. Until date, not a single
one has been implemented.
Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010
kashmir 18
Perspectives

AAK KACHO
Chief Executive Councillor LAHDC-Kargil

F
or us here in Kargil, we don't see any negative points in this coalition
Government, only positive points. We are very happy with the coalition
Government and with the ruling of Omar Abdullah. They are very positive
with regard to Ladakh in general and with regard to Kargil in particular. There is
harmony, the relations are going well and we are tackling our own problems with
the support of the State Government and the Centre. We are not creating
tensions and what happens in the Valley is not our first priority. The separatist
leaders in general and APHC in particular don't have any power base or support in
Kargil although they pretend to be the sole representative of all Kashmiris: we have
nothing to do with them.
There are no communal tensions at all here in Kargil. There are no
Buddhists in the city, as a result, there is no need to have a Buddhist temple
here: this was already ruled by the court many years back. We have some three
Sikh families here, they have their gurdwara and we don't have any problem with
that.
There should be some negotiations so that the dispute between the
'movement' and the authorities is settled permanently. It can be between the
Centre and the separatist leaders, or between the State Government and APHC,
or between India and Pakistan, or a combination of these possibilities as long as
it leads towards a lasting, peaceful solution. Due to the situation in the Valley,
we do also suffer: there are problems with the supply of essential goods, the
number of tourists went down drastically.
We don't want to be punished for what happens in the Valley. We are
Kargili: we want peace, development and progress for our district (total district
population 120.000, Kargil city population 15.000). Some of the demands are:
extension of the airfield from 3.000 feet to 6.000 feet so that larger civil
airplanes can reach here. Another demand is a tunnel under the Zojila so that
there is road connectivity whit the Valley and the rest of India throughout the
year. We also ask the opening of the Kargil-Skardu road across the LoC. The two
other regions of J&K State have road connectivity across the LoC, so there should
be no problems to open this road. We don't see where the problems could be.
The Hill Council is operating in a positive manner. There is no animosity
between the majority and the opposition. Every member of the Council is
working for the betterment of the people. Kargil is also included in projects and
schemes of the Economic Reconstructing Agency (ERA). They supply funds for
building a new township as we have space and expansion problems. A lot of
developmental and infrastructure schemes are in progress.

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010

19 kashmir
Perspectives

TSEWANG RIGZIN

Associate Editor Epilogue

I
am not convinced that there are positive results for this State Government.
Initially there were many expectations. Everyone thought this young Chief
Minister could be able to bring about a change, to stop corruption. Alas, he
didn't make it. In 2009, he faced the Shopian tragedy leading to
demonstrations, harthals, strikes, curfew. This year, there is Geelani's
ultimatum to reduce the yatra from two months to two weeks. Again, there are
demonstrations, harthals, strikes, curfew. People got killed in confrontations
with the security forces leading to more agitation, more victims. This is a
vicious circle. The separatist leaders are terrorising the Kashmiris, they are
creating chaos. This is an irresponsible behaviour.
We, here in Ladakh, don't know what happens in the Valley. It doesn't
affect us: it is far away and we have nothing in common, they are totally
different. The only negative effect on us is that we have less choice in
vegetables. However, this could be turned into a positive effect: now, our
farmers cultivate more different types of vegetables. To a certain extent, also
tourism is affected although on a very small scale. The Manali road (the link
between Leh and Manali situated in Himachal Pradesh) is being improved. Once
this is done, we don't need Kashmir anymore, then we have a direct link with
mainland India.
Kashmir always discriminated and neglected Ladakh. They damaged our
culture, our distinct identity. Thanks to the installation of the LAHDC-L, we can
decide to a certain extent our future. Here, in Leh district, we Buddhists are
an overwhelming majority but on the total population of J&K State, we are just
a small minority of less than two hundred thousand. The State Government
must give due rights, also to minorities, in the same way as we do here in Leh
district with the Muslims being a small minority in this district: we treat them
properly, they get their due share, there is no animosity among the two
communities.
Everyone refers to negotiations between the Centre and the State
Government and the separatists. But we, Ladakhis, must also be involved in
any negotiations. Why should they talk only with those who use violence and
create chaos? Being a very small minority in J&K State, we Ladakhis will only
be safe if we are granted Union Territory status within India.
When it comes to politics, it is difficult to come on one platform. We have
seen this again on 12 July 2010 when PDP boycotted the call from Chief Minister
Omar Abdullah, for an all parties meeting. At crucial times, politicians should
join hands. PDP boycotted this meeting because they only want to topple this
Government, they don't care about the people.

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010

kashmir 20
Perspectives

THUPSTAN CHHEWANG,
Senior Leader LUTF, Former MP

F
or the time being, I will not participate in any elections but of course, I continue to support
LUTF and the LUTF councillors of the LAHDC-L. The council is very upright, honest, not
biased, not corrupt, not favouring individuals, not using its power for personal favour. All are
very upright and their integrity is above any doubt. There is not much talking but more action.
Things have changed a lot here in Ladakh. More money is coming in with the tourists and people are
getting more selfish: money and greed. This affects also their political expectations: this could have
an impact on the outcome of the next LAHDC-L elections in October this year.
We got a lot of hope from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah but Congress dominates the coalition.
We are hopelessly. He doesn't come to the expectation. He is not able to do what he should do. I
don't see positive points. A lot of money has been wasted, got down the drain. The authorities
should be more selective on projects and not just spending money. Here in Ladakh we don't receive
our due share. Distribution of funds should not only be based on population: also surface, distance
and accessibility must be taken into account.
After 1 ½ year in power, some concrete steps should have been taken but this is not the case.
The State Government should speak clear language. Omar Abdullah has to tackle the situation in the
Valley: it is not our business, not our problem. The mainstream, coalition politicians should speak
one language and shun from demagogic manipulations. We Ladakhis can't exist with this kind of
society, that is not our way of living: alienation is total. Therefore, our only way out is Union
Territory status. Kashmir is total communal, we have every reason to feel insecure under this
Kashmir domination.
Apart from some smaller incidents, there is no communal tension, although the undercurrent is
there. We don't want to disturb peace and harmony, we have to remain together. In Kargil district
some 20% of the population is Buddhist, in Leh district we have some 18% Muslims. All over Ladakh
region, Buddhists slightly outnumber Muslims.
Some kind of process is on regarding the Kashmir issue, but the hardliners never will participate
in a dialogue: they created the present situation in Kashmir, they want chaos, they must keep the
pot boiling whatever happens. They receive their orders from across the border. How can there be
a meaningful dialogue if they have a hidden agenda, how can a solution be found if there is no clear
initiative, no clear aim, no clear demand coming from the separatist leaders? Even among the
mainstream politicians, there is no unity. So many demands are floated: staying with India, going to
Pakistan, joint management, self-rule, autonomy, independence, partition, status quo, soft borders,
etc.
The Round Table Conferences and the Working Groups flopped: nothing came out of these
initiatives. It is also wrong to focus only on dialogue with the separatist leaders. This is a wrong
signal. The democratically elected politicians have the mandate of the people. The separatist
leaders must participate in the democratic process, only then we will come to know their real
support. In addition, too much attention is given to Kashmir as if only they have demands. Also,
Jammu and Ladakh have their expectations but they are completely neglected.

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010

21 kashmir
Perspectives

LOBZANG RINCHEN

President Ladakh Buddhist Association

L
adakhis are not happy at all with the present situation. We want separation
from Kashmir, we want Union Territory status. We will struggle until we reach
our goal. J&K State Government has nothing to give us. Whatever we get is
coming from the Centre and we will continue receiving this support from the Centre,
whether we oppose or support Kashmir. We have nothing to do with Kashmir. What
Kashmir wants is their problem: we don't interfere in that. If they are heading for
self-destruction, that is only their choice. They are floating so many demands: staying
with India, joining Pakistan, pre-1953 situation, independence, autonomy, self-rule,
etc. They should first sort out what they really want, then this should be given to
them. We, here in Ladakh want Union Territory status for the whole of Ladakh: all
political parties in Leh support this demand. There should be no problem to give us
what we ask. We don't know what Kargil exactly wants: sometimes they are with us,
sometimes they are airing other ideas. They did the same regarding the installation of
the Hill Council: initially they were against, now they are so happy with their LAHDC-
K. Regarding the claim for Union Territory status it will be the same, they need time
to realise what is good for them.
Our Ladakh Buddhist Association is a non-political organisation. We are only there
to defend the interests and the rights of the Buddhists. We support the demand for
Union Territory status as this serves the interests of the Buddhists, not because this is
a political issue. On the other hand, we don't interfere in the upcoming elections for
the LAHDC-L: we are not bothered whom wins, let the best win.
There is no discrimination between Muslims and Buddhists in Ladakh. There is
no distinction between the two communities. In Leh district, Muslims are free to
build houses, they are getting jobs, they are running business. Unfortunately,
Buddhists being a minority in Kargil district don't get the same fair treatment from
the Muslim majority population there: they don't have a cremation ground, they are
not allowed to run a shop, they are not allowed to have a place of worship, they
are not allowed to repair their temple as the Muslims and the united political
parties oppose this. If we wanted, we could do the same here in Leh district
towards the minority Muslim community but we don't: we are peace-loving people.
We want communal harmony, not communal confrontation. Since 1947, Muslims
rule J&K State, all of them have full support. They are a part of the majority
population in J&K State whereas we Buddhists are just a small minority. We don't
get our due share, the Valley dominates us. Minority groups don't get their due
share. There surely is discrimination but because Buddhists are peace-loving
people, others take advantage of our tolerance. However, there is a limit, we don't
want to be exploited because of that.

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kashmir
Perspectives
RIGZIN SPALBAR
Former Chairman and CEO LAHDC
P
resently, the State Government has the full support of
the Centre. It is a challenging job due to the
prevailing situation. All coalition partners give full
support to the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Things
improve now. The State Government requested for internal
and international dialogue and negotiations. Talks for a
resolution and for implementation of more CBM must
continue. There must be a solution for the internal set-up
of the State and also India and Pakistan must work out a
solution.
Everything was on the right track. Everything was
flourishing and the Centre announced many developmental
packages. Suddenly, there was this mischievous
intervention from across the border resulting in the present
situation in the Kashmir Valley washing away all the gains.
The positive evolution got derailed and it will take time to
put things on track again. As a result, the common people
suffer.
The situation in Kashmir doesn't concern Ladakh much:
it affects us slightly as far as governance is concerned. We
wish the situation goes back to normal the soonest. We are
not in direct contact with the Kashmir (more than four
hundred km away) and it is difficult to know what happens.
We don't have inside information. Only through the media,
we come to know, to a certain extent, about the ground
situation.
PDP is a political party being at loggerhead with NC.
One can't expect them to cooperate, as they are an
opposition party. Nevertheless, even as opposition party
one has responsibilities. They should look at the larger
interest of the State and the people. This they are not
doing: they are only after their own political, vested
interests. On the other hand, NC is not treating PDP as the
main opposition party, they don't give them due
consideration, they are blaming PDP for all ills. They are all
into politics for their own vested interests.
Our demand for Union Territory status is based and
justified on historical facts:
www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10
22
Ladakh was once an independent Himalayan Kingdom.
q
The reign of the Namgyal dynasty lasted until 1842
when the Dogra Maharaja from Jammu annexed Ladakh
forcibly into his Dogra Empire.
Kashmir became a part of the Dogra Empire in 1846
q
when the British colonial power sold the Kashmir
together with its population to the Dogra Maharaja of
Jammu.
After hundred years of Dogra rule, Ladakh along with
q
Jammu and Kashmir became an integral part of India in
October 1947 when Maharaja Hari Singh signed the
'Instrument of Accession' with India.
From the very outset, Ladakh's political merger with
q
J&K, against the wishes of the Ladakhis, did not form
any natural cohesion. Except for the Dogra's suzerainty
as a commonality, Ladakh is fundamentally different
from Kashmir and Jammu in all respects: culturally,
ethnically, linguistically.
After Sheikh Abdullah, the most popular politician in
q
Kashmir, succeeded in dethroning Maharaja Hari Singh,
the then ruler of the Dogra Empire, and shifting the
power base of the State from Jammu to Kashmir, the
only commonality we had didn't exist anymore.
Leaders of Kashmir can never be leaders of the Ladakhis
q
and our assimilation with the people of the Kashmir is
next to impossible.
Any attempt at handling the Kashmir issue by ignoring
q
the aspirations of the Ladakhis will be
counterproductive.
The solution lies in tackling the problem separately for
q
the three regions. The Government of India should not
feel shy of finding out separate solutions for the three
distinct regions of the State. We, therefore, strongly
demand separation from J&K State and granting of the
status of Union Territory with Legislature to Ladakh to
protect and preserve its distinct linguistic, cultural,
ethnic identity.
Epilogue, October 2010
23 kashmir
Perspectives

PHUNSTOG NAMGYAL
Congress Leader, Former Union Minister

I
slamist fundamentalists are communal. It is them against us Buddhists and Hindus, us the
kafirs, us the infidels. There are also sectarian fights between Shia and Sunni. The
situation in Kashmir is quite fluid. Fundamentalism is too much on the rise. They create
the problems and they receive assistance from across the border, from extremist,
fundamentalist organisations in Pakistan. Their aim is to create chaos in the cities and in the
urban areas.
The Government of India is not coming forward with initiatives for negotiations with the
separatist leaders because they are too much divided: to whom should they speak? What
should they discuss? The separatist leaders are not at all interested in talks with the Centre:
now they are dictating what happens in Kashmir. They exploit the sentiments of the people
in the name of Islam and this is not only in Kashmir, it is all over the world.
The full picture has not come out so far and this makes it a very complex situation:
q Mirwaiz wants the right of self-determination;
q NC wants autonomy with pre-53 situation;
q Congress Party wants full integration within India;
q PDP wants self rule for a re-united J&K;
q Others are in favour of joint management,
q Some separatist leaders want total independence, and
q Some other separatist leaders want integration within Pakistan.
For us, here in Ladakh the situation is clear. We don't accept one of these proposals: we
want completely march with mainstream India by obtaining Union Territory status with
legislature. On this, there is a complete unity among the political parties, be it LUTF or
Congress Party. If we remain with J&K under a new worked out setup, we will be oppressed
by Kashmir just like it is since decades.
We don't understand why the Centre gave the full six years of tenure of Chief Minister to
Omar Abdullah and not half/half NC/Congress Party. This is a serious mistake of the high
command of the Congress Party in Delhi. In addition, Ladakh doesn't have representation in
the State Coordination Committee. This is unfair: as a result we have no say in the policy
making.
So far, Omar Abdullah couldn't make much impact on any front: not in the
developmental field and corruption is rampant. In addition, he couldn't handle the present
situation and the army had to be called in again. He didn't succeed in his governance.
PDP is basically supported by the separatist leaders as we have seen during the
Legislative Assembly elections in 2008. There are no common points between PDP and the
coalition Government. NC is their main rival.

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kashmir
Perspectives
MOHAMMAD SHAFI LASSU
Anjumian Moin-ul-Islam, LEH
T
he situation in Kashmir is very fluid. It is going a
very serious way: on the one hand they are using a
kind of Gandhi formula, a kind of civil disobedience
and 'Quit Kashmir' movement, and on the other hand they
came down from using the bullet and started stone pelting
(using catapults and slingshots), damaging and burning
vehicles (civilian and security forces), forcing shops and
service stations to close down, cutting hair of drivers
defying the call for harthals, etc., like 'intifada' in
Palestine, provoking the security forces and forcing them to
intervene. Pakistan, and especially ISI, are the advisors,
the master mind behind this.
Right now it is very dangerous. The situation can't be
TSERING DORJE,
LUTF Chairman and CEO LAHDC
I
ndia can't handle Kashmir or Pakistan. The Home
Minister made a mess of it. India should have cornered
Pakistan on terrorism. In stead, Pakistan cornered
India on human rights violations in Kashmir. For India, it is
more difficult to handle the situation in Kashmir.
Although, the demonstrations are not peaceful at all – they
are pelting stones, using catapults, burning cars – the secu-
rity forces must show restraint. This is a very dangerous
situation.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is very nice and doing
his best but he is in a coalition and Congress runs the
www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10
24
controlled with the gun. The present State Government is
weak. They don't want to take the bad name although in
the long run they will be blamed for what happens. If
there are no killings anymore, the situation will improve.
If not, they will lose all credibility. There should be a
tactical move from the side of the security forces to
control these so called peaceful demonstrations. The
present agitation is out of control of hardliner Syed Ali
Shah Geelani, who started all this. Now, mobs have taken
over the streets. The State Government must implement
rule of law. Kashmiris are fed up with all this, they are
terrorised by these mobs. Normal life came to a
standstill.
show. They push him in front, he is full of good intensions
but it is a very complex situation and he is not experi-
enced enough. His father Farooq Abdullah is very clever,
he doesn't want a change or to take over: now people
criticise Omar Abdullah, not himself.
Omar Abdullah did nothing drastic, nothing new in the
economic or developmental field. The Kashmiris are so
used to get everything. There is no limit in the packages
coming from the Centre. There is an enormous waste of
money, they are so corrupt. His predecessor Ghulam Nabi
Azad took some measures with limited success, but now
Epilogue, October 2010
25
The State Government as a whole is ineffective. NC
politicians are used to rule in an authoritarian way. Now,
they have to share power with Congress and work out
compromises. Senior NC MLA's are also frustrated
because they didn't get a ministerial post. NC is not that
sincere with its coalition partner: in Ladakh they support
and pamper LUTF, not Congress. Also in Jammu, they are
weakening Congress.
In Ladakh, there are no communal tensions, except
some small incidents not worth mentioning. Some
extremists tried to stir up emotions but common sense
succeeded in defusing tensions. Buddhists don't eat meat
three days a week. The Ladakh Buddhist Association
wanted to impose this rule on the restaurants. This is an
unreasonable demand as we have so many tourists in
Ladakh. We opposed this demand with success. India is a
secular country: those who don't want to eat meat are
free to do so. The same goes for those who want to
enjoy it. All this is a question of tolerance and mutual
respect.
J&K State will remain the same, whether there are
talks or not, as long as the separatist leaders and the
corruption is at every level, the sky seems to be the limit.
There is communalism all over J&K State and even all
over India. There are a lot of conflicts on regional basis.
Jammu and Ladakh are not at all happy with the rule of
Kashmir. Ladakhis held a darna (=sit-in) in front of raj
bhavan (= Governor's residence) against the Kashmiri domi-
nation and in favour of Union Territory status.
In a few months there will be Hill Council elections in
Leh district: the struggle is between Congress, now in oppo-
sition, and we LUTF. Our performance was very good. We
must now go to the people and explain them what we did.
We spent all the financial support we received from the
Centre for developmental packages in a proper way and
people feel the change.
The Hill Council has a huge responsibility. All depart-
ments, except police and power supply, are under the
Council: agriculture, fishery, forests, horticulture, hus-
bandry, irrigation, social care, health care, education,
youth and sports, drinking water, rural sanitation, industries
www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10
kashmir
Perspectives
militants have the support from the Pakistani leadership.
The whole Pakistani machinery, the army and ISI support
the militant outfits and the 'movement' of the separatist
leaders. They finance them, they give them logistic
support. This is an open secret. Unless Pakistan is
honest, there can't be a solution. Pakistan also has
internal compulsions: all mainstream political parties in
Pakistan support the Kashmir 'movement' openly. It is in
their manifesto. They don't want the movement to die.
We have nothing to do with the Kashmir issue.
Kashmir creates problems, they are not happy, they don't
know what they want. They should sort out their own
problems and future. We don't follow them in their self-
destruction policy. We, here in Ladakh, know exactly
what we want. There is only one aim supported by all
parties: we want Union Territory status for the whole of
Ladakh. We must take along Kargil district in order to
strengthen this demand. We must put more effort in
discussing with the Kargili people, we must build trust
between the two districts. We are sure they will realise
that their future lies with Union Territory status for the
whole of Ladakh.
and employment, economic infrastructure, tourism, trans-
port and communication, link roads, information technol-
ogy, non conventional energy, urban development, etc. All
this and much more has to be looked after by the Hill
Council.
For the future, at one time there must be a solution.
The maximum India can give is autonomy but the
demands of the separatist leaders are much different.
They are so divided among themselves. They must first
come together and work out a plan, come forward with
clear demands. Only then we can start discussing. If
they want to keep J&K State intact, their plan must also
include the protection and the position of the minorities
in the State. India is in a defensive position, only talking,
whereas Pakistan is doing something on the ground: they
support the separatist leaders, they train militants, they
send arms, ammunition, communication equipment,
money, etc. I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel:
it will be a very long process.
Epilogue, October 2010
PREVENT WATER BORNE DISEASES
LIKE :-
Jaundice
t Gastroenteritis t
t Diarrhoea Typhoid t
t Dysentery
By adopting following simple measures :-
1. Use boiled cooled water for drinking purposes.
2. Chlorine tablets for domestic use are freely available in all Health Institutions.
3. Store water in clean utensils and keep them covered.
4. Don’t eat stale, uncovered eatable items exposed to dust and flies.
5. Wash vegetables and fruit thoroughly with clean water before use.
6. Keep the food items covered so that flies do not contaminate the food.
7. Always wash hands with soap and water after going to the toilet and before eating food.
8. Avoid defecation near the source of water supply.

No. : DIP/J-5838
9. In case of loss of body fluids, use oral rehydration solution (ORS). Dissolve one packet of ORS in
one litre of boiled cooled water and use it within 24 hours and prepare fresh one for next use.
10. Patients suffering from any of the above mentioned diseases should report to the nearest Health
Institution for prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Adopt A Healt hy Life St yle

HEALTH EDUCATION BUREAU
DIRECTORATE OF HEALTH SERVICES, JAMMU

OFFICE OF THE CONTROLLER, DRUG AND FOOD CONTROL ORGANISATION,

J&K JAMMU
SUBJECT : Strict implementation of provision of Drugs and Cosmetics Rules in respect of manufacture
and sale of Oxytoxin, which id reported to be used clandestinely by daily owner and farmers growing
vegetables - reg.
Reports have appeared in the press as well as electronic media regarding the misuse of Oxytoxin
Injections by the farmers to increase the size of vegetables. Similar reports were earlier received in
respect of the clandestine use of Oxytoxin by the dairy owners to extract milk from cows and buffaloes. The
Oxytoxin Injection is required to be packed in single unit blister pack only for sale and is required to be
dispensed on the prescription of a Registered Medical Practitioner only. It is therefore impressed upon all
the dealers/manufacturers to strictly follow the Provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rule
1945. The Department shall initiate stern Administrative Action against offenders indulging in misuse of
Oxytoxin injection like cancellation of Licenses granted for carrying out sale/manufacturing. Besides legal
action as warranted under Rules shall follow Administrative Action.
The general public through the mode of this notification is appealed to share information related to
misuse of Oxytoxin Injection by Dairy owners and farmers to grow vegetables with the Department on
following helpline number : 01912538527, 01912538626, 01912597445, 01942471191, 9419180734.
The complainants can also mail their complaints on following email address :
controllerdrugsfood@yahoo.in

Please Help Us to Serve You Better

No. : DIP/J-5640
27 in focus
Cross LoC Trade

CROSS-LOC TRADE:
Dark Clouds and a Silver Lining
D SUBA CHANDRAN & ZAFAR CHOUDHARY

F
orgotten by New Delhi and Islamabad after billing it as mother of all
The Editors and the Confidence Building Measures, the Cross-LoC trade between two parts of
Management of divided Jammu and Kashmir is sustained by the stakeholders despite all
Epilogue Magazine odds. India and Pakistan are again back to back and prolonged turmoil in
place on record a Kashmir is leaving very little for incremental measures to help ease
deep sense of tension but beneath surcharged political surface there is an eagerness and will among
gratitude to the the divided families on both sides of divide to revive and maintain contacts. Full of
hurdles and losses, Cross-LoC trade is proving as just one way of crossing the political
Conciliation
divide by strength of emotions.
Resources, a
Two years have passed since the cross-LoC trade began in October 2008. While New
London based Delhi and Islamabad consider this as a great cross-LoC confidence building measure,
international business community in Kashmir valley and across the LoC are not too happy with what has
conflict happened so far. While the governments provide statistics to prove the quantum of trade
transformation taking place across the LoC, the business community emphasis on quality and practical
organization, for problems. On the other hand, NGOs and individuals have been pushing for opening new
supporting this routes, besides the existing two routes and call for expansion of the list of items being
traded.
special issue on
With no logistics and mechanism of formal trade in place, the observers had long written
Cross-LoC trade in
this exercise off but after two years of experiment there are hopes of a push to this non-
many ways. Many
conventional trade. It is a barter trade and the traders are not dreaming of any
comments, ideas miraculous approach of New Delhi and Islamabad to make it formal enough for profits.
and feedback were Realising that Governments on both sides are not too serious in making the Cross-LoC
obtained by the trade a profitable proposition for stakeholders, the traders have narrowed down their
editors through expectations and demands to just one area –remission of payments often blocked on both
interactions with sides. There is some positive development on this issue after strenuous efforts of the
stakeholders in business chambers. After some back channel discussions with authorities in New Delhi
and Islamabad, there is a paper in circulation between Chambers of Commerce and
meetings supported
Industries in Jammu, Srinagar and Muzaffarabad for feedback of traders on a banking
by the Conciliation
proposal. After feedback from traders, the proposal would go to the Reserve Bank of India
Resources in one or and State Bank of Pakistan for their approval. The Srinagar Chamber and Muzaffarabad
the other manner. Chamber are in consultation on the proposal while views from Jammu Chamber are still
awaited, Epilogue has learnt.

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010

in focus 28
Cross LoC Trade

The story so far Trade “to” Other Kashmir or Trade

W hat are the major problems of the existing cross-
LoC trade? Should there be additional routes, for
political purposes, or should the existing routes be
strengthened and made to deliver, before expanding
further? Should any new efforts to strengthen the
cross-LoC trade be prioritized, in terms of what needs
to be done immediately, and what needs to be done,
once there is confidence?
To begin with, one should understand, that the
primary problem of cross-LoC trade was it inception
itself, without proper home work by both sides and also
traders across the LoC. As a result, neither there was a
proper understanding of what is needed on the other
side, nor whether there is a surplus on this side. It was a
political decision by the governments of India and
Pakistan, to continue with the cross-LoC interactions.
Whatever may be the reasons for not doing the
homework, or announcing it in a hurry, Manmohan
Singh should be congratulated for taking that bold
step. But unfortunately, he also seems to suffer from
the same syndrome, that of his illustrious predecessor,
Vajpayee– one step forward and two steps backward.
When the cross-LoC trade was announced, the local
traders in J&K, were jubilant, and took part enthusias-
tically, despite the non availability of banking system,
lack of communication network, and the decision to
conduct a barter trade. As the trade enter into its third
year, there are five specific sets of problems and a sil-
ver lining.
“Through” Other Kashmir?: The
Problem of Perceptions
M ore than the infrastructural problems, the biggest problem
today, is the frustration, between the traders and the gov-
ernments, on the objectives of the trade. While the government
designed this as a “trade to other Kashmir”, the traders expected
it will be a “trade through other Kashmir”. Without understand-
ing the likely fallouts of this difference, due to political pressure,
the governments of India and Pakistan agreed to start the trade
without reaching an understanding on who will trade and to
where. While the Kashmiri traders wanted to see this as a transit
trade, ensuring their goods reaching to the Gulf and European
countries through Rawalpindi and Karachi, they did not want to
do this as an international trade, but a cross-LoC. Hence the prob-
lem of currency came into being in the cross-LoC trade. Even
today, the government and the traders are unable to reach an
understanding on what currency should the trade be organised.
As a result, it stands a barter trade.
South Indian Coconuts and Chinese
Garlic in Cross-LoC Trade: The
Problem of Proxies
T he government, to be fair, failed to foresee, the exploitation
of cross-LoC trade by non-Kashmiri traders, and the use of
non-Kashmiri goods. Today, despite understanding the problem,

Divided families vs businessmen

The Cross-LoC trade was essentially a Confidence Building Measure to lessen tension in Kashmir and enhance contacts of
Kashmiris on both sides of Line of Control. Trade statistics of two years suggest that it is the Poonch-Rawalakote route in Jammu
province which is seeing huge trade activity and not the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route. Regular weekly trade volume running into
Crores of rupees on Poonch sector as compared to trade in few thousands to few lakhs of rupees on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad
sector may be showing a failure of CBM in Kashmir Valley but it is not like that. In fact, whatever little it may be, the Srinagar-
Muzaffarabad sector is involving more original stakeholders who are keenly investing in revival of relations and not business. With
leading Srinagar businessmen having almost completely pulled out of Cross-LoC trade in view of logistical hurdles and recurring
losses, the trade on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route is sustained mostly by members of the divided families from north Kashmir
districts of Baramulla and Kupwara. They are doing trade mostly with their known relatives on other side of the divide. In case of
Poonch-Rawalakote also members of divided families are involved but the major quantum of trade is due to involvement of a dozen
of proxy traders working on behalf of businessmen in other parts of country like Punjab and Gujarat.

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010

29
the government of India is groping for
options on how to prevent non-Kashmiri
traders. The primary problem for the
government is – on the one hand it does
not want to stop the trade, on the other
hand it is unable to implement in the
right spirit. Since, it was originally
planned to be a cross-LoC trade, it was
decided that there would be zero duty,
on the items that were traded through
the two points near Poonch and Uri.
Here lies the primary problem and rea-
son for primary frustration amongst the
local trading community.
Since this is a zero duty trade,
those non-Kashmiri traders, primarily
from Punjab (on both sides of the Indo-
Pak international border) and even from
Gujarat and Sindh, jumped into this
trade and started exploiting the 'no
duty' provision. All they had to do, is to
find 'proxy traders' in J&K, who act as
agents, taking a percentage of the
trade. While the Kashmiri traders from
J&K could not call their counter parts on
the other side (due to non-availability
of telephone connections, due to secu-
rity reasons), traders in Punjab and
Sindh have no such problems. Traders
from Indian Punjab and Gujarat could
call traders on the Pakistani side and
vice versa. As a result, there was a
better communication in terms of what
is needed, what could be sent, the
nature of surplus and the cost of items
on both sides.
Also, with all respect to the traders
of J&K across the LoC, the traders in
mainland India and Pakistan are better
organised, thanks to the bilateral trade
for a long period. They have established
not only contacts, but also trust
between each other; hence this makes
them easy to undertake the cross-LoC
trade, despite being on barter system.
Suddenly, there is a dip in the bilateral
trade between India and Pakistan
through the Wagah border, because the
www.epilogue.in
in focus
Cross LoC Trade
INTERVIEW
YV SHARMA
President,
Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Jammu
What is your assessment of Cross-LoC trade?
There is a lot to say on whether it is a trade or just goodwill
gesture. However, I would like to make only point –in whatever
manner trade is going on, some people are engaged in the
process and they want to carry it on. I am yet to come across
anyone who is against Cross-LoC trade. People want the system
streamlined and it is time the government looked into it.
Do you think the Cross-LoC trade served its intended
purpose?
It is difficult to comment on this aspect. If you talk in terms of
business, I don't think it is a fair process, there are a lot of unfair
means being resorted to. If you talk in terms of Confidence
Building Measure, I think the spirit needs to be revived.
How is the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries
involved in the process?
Chambers have been offered very little to do and our
Chamber is doing pretty little. We appreciate the importance
Cross-LoC trade and take the matter of its streamlining at all
appropriate levels but there is no direct involvement. We are
quick to react when a trader or a group of traders bring any issue
to our notice, we take up matter with government and write to
other authorities but Chambers are not much in picture beyond
that.
How do you look ahead?
First of all efforts are required to be made to remove the trust
deficit which is currently prevailing. On one hand there is no
official mandate available with the Chambers and on the other
hand there is hardly any interaction between three Chambers.
We have started some talks on payment remission mechanism
but again these discussions become victim of lack of contact.
There is no clarity from any side, much less from the
governments. But yes, people want to carry on with trade and
we will continue to highlight this sentiment.
Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010
in focus 30
Cross LoC Trade

mainland traders would prefer to send their goods to Kashmir. On

the other hand, the Kashmiri traders find it difficult to trade,
I send Apples, You may like to
despite its zero duty, because it is barter trade. Thanks to the long send Onions, or Ajwain: The
hiatus in trade, and their traditional trade net work linked with the Problem of a Barter Trade
rest of India and Pakistan, Kashmiri traders do not have a successful
network across the LoC. As a result, there is less trust, especially
when the trade takes place on barter system, and with no tele-
A s of today, cross-LoC trade today in the 21st cen-
tury is taking place almost like the barter trade
of the 16th century. A trader from Sopore, for the
phone connections.
apples he sent may get a few trucks of onions or gar-
The story of Moong Dal and Coconut will tell an interesting yet
lic, irrespective whether he wants or not. Second,
pathetic story of the cross-LoC trade. Moong Dal, which is cheap on
there are no adequate telephone facilities between
the other side, (Rs 20 a kilo in Muzaffarabad, when compared to Rs
both sides of Kashmir; while traders (and others)
80-100 in Jammu or Srinagar) is traded in bulk in the cross-LoC
could call from the PoK to the Indian side, citing secu-
trade from Pakistani side to the Indian side. Unfortunately, this
rity reasons, the Indian government has blocked peo-
Moong Dal, instead of hitting the local markets of J&K, thereby
ple from J&K calling the other side. This is where
reducing the price of it, is being silently shipped away to the rest of
banking facilities, telephone connections and the
India. Coconut, though not in the list and is not produced anywhere in
removal of barter trade will help make the cross-LoC
J&K has been the most favourite item, crossing Poonch into Rawalakot
trade between the two parts of Kashmir and not two
in substantial number. Same is the case with the garlic, which the
parts of Punjab. Also, this is where the strengthening
Pakistani side gets from China and sends it to the Indian side.
of the local trade bodies in respective regions and
This proxy trade, has also created a new set of 'traders' or
the Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Being
'agents' who are few in numbers, but suddenly rich and have the
an economist, Manmohan Singh should not need any
potential to send huge consignments to the other side, worth
one to tell him, how to organise trade. Perhaps, he is
crores. Since, the proxy traders do not invest, he has no problem in
not being told about the practical problems; or does
being an agent in sending goods in crores. The primary traders on
not have the political will. Both will be a political
both sides of Punjab take care in terms - what items to be sent and
disaster to an important cross-LoC economic initia-
in what quantity. This rich proxy traders, are trying to undermine
tive.
the local trading network; since the governments do not want to
Both are valid criticisms and there is already a
stop the trade, for political reasons and the fear of a failure, they
positive movement, (though painfully slow) on both
yield to the threat of the proxy traders and silently watch the
these issues. There have been negotiations on
hijacking of cross-LoC trade and the suffering of the local traders
addressing the banking facilities; it has been decided
and people.

Can Chambers regulate it better?

Following a meeting between Indo-Pak Joint Working Group on Trade, there was an in principle understanding that modalities of
Cross-LoC trade shall be settled by the Business chambers of Jammu and Kashmir after their visits and meetings on both sides. A
visit of traders from AJK Chamber of Commerce of Industries to Srinagar and then Jammu was facilitated by both governments in
October 2008 but a similar visit of Jammu and Kashmir traders to PaK is still pending despite several requests to State and
Central Governments. In November 2008 Chambers in Srinagar and Jammu were asked by the State Government to send list of
40 members for clearance of their travel to Muzaffarabad. The travel proposal is still pending. Chambers of Commerce and
Industries in Jammu and in Srinagar are of the opinion that regulation should be left to them for making trade practical. One of
the ideas is that the individual traders register with the respective chambers in Jammu, Srinagar and Muzaffarabad and the
subsequent Cross-LoC trade is between Chamber to Chamber. In this case the Chambers can become price determining authority,
can facilitate of sale and purchase of goods and remission of payments. Individual traders are averse to this idea which they see
as monopoly of Chambers but the Chambers argue that a scattered system is bound to collapse.

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010

31 in focus
Cross LoC Trade

to open a branch
of J&K Bank in
Muzaffarabad,
and a branch of INTERVIEW
AJK bank in NAZIR A DAR
Srinagar. This will
also address the
President,
problem of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Kashmir
currency in which
Two years after its launch, how do you look at the current status of Cross-LoC
the trade is to trade?
take place. For
Literally, the Cross-LoC trade is merely breathing to indicate that, yes, it is
political reasons,
alive…rest is nothing. It is a half hearted symbolic initiative of the Governments of
there has been a
India and Pakistan which is being sustained by sincerity of Kashmiris, particularly
huge objection,
the members of the divided families.
on the use of
Do you think this trade served the intended purpose in any amount?
international cur-
Let me say first thing first. Cross-LoC trade is based on clear violations of the
r e n c y, f o r i t
basic principles of trade. The mechanism with which this is being run brings the par-
would signify, an
ties disappointment and frustration. This is what the trade is proving.
international
trade and not
I would say that yes it served some purpose to the extent that it brought mem-
intra-Kashmiri
bers of the divided families together and it made people to think, after a gap of 60
trade. Emphasis
years, that they can deal with their relatives on other side of the divide. There is one
on the non-use of
way of looking at the positive aspect –even absence of logistics and payment mecha-
international cur-
nism the trade is going on, though in small measures, that is the success. But attribute
rency is hypo-
this success to the members of divided families and not the authorities.
critic; when Trade volume on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route is very poor as compared to the
those who want
Poonch-Rawalakote. Do you think Kashmiri traders are not much interested?
to trade criticise This is wrong. Traders of Kashmir Valley are more interested in Cross-LoC trade
the governments than anyone else. On Poonch-Rawalakote route there is a huge proxy racket –traders
not seeing the from others parts of country send across their goods and enjoy benefits of price dif-
trade as an eco- ference. Uri route is far away from the mainland Indian markets which is why
nomic CBM, Poonch route is preferred one. On the contrary, on Uri route we have the real stake-
objecting the use holders, the members of the divided families who are sustaining this process with
of an interna- their emotions.
tional currency is Had there been proper infrastructure, logistics, banking etc?
equally political. Sky would have been the limit.
Especially, when How is Kashmir Chamber involved in pushing the trade?
the traders are We are trying to make all possible efforts. We took up the matter with Prime
more interested Minister Manmohan Singh in June this year and he assured us of his personal inter-
in transit trade est to set things right. Nothing has happened since then.
through the other A proposal on payment remission is under discussion. What is your view on that?
side, all the way We are not aware of any such proposal. Kashmir Chamber is a democratically
to mainland elected representative body but we have not been consulted on any such thing.
Pa k i s t a n , a n d What is the status of Joint Chamber?
then to Dubai and Joint Chamber has lost relevance, whatever it had. It was agreed upon to transfer
Europe from the chair to Kashmir Chamber in November 2009 which has not happened even in
Karachi. 2010. In am in touch with President of Jammu Chamber and can't recall when was my
last contact with Mr Zulfikar Abbasi, the president of the Joint Chamber.

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in focus 32
Cross LoC Trade

I don't know A POSSIBLE BANKING MECHANISM

whom I'm trad- The Business Chambers on both sides are considering a proposal on a possible banking mechanism. This
proposal appears to have come after a preliminary discussion between authorities in New Delhi and
ing with: The Islamabad. The proposal is currently at circulation stage while a proper discussion is yet to take off. The
Problem of Federation Chamber of Industries and Commerce Kashmir (FCIK), parallel lobby to the Kashmir Chamber
Connectivity of Commerce and Industry is reportedly coordinating discussions between Muzaffarabad Chamber,
Jammu Chamber and the nearly defunct Joint Chamber. The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry
E qually nonsensical is
the reluctance of the
Indian government to
is apparently out of the loop at this stage.
Epilogue had an access to the document which suggests two viable banking options. Highlights of
allow people from J&K to the proposal are given here:
use telephone facilities to
call the other side. Though Exporter in J&K Importer in PoK
the government today has
magnanimously allowed to
set up five points/lines,
from which a trader could
call the other side, this is
Escrow Account
simply not sufficient. Of
course, something is Trade Facilitation Account PoK
better than nothing, but Goods with J&K Bank Ltd. in INR Goods
then, is this a right
approach? Recently five Credit Debit
telephone lines were
established in Poonch and
Uri exclusively for Cross-
LoC traders to make calls
to other side but traders
Importer in J&K Exporter in J&K
are reluctant to use those
phones. “Business needs
privacy and one of the con- Exporter in PoK Importer in PoK
ditions for using these
phones lines is that one
has to talk in presence of a
government official”, said
a trader.
One could understand the
dilemma within the Indian Trade Facilitation Account in J&K
government, especially Goods with a Bank in PoK Goods
with the Prime Minister's
Debit Credit
Office (and perhaps the
Ministries of External
Affairs and the Commerce)
wanting to move ahead,
while the Home Ministry,
especially its well Importer in J&K Exporter in India
entrenched intelligence

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33 in focus
Cross LoC Trade

OPTION - 1
CONDITIONS :
1. The escrow account is to be opened by J&K Bank Ltd in the name of 'Trade Facilitation – PoK Account' In Indian Rupees only with zero
balance.
2. All contracts for export from the import to J&K should provide for payment only through the escrow account.
3. Invoices in support of the trade transaction should be raised in Indian Rupees only.
4. The credit/debit transactions in the account will be subject to the following conditions :
4.1 CREDITS :
a) Credits to the account will represent amount due to the exporters in PoK towards payment for the import of goods in to J&K.
b) The credit transaction should be support by a commercial invoice duly certified by a State/Central Government authority about
the value and origin of goods, for the transport of goods from Pok and J&K. (This is in order to ensure there is no over invoicing or
under-invoicing of goods and no third country transactions are routed through the account).
c) The bank should verify the documents to title to goods i.e. lorry receipts issued by transport operator approved by appropriate
authority.
4.2 DEBITS
a) Debit in the account will represent amount due from the importer in PoK towards payment for the export of goods from J&K.
b) The debit transaction should be supported by a commercial invoice duly certified by a state/Central Government authority about
the value and origin of a goods, for the transport of goods from J&K into PoK. (This is in order to ensure there is over-invoicing or
under-invoicing of goods and no third country transactions are routed through the account)
c) The bank should verify the documents of title to goods – i.e. Lorry receipts issued by an IBA approved transport operator.
5. Interest shall be payable/receivable for the credit/debit or the balance in the escrow account as mutually agreed by the two
banks.
6. J&K Bank will ensure that the KYC requirements of importers/exporters are complied with for all the transactions routed through
the escrow account. Strict control over the use of balances in the account may be put in place to avoid financing of any non
trade/suspicious activities in India.
7. The balance in the escrow account will not be allowed to be remitted outside India but should be adjusted towards payment of foods
exported from India.
8. The overdraft, if any sanctioned by the J&K Bank Ltd., shall not exceed Rs. 500 lakhs at any time.
OPTION - 2
At present trade between India and Pakistan is transacted via the ACU dollar and ACU Euro. The trade across the line of control
can be transacted the same way but this will raise a variety of issues, including that of classification of this trade as foreign trade. Also,
it will not meet the aspirations of the local traders. As such we have to devise a system for settlement of cross LoC trade outside the ACU
mechanism which will be operated in Indian/Pakistani Rupees.
MECHANISM :
It is proposed to institute a system along the following lines:
q J&K Bank will open a Pakistani Rupee (PKR) nostro account in a Bank in Pakistan having a presence in POK.
q Any bank in POK opens an Indian Rupee (INR) nostro account in J&K Bank.
q Import and Export transactions will be settled through these accounts.
Regulatory Requirement :
Since PKR/INR is not traded in India/Pakistan, Reserve Bank of India in collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan will have to provide
a window for buying /selling of PKR from/to J&K Bank to fund the rupee nostro account or absorb the surplus balance in the account.
State Bank of Pakistan will have to provide reciprocal facilities to their Bank in POK.
To cover the exchange risks, RBI and SBP may buy/sell the PKR/INR at a fixed rate for a period of three months of six months.

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010

in focus 34
Cross LoC Trade

agencies, blocking the forward movement.

One only hopes, the matured and bold Union
Home Minister over rides certain exaggerated
intelligence concerns, and make the cross-LoC
trade deliver for larger strategic objective.
The recent statement by Jairam Ramesh,
though in a different context is valid – that the
Home Ministry is extra cautious, at times, even
to the extent of blocking new initiatives. None
will be able to better understand this issue
than Jairam Ramesh, for many of his economic
initiatives relating to our neighbours in the
east and west, during his previous tenure in
commerce ministry, could not materialise, due
to security concerns from the Home ministry.
Blaming one ministry, however is not an
excuse; after all, the final decision lies with
the Prime Minsiter. Even if there has to be a cer-
tain cost and risk, it is worth taking them, as
long as it serves the larger objective why we
started the cross-LoC interactions in the first
place. This is where Manmohan Singh has to
continue, what he has started in 2005. Taking
one step forward and two steps backward, has
been the Union government's legacy in J&K,
and this is not acceptable.
More New Routes or Strengthen the
Existing ones?: The Problem of
Expectations
B esides the banking facilities and telephone connections,
another major issue has been the demand to open more trade
routes across the LoC. Jammu-Sialkot, Nowshera-Mirpur and Kargil-
Skardu axes have been suggested a new trade routes. What should
be the approach? Should there be focus on opening new trade
routes, or should there be a concentration on strengthening the
existing arrangements, before opening new routes? Should the ener-
gies be prioritized?
Jammu-Sialkot, undoubtedly is the most popular demand,
given the historical and cultural linkages between these two great
cities. But, given the fact, that it is an international border, there is
no cross-LoC tag attached to it. This axis, certainly needs to be
opened, but perhaps from a popular or an international/bilateral
trade perspective, and not from a cross-LoC angle. Kargil-Skardu
axis is again a popular one for divided families, more than a trade
route. Unless India and Pakistan wants to open the entire stretch
linking Tibet and Sinkinang, and revive the romantic Silk route for
trade, opening just Kargil-Skardu road for trading purpose may not
be beneficial. Instead, both countries could consider opening this
route for trade-in-services, primarily for tourism, that is trade- in-
goods.

What happened to joint Chamber?

At the non-governmental level the formation of 'Jammu and Kashmir Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industries' was the perhaps
the biggest Confidence Building Measure. Two years after its formation as the Joint Chamber is as good as dead. This was an
agreement between Presidents of Jammu, Srinagar and Muzaffarabad Chambers of Commerce and Industries to have an apex
body of traders with equal representation from three chambers and rotational chairmanship. Zulfikar Abbasi who headed the AJK
Chamber's delegation to J&K in October 2008 was offered the inaugural chairmanship for a period of one year. Next was the term
of Kashmir Chamber and then Jammu Chamber. Since then there has been a change of guard at all three Chambers, there are
new men at the helm even as Abbasi continues to be the Chairman of Joint Chamber. The President of Srinagar Chamber Nazir
Ahmed Dar does not remember when he last spoke to Abbasi and same is the case with President of Jammu Chamber. In fact, the
Joint Chamber could never take off. Immediately after its formation, the three Chambers were required to nominate members for
the Apex body which the Jammu and Muzaffarabad Chambers did but the Srinagar Chamber could not do till date due to a split
within. By rotation, the Chairmanship had to be conferred to Jammu Chamber this October but it has not reached even the
Srinagar Chamber. Lack of opportunity to meet is one major reason which has rendered the Joint Chamber almost defunct. A
website of the Joint Chamber was registered in Jammu which expired last year. The web hosts, Ideogram Technologies told
Epilogue that they were never approached by any party for renewal.

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010

35
Problems Galore,
but there is a Silver
Lining
O f course, there are numerous
problems. Given the tensions
between India and Pakistan, and the
lack of connectivity between two
parts of J&K, problems are bound to
be there. Especially, with a section
amongst the business community
trying to monopolize and hijack the
cross-LoC trade, genuine business-
men are likely to be at the receiving
end. There is bound to be starting
problems.
On the positive side, two issues
need to be identified and built fur-
ther. First and foremost, the enthu-
siasm, endurance and the patience
of genuine businessmen to trade
with each other and make this ini-
tiative a huge success, despite the
slow progress from the governmen-
tal side and the attempt to monopo-
lize this trade by few selfish busi-
nessmen from J&K and outside it.
Second, both India and
Pakistan, despite the problems at
the bilateral levels and ground level
misuse the above mentioned selfish
businessmen, both countries have
not stopped the trade.
The above two issues are
clearly the silver lining, which could
be the basis for a new beginning in
the third year. To conclude, in the
third year, both India and Pakistan
should consider strengthening the
trade two existing routes, by resolv-
ing banking facilities and communi-
cation issues; perhaps, opening new
routes for economic reasons, could
be considered for the fourth year,
after necessary home work.
Meanwhile, new routes could be
opened for the meeting of divided
families, for example between
Kargil and Skardu, as it happened in
the previous two routes, and then
followed by trade.
www.epilogue.in
in focus
Cross LoC Trade
INTERVIEW
Rakesh Gupta
President,
J&K Pharma Association
You were among the most active proponents of Cross-LoC trade.
Your organization hosted the Muzaffarabad delegation in 2008.
How do you look at the journey of two years?
The way I look at the Cross-LoC trade seems inspiring and
st th
encouraging. In 21 century you are practicing the means of 16
century. There is no infrastructure, no logistics and no
communication. People don't know who they are trading with. Still
there is trade. This is where I find the success. Credit goes to the
people directly involved in it.
Has the trade bridged gaps between two divided parts of Jammu
and Kashmir?
Can't say that but yes this process has paved a way for cooperation.
People are looked forward to enhanced contacts. For examples, my
family had migrated from Mirpur (in PaK) and I am too eager to go
there, meet people and find ways of dealing with them. There are
many people like me on both sides who see in Cross-LoC trade a
huge opportunity of reconnecting.
You deal in medicines. What is the scope of medicines in Cross-
LoC trade?
If Cross-LoC trade was though on humanitarian lines,
medicines should have been the first thing to be sent across. On
other side of Line of Control, medicines are too expensive as
compared to this side. Export from other side would have helped
people a lot. Indian manufactured medicines are in huge
consumption in Pakistan but they are imported via third countries
like Singapore.
What is the way ahead?
I am disappointed with performance of Chambers. They are not
doing enough in terms of lobbying. Having seen the Chambers and
Governments doing almost nothing in giving push to Cross-LoC
trade, we are in process of making an NGO to push the purpose. We
are very soon applying for visit of our delegation to the other side.
Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010
in focus 36
Cross LoC Trade

INTERVIEW
Mubeen Shah
Former President
Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Kashmir
In the initial years of discussions your idea on Cross-LoC trade seemed
entirely different from others. You mostly pressed for transit trade.
Two years after launch of trade, how do you look at the whole exercise
in terms of its political and economic benefits? It seems that the area
of Gilgit –Baltistan has
I did not press for only transit trade but I am still of the opinion that
not prominently been
transit trade is the trade by which all businessmen particularly from the associated with the
Valley will have a stake and will be an important component whatever is intra-Kashmir and
the final settlement of Kashmir. Indo-Pak dialogue.
Cross-LoC trade was overwhelmingly described as mother of all This region has its own
Confidence Building Measures. Was it really so? Has it actually geographical peculiar-
contributed in lessening the tensions? ity, sensitivities, stra-
When it was announced and particularly when Kashmir was in tegic importance,
vision and legal stand-
flames during Amarnath crisis it was considered as one the most
ing. Shabaz Khan, a
important confidence building measures but although is still a Lawyer by profession
confidence building measure in the sense that when both Governments and founder chairman
(India and Pakistan) can do this they can if there is a will they can do a of the Gilgit Baltistan
final settlement also.) C h a m b e r o f
What, do you think, should be an ideal model for intra-Kashmir trade? Commerce shares his
Ideal model is that both Jammu side as well as Kashmir side should perceptions with
Sandeep Singh Sandy.
be able to do trade as doing with any districts within each region. This is
What is your vision of the
the ideal model. Gilgit-Baltistan region in
Do you think the Kashmiri business community ever built any stakes its larger Strategic loca-
in the Cross-LoC trade as it never appeared as viable business option at tion in this part of the
any time? South Asia?
As already told that the whole Kashmiri business community can The GB has its pecu-
liar Strategic edge in the
have a stake when there is transit trade so that our major exports of fruit
region being as it is sur-
and handicrafts can be marketed within Pakistan as well as beyond ) rounded by the central
How do you look at the future of Cross-LoC trade? Asia from the north,
As presently Kashmir is in a situation where the people are asking Pakistan from west, J&K
from south and china from
for Azadi and final settlement, the trade will go on as it is or the
east and is actually a
government will in order to make it better agree to the recommendations potential trade hub and
which have been made by KCCI as well as the joint chamber. corridor among these sur-

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010

37
rounding entities. In this regard, it
should be projected by all the surround-
ing entities for the prosperity of this
region and to the benefits of all these
parties in the immediate surroundings.
Moreover, it has a special legal standing
in the Pakistan itself thus, can prefera-
bly be engaged with other countries in
the periphery. It can be emerged as a
trade zone and thus, as a result of, can
be the peace zone for the peace in the
south Asia.
What are the hindrances to this strate-
gic edge of this area or importance of
the GB?
There is no denying the fact that
Pakistan foreign policy is actually
revolves around the apprehension due
to the Indian stand .this bilateral equa-
tion between these two nation are
invariably became as a hurdle to the eco-
nomic boom of the this region and the
surrounding areas as well. So, for peace
& prosperity in this part of the south
Asia, positive equation between India
&Pakistan is inevitable.
Will Kargil-Skardu road assume an
importance, if thrown open like two
other LoC routes?
The socio-cultural ties of the
erstwhile Ladakh are known to all
through the history of this region.
Moreover, this region seems almost
locked may be because of its topo-
graphical peculiarity and as a result
cut off from rest of the mainland
India and Pakistan ,so any opening
will not be the merger but the reinte-
gration of this disintegrated region by
the Partition of the sub-continent.
Thus, it is not only emotional but the
humanitarian need of this biggest and
difficult region of the erstwhile state
of Jammu and Kashmir.
The other visible and practical eco-
nomic benefits will also be there like
the huge tourist flow from the china by
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Karakorum highway and that tourist
flow can easily spill over to Leh and also
to other part of the J&K as well.
How can we minimize the appre-
hension of the Leh as the area with
Buddhist population and less in com-
mon with the GB in term of Religious
composition?
As I mentioned there is substantial
tourist chunk which is coming through
Xingxiang-Khazgar road are substan-
tively from Japan, Korea and other
south-east Asian countries having faith
in Buddhism. For this chunk of tourist,
Interview with
Shabaz Khan
founder president
Gilgit Baltistan
Chamber of Commerce
Leh and surrounding areas can certainly
be the destination for its monasteries
and also for the other as a natural tour-
ist destination. Moreover, tourism,
trade and economics have less to do
with religion.
How is GB different from the Rest of
the erstwhile J&K in term of its settle-
ment?
GB has its peculiarity as the then
president Raja Shah Raees Khan of the
Islamic republic of Gilgit took over on
October 31, 1947 and after fifteen days
on Nov, 16, 1947 he acceded to the
Pakistan. In this regards, GB is peculiar
in term of its settlement as compared to
rest of the erstwhile state of J&K.
What is the potential of GB in term of
its resources as there is little informa-
tion in our part about the strength of
this area?
Vol. 4, Issue 10
in focus
Cross LoC Trade
There are different areas/items,
where GB can facilitate the trade .the
tourism, the hydro-power potential
(more than 50000mw), minerals (gold,
copper, iron), fruits (apricot) etc. are
the visible areas for the trade and
future collaboration between both part
of Jammu &Kashmir and possibly with
the other surrounding regions.
What are your suggestions for the
trade between different parts of the
erstwhile J&K?
It seems that the trust deficit is the
main hurdle between India and
Pakistan. For any trade to move for-
ward, trust is essential and can also be
enhanced by the trade. In other words
trust and trade are complimentary to
each other. In addition to it, we can
learn from the trajectory of the trade
between GB and china where right from
1985 to 1995, there was barter system
between both the GB and China .From
1998, the passes were issued to the
members of the chamber of Gilgit &
Baltistan, as a result of this, the trade
volume jumped 100 times from the pre-
vious quantum of trade. In this regard,
few elements of this successful experi-
ment (between GB &China) can be put
into trial for the trade between both
parts of J&K as well.
How you envision GB into the larger
political arrangement if any in the
erstwhile J&K?
Any solution for the erstwhile J&K
should involve all the stakeholders for
the peaceful political arrangement.
The aspiration of the GB will be for its
autonomous entity as a province with
its appropriate space to have ties with
all surrounding regions. In this direc-
tion, it can also be a federating part
of a larger federal zone in this region.
(This interview was possible
with support of conciliation
resource)
Epilogue, October 2010
in focus
Cross LoC Trade
SRINAGAR-MUZAFFARABAD
Trade in Times of Unrest
BILAL HUSSAIN
In every black cloud there is always a silver lining. The unabated unrest which has affected most of the business
segments in the Kashmir valley, however, barring few hiccups couldn't influence the Cross-LoC trade between
Srinagar and Muzaffarabad which went 'smoothly' during past four months of curfew and protests.
D espite, the all odds that Cross-
LoC trade had witnessed in two
years time to a greater extent, if
not succeeded but has survived till
date. In the second week of September,
2010 the Cross-LoC trade on Srinagar-
Muzaffarabad route achieved another
milestone by crossing Indian rupee [INR]
300 Crore mark. Officials at Trade
Facilitation Centre [TFC] Salamabad,
Uri, on record have said that the intra-
Kashmir trade reached Rs 300.34
between the two divided parts of
Kashmir.
During the period, 132 sessions of
the trade have been carried out since
the initiation of the trade. “Since the
start of the trade in October, 2008,
goods worth INR 122.45 crore have been
exported from Kashmir Valley to
Pakistan administered Kashmir, while
commodities valuing Pakistan Rupee
[PKR] 177.89 Crore have been imported
from the other side,” Trade Facilitation
Officer Salamabad said. So far 3569
truckloads laden with 227725 quintals
of goods have rolled down from the TFC
Salamabad, whereas 261962 quintals of
merchandise have been received in
3798 trucks from the Chakoti Trade
Centre.
To mention, the LoC trade
between two parts of Kashmir was
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started on October 21, 2008 with much
fanfare, when Governor N N Vohra
flagged off the first trade convoy from
Salamabad for Chakoti. Since then, the
trade has witnessed many hiccups.
Disruptions of this nature has affected
trade but not to a greater extent.
Trade During Unrest
The intra-Kashmir cross-LoC
weekly trade remained suspended for
weeks together in wake of strict curfew
enforced in the Valley. With the result,
no items were exchanged between two
parts of Kashmir via Uri-Muzaffarabad
route.
In the month of August, which
happened to be month of Ramdhan
[holy month for Muslims] as well the
demand for dry fruits in Valley has
increased manifold with the traders
here importing huge quantities from the
AJK through the Line of Control.
According to the officials at TFC 2867
quintals of dry fruits worth Rs 3.175
crore were imported in 39 truckloads
from the Chakoti Trade Centre, AJK ,
during two-day trade adding last week
over 90 per cent of the imported items
comprised dry fruits alone, with dry
dates forming the major part.
While, the demand for dates had
started picking up in Kashmir in view of
the Ramadhan, when fresh and dry
Vol. 4, Issue 10
38
dates formed over 80 per cent of the
import. But as the intra-Kashmir trade
remained suspended for three
consecutive weeks in the wake of
prevailing unrest in Valley, no more
supplies could be received exclusively
for the Holy month. Disturbances like
these imbalances the demand supply
base for any trade, in a situation like
this the traders and officials involved
would have to adopt and devise
measure which would have minimal
affect on the trade.
A glimpse at the trade figures
amply shows how the trade has been
going on during these troubled times.
The figures for the month of May, when
Kashmir was peaceful, were INR 8.15
crore worth of exports and INR 13.45
crore worth of imports. During the
month of June, goods worth nearly INR
10 crore were exported while goods
worth INR 16.75 crore were imported. In
the month of July, the total trade
volume was worth nearly INR 19 crore
but the value of the trade fell to INR 9.2
crore in the month of August.
Trade During 'Normalcy'
The activity that was started with
much fanfare has become the victim of
symbolism due to lack of proper
facilities critical for trade, like no
communication links, and non-
Epilogue, October 2010
39
existence of banks for money
exchanges.
The traders on both sides of
divided Kashmir currently are being
forced to go for barter trader. Business
chambers, industrialists, and traders
time and again had lamented that the
biggest hurdle in the trade is the
absence of communication link. The
current mode of communication
between the traders from both sides is
through e-mail only. The traders here
are reiterating that they were not taken
into confidence at the time of policy
making.
It won't be out of place to mention
here a quote of President, KCCI Nazir
Ahmad Dar who lamented, “We at KCCI
are not at all satisfied with the ongoing
trade; the requisite facilities that a
trade demands do not exist on both side
of Kashmir and the way it is being
conducted is not the way we envisaged
it.”
While business bodies like Kashmir
Chamber of Commerce and Industry
[KCCI], had demanded that cross LoC
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trade should not be restricted only to 21
items; rather all the items produced
and manufactured in the state of
Jammu and Kashmir should be
incorporated in the list. The list in no
way corresponds to market realities,
they believe.
Currently, trade is conducted only
on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 9
am and 4 pm. Another major hurdle is
transportation. Only less 1.5 metric
tons (MT) per truckload can cross the
LoC due to infrastructural constraints
on both sides. Small shipment size
makes trade unfeasible as the fuel,
handling, cargo, and other costs are not
necessarily proportional to the delivery
weight.
Tr u c k s h a v e t o u n l o a d a t
checkpoints near the LoC, then
reloaded onto local trucks and hauled to
the destination. Apart from the cost
element, this is especially problematic
for perishable items.
Moreover, traders have no means
to meet and interact with their
counterparts. The visa restrictions
Vol. 4, Issue 10
in focus
Cross LoC Trade
continue to be extremely stringent for
all residents, including businessmen.
Many experts here believe that the
trade across LoC could not go beyond
INR 300 crores provided both
governments show seriousness in the
trade by easing out process for traders
and provide all needed infrastructure
for the trade. Earlier there were
proposal that the JK Bank, only
company from J&K listed on stock
exchanges of India, would open a
branch in AJK. To mention the JK Bank
prior to partition in 1947 had two
branches in PaK, one in Mirpur and other
in Muzaffarabad.
Till the facilities like banking,
telephone, it should be driven purely on
demand supply basis rather than
sticking to list of items by governments
and other important facilities for the
trade would not be provided it is bound
to remain a symbolic trade.
A glimpse at the trade figures amply
shows how the trade has been going
on during these troubled times. The
figures for the month of May, when
Kashmir was peaceful, were INR 8.15
crore worth of exports and INR 13.45
crore worth of imports. During the
month of June, goods worth nearly
INR 10 crore were exported while
goods worth INR 16.75 crore were
imported.
Epilogue, October 2010
in focus
Cross LoC Trade
POONCH - RAWALAKOTE
A Report From Trade Center
VARUN MAINI
It is yet to be called as trade in real sense but the barter of goods across Line of Control has significantly changed
the way people would think. Two years after its launch the technicalities have not softened and facilities have
not improved even by an inch but emotions have gone too deep.
T he cross LoC Trade started on
October 21, 2008 from Slamabad
in Uri and Rangar in Poonch was
the third important CBM between India
and Pakistan on Kashmir, after the
ceasefire of November 26, 2003 and
opening of cross-LoC road for divided
families on the April 7, 2005 via
Srinagar-Muzafarabad road and on June
20, 2006 via Poonch-Rawalakote road.
The trade facility was started to provide
economic avenues to traders and qual-
ity goods on cheaper rates to the people
so that the friendly and congenial atmo-
sphere could be created in both the
parts of Kashmir. During last joint meet-
ing of traders at Chakan da Bag zero
point held on June 9, 2010, a PaK trader
Mohammad Akbar said that may social
functions at Rawalakote town now start
with the serving of sweet pineapple,
fresh coconut and lemon imported via
Poonch to guests who in return start talk-
ing for more sweet relations between
the two parts of Kashmir. Same feeling is
noticed on this side also. The advent of
trade have also provided the way for
softening the rigid attitudes, smoothen-
ing the friendly relations and start of
new era of cooperation between the
two parts. During last 23 months lot of
trust, faith and confidence have been
built between the trader fraternities
which have shown very healthy impact
on ground.
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Trade trends
The trade officer and District
Development Commissioner, Poonch
Kuldeep Lal Khajuria says that the trade
transaction twice in a weak across the
LoC is quite in swing. There are 180 trad-
ers on this side and about 198 traders on
the other side involved in cross-LoC
trade. More than 100 labourers have
been engaged for loading and unloading
the goods at trade centre Chakan da
Bagh. The traders of Poonch, Rajouri
and Jammu apart from some traders
from Kashmir valley are also operating
their trade via Poonch-Rawalakote
route. The trade transaction was
started on 21st October 2008 with three
small load carrier of goods worth of Rs.
35000/- where as in the month of May
2010 the weakly trade had gone upto
more than Rs.9 crores. The trade trends
from 21 October 2008 to 31st March
2010 are very very encouraging,
because 48 items worth of Rs. 127.67
crores in POK currency were imported
from POK in 1657 vehicles. On the other
hand 42 items were exported to POK in
1526 trucks costing Rs. 67.56 crores in
Indian currency (presently Indian one
rupee costs 1.80 rupees of Pakistani cur-
rency). Mostly Dal Mung, Onion, Garlic,
Ginger, Peshawari Chappal, Almond,
Herbs, Dry Grapes and Embroidery
items are imported from POK and
Coconut, Pineapple, Big Cardenas, Red
Vol. 4, Issue 10
40
Chilly, Rajmash, Lemon, Banana,
Grapes, Walnut, Spices and Potato have
been exported to POK. He further said
that all efforts are made to provide
good facilities to traders to run the
trade smoothly. By and large necessary
cooperation from the other side is also
available. Presently quarterly meetings
between the traders of two parts of
Kashmir are held regularly at zero point
in which the traders sort out their
account matters.
The Trade Centre
The cross-LoC trade centre was
established in 2008 on 42 kanal of land
in Rangar, about 8 kilometers from
Poonch town towards the LoC. Under
first phase a truck terminal, examina-
tion hall, security complex, custodian
office, custom office, plant quarantine
office and ancillary buildings were con-
structed. However, this accommodation
was not sufficient for the smooth run-
ning of trade venture across the LoC.
Therefore a project of Rs. 4 crores has
been sanctioned under second phase by
the central government for the con-
struction of compound wall, godown,
administrative block, sitting hall for
traders, weigh bridge facility and pur-
chase of generator sets. However,
Krishan Singh, Secretary Cross-LoC
trade association says that they are fac-
ing lot of problem at the trade centre.
There is no facility for sitting of traders,
Epilogue, October 2010
41
no proper arrangements. Power supply
is irregular. The traders are facing lot of
problems in unloading the trucks during
night hours without proper lighting sys-
tem. Since there is no whole body scan-
ner facility available in the centre, the
goods are checked manually which
takes lot of time and very limited vehi-
cles could cross the LoC on trade day.
The District Trade Officer assures that
the transformer is being setup to aug-
ment the power. A sitting hall for traders
shall be constructed in near future and
weighing bridge facility shall also be cre-
ated.
No doubt, the administration is pro-
viding assistance to traders to encour-
age the trade between the two parts of
Kashmir however the traders are having
lot of grievances and some genuine prob-
lems in smooth running of the trade
which are need to be addressed. The
traders of Poonch had gone on strike in
May and June for about five weeks
which was called off on the assurance of
local Deputy Commissioner that their
genuine demands shall be projected to
higher authorities for appropriate
action.
The main demands of traders are
as under:
Increase of loaded vehicles for export
and import on trade day.
Pawan Anand, the President of
cross LOC trade centre Poonch says that
the limit of export of vehicles was fixed
at 25 on each trade day about a year
back when there were only 21 traders.
Now the numbers of cross LOC regis-
tered traders have gone upto 180. Every
trader wants to export his goods to the
other side every week on trade day.
Since only 25 trucks are allowed to cross
the zero line. Therefore number of trad-
ers who books their goods from Jammu
and abroad are deprived of exporting
their items to the other side in time.
Number of time, the fresh items like
onion, potato and fruits gets spoiled at
cross LOC trade center because these
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items could not exported to the other
side on trade day. He demanded that
there may be no upper limit of vehicles
for export or import and all those
loaded trucks reached the cross LOC
trade center one day before
the trade day may be allowed for
export after proper checking and com-
pletion of codal formalities. The cross
LOC Trade Officer Mr. Khajuria told that
the upper limit of vehicles have been
fixed by the security agencies because
the goods are checked manually and
security staff available in the centre is
not in a position to clear more than 25
vehicles on a trade day. However he has
taken up the matter with IGP Security
for increase of security staff so that at
least 50 trucks could cross LOC from
each side on trade day instead of 25.
Increase of items in trade list
The second demand of the traders
was to review the list of 21 items
approved at the time of the start of
trade venture on 21st October 2008. As
per SOP there was a provision for modi-
fication and revision of list as per the
need of the people after every three
months but this list have not been
revised up till now. There is a great pres-
sure from the traders that consumption
based items instead of production based
may be included in the trade list. The
traders also wants that all those items
cheaper on the other side be allowed for
import and export only then the trade
can be boosted up. Mr. Pawan Anand
told that the traders of both the sides
have show trust and faith on each other
and started business blindly on tele-
phone call from the other side without
any guarantee. In recent meeting of
traders at zero point on 9th June 2010
the traders have jointly forwarded a list
of 40 more items for inclusion in the
approved list. This list was handed over
to Trade Facilitation Officer, Gurmail
Singh who had further sent the list to
concerned quarters for appropriate
action but action is still awaited. It was
Vol. 4, Issue 10
in focus
Cross LoC Trade
also told that 15 additional items
already approved have also not been
included in the trade list due to which
the traders are facing lot of problem.
Short term permit
Presently short term visa is issued
in favour of truck drivers who crossed
zero line with loaded trucks after show-
ing the documents of their vehicles to
security authorities. They returned
back to the other side after unloading
the trucks on the same day. The traders
wants that such type of short time visa
for three to five days may also be issued
in their favour so that they could visit
the other side and place the orders after
conforming the quality and rates of
items from open the market. The
Custodian Trade, Ranjeet Singh told
that this demand of the traders have
been projected to higher authorities for
decision.
ISD facility to traders for PaK
Another demand of the traders was
ISD phone facility for PaK so that they
could confirm the rates before placing
the orders. In absence of phone facili-
ties number of traders had gone into
loss as they exported and imported the
goods without conforming the rates and
suffered financially. The cross LoC trade
officer Kuldeep Lal Khajuria told that
this was very genuine demand of the
traders which was projected to higher
authorities for such facility. Now the ISD
phone facility is available in Deputy
Commissioner Office, Poonch, GM DIC
Poonch and cross LoC trade centre
Rangar for the convenience of traders.
The traders at any time can visit these
booths and talk with counterpart on the
other side. Interestingly Ranjeet Singh
Custodian Trade told that no trader
have avail this facility from his booth so
far. Pawan Anand represented that trad-
ers don't want to talk business matters
with their counter parts from the pub-
lic booths and government offices. They
needs land line ISD facility for smooth
business. However, as per the intelli-
Epilogue, October 2010
in focus
Cross LoC Trade
gence agencies there is a security risk in
the extension of land line ISD facilities
for PoK.
Involvement Of Banks In Cross LoC
Trade
The trade across the LoC was
started with barter system arrangement
i.e. goods against goods are exchanged
and money is not involved in the trade.
In the initial stage it was given to under-
stand that in a due course of time the
bank shall be involved and trade shall be
started through banks from both the
sides. But this has not happened. Lot of
financial irregularities have been
noticed through barter system because
in absence of banks there is no proper
account of goods importer or exported.
There is a possibility of manipulation of
figures to avoid taxes. Therefore cross
LoC trade be strengthened by switching
over barter system to proper trade
where the financial transactions actu-
ally happens through the banking sys-
tem.
Official agency for sorting the trade
disputes.
As per the latest report from the
traders there are number of traders of
both the sides who exported their
goods to the other side but in return
they have not received the consign-
ments against their goods. For example
Mohammad Akbar of PaK and Haji Abdul
Razak of Poonch of this side have turned
bankrupt because their counterparts on
the other side have grabbed their
money. No doubt that the quarterly
meetings at zero points are held for
talling the accounts but the defaulters
are not attending such meetings. There
is no official check on these traders at
present. Therefore there is a need of offi-
cial agency of both the parts of Kashmir
who could deal with these cases and
help the victims on both the sides.
Abrupt ban on trade items
Pawan Anand says that Custom offi-
cers abruptly impose ban on some items
when loaded trucks already reaches in
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the trade centre. This has happened in
case of Ginger, Garlic, Coconut, Ajwain
etc. This behaviour has put the traders
to great trouble. The Custom Officer Mr.
Munish told that only those items have
been stopped by them which are not
included in the trade list of this side or
the other side. For example, Ajwain
falls under spices items and spices are
not allowed for import from POK. There
is a need of proper instructions to
Custom Officers for displaying the
detail of items falls under the list of 21
so that the traders could accordingly
place the orders.
Public reactions and grievances
The custom free trade across the
LOC was the unique experiment of peo-
ple to people friendly relations between
the two parts of Kashmir. The idea
behind this CBM was to create sweat
relations and contacts, provide eco-
nomic opportunities to traders and
retailers and quality items on cheaper
rates to the public on the other side of
LOC. However this idea has not worked
on ground in real sense. Some traders
have hijacked the trade for their own
benefit instead of creating good will ges-
ture among the public. Presently the
traders have not opened any retail shop
within any district of J&K from where
the general public could purchase these
items. After importing the duty free
goods from the other sides, the traders
directly dispatch the loaded trucks from
cross LOC trade centre to Jammu,
Amritsar, Chandigarh, Delhi and other
places where they sell these goods to
whole sale dealers and earn lot of
profit. The people residing in Poonch,
Rajouri and Jammu are having lot of
resentment that these items imported
on cheaper rates from POK are not sup-
plied to them. It has also been noticed
that some big traders of Delhi,
Chandigarh and Amritsar are involved in
proxy trade from Poonch-Rawalakote
route. They are purchasing the trade
cards of some registered traders of J&K
Vol. 4, Issue 10
42
at the rate of Rs. 10,000/- per
truck, books the items on their names
and export and import the items and sell
these items to whole sale dealers in out-
side the state. The local dealers are also
selling their imported goods to the
wholesalers of Jammu and abroad. The
people of J&K state on whose name the
trade was started are deprived of these
facilities. For example Dal Mung was
receiving at trade centre Poonch from
POK @ Rs. 32/- per kg in Indian currency
against the market rate of Rs. 106 per kg
in the bazaar of Poonch town. Instead of
selling Dal Mung on cheaper rate at
Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu on reason-
able rates, these items are dispatched
abroad to earn more and more profit.
Mr. K.K Kapoor a prominent citizen of
Poonch told that the public was hoping
for the quality items of POK on cheaper
rates in Poonch market but this has not
happened so far and the idea of creation
of good wills among the public have
been spoiled by the opportunist. There
is no benefit of trade to the common per-
son except the traders.
In the above context, there is a
need of streamlining the trade venture
in such a manner that the common peo-
ple should also get the benefit of this
CBM. For this purpose there is a need of
the opening of retail outlets of PaK
imported items through Super Bazar or
Consumer Affairs Department for the
imported items at Poonch, Surankote,
Mendhar, Rajouri, Sunderbani, Jammu,
Kathua, Udhampur and valley of
Kashmir with the banner that 'PoK
goods are available here'. The rates
of imported goods may also be con-
trolled by the administration and strict
instructions may be issued to cross LoC
traders for selling the goods in the local
markets so that the goodwill gestures
could be percolated to the common
man. Only then the trade venture can
be proved beneficial economically and
become the piece bridge between the
two parts of Kashmir.
Epilogue, October 2010
43
History of Ladakh in the
Mughal Historical Sources
PROF. JIGAR MOHAMMAD
L
adakh's cultural relations with
Central Asia and parts of India can
be traced from the ancient
period. During the medieval period the
process of Ladakh's interaction with the
different parts of Asia was intensified. It
is known that Mir Sayyid Ali Hamdani, a
sufi of Persia, visited Ladakh in 1383 en
route to Turkestan. It was medieval
period when the people of the
neighbouring states of Ladakh came
closer to the Ladakhis through
commercial, literary and religious
activities. It is an established fact that
some of the Central Asians were well
versed to the routes to Ladakh during
the medieval period. It is substantiated
from that the Central Asians invaded
Ladakh frequently from the first half of
the 16th century onwards. Though it was
Mirza Haidar Dughlat invasion in 1532
which influenced the political life of
Ladakh very much, there are references
to the Central Asian invasions on Ladakh
prior to it. Mirza Haidar Dughlat himself
admits that his predecessors invaded
Ladakh. When Zahiruddin Muhammad
Babur established the Mughal empire in
the north India, Mughals' cultural
contacts with Kashmir and Ladakh were
further strengthened and expanded.
The Mughals themselves came to India
from Central Asia. Consequently, they
retained their contacts with Ladakh.
Since the Mughals planned to
make their Indian empire strongest and
largest in the world in terms of
territorial expansion and economic
www.epilogue.in
prosperity, they made Ladakh a part of
Mughal India. More importantly, the
Mughals made a policy to acquire the
knowledge of cultural life of the
conquered areas. The acquisition of the
knowledge of the cultural life of the
conquered and neighbouring areas of
the Mughal empire was not only the part
of the intellectual activities of the
contemporary historians and
professional writers, but the Mughal
emperors themselves were very much
interested in collecting the information
pertaining to the various cultures. In his
autobiography the Mughal emperor
Jahangir (1605-27) not only mentions
the events of his own empire, but he
also incorporates some information of
the non-Mughal empire areas such as
Tibet and Ladakh. He mentions that
with the exceptions of shawls other
woollen materials were manufactured
of better quality in Tibet. The wool for
good quality of shawls was imported to
Kashmir from Tibet and Ladakh. The
goat which produced the wool for the
Kashmiri shawls was peculiar to Tibet.
Similarly the historians of the Mughal
period make mention of the known
historical facts pertaining to Ladakh in
their own account.
The Mughals' curiosity to have
information of the socio-economic and
political aspects of the different
neighbouring areas of their empire
inspired the contemporary historians to
widen the scope of their literary works.
Consequently Ladakh found important
Vol. 4, Issue 10
Column
History
space in the historical sources of the
Mughal empire. During the 17th century
A.D. the Mughal emperors' particularly
Shihabuddin Muhammad Shahjahan
(1628-58), extended the boundary of
India upto the Transoxiana region.
Ladakh was well connected with Central
Asian countries. Both the commercial
and diplomatic contacts of Ladakh was
intensified with the Central Asian
Countries because of Ladakh being
situated on one of the route between
the Central Asia and North India. The
historical works of the Mughal empire
during Shahjahan's period made Ladakh
one of new themes of their regional
studies.
Some aspects of the history and
culture of the seventeenth century are
very well depicted in the Shahjahan
Nama, a famous Mughal source
dedicated to the Mughal emperor
Shahjahan (1628-58). It was written by
Inayat Khan. The latter belonged to an
aristocratic background. His father
Zafar Khan was the governor of Kashmir
and was assigned the work of the
conquest of Ladak and Tibet by the
Mughal emperor Shahjahan in 1637.
Inayat Khan held the post of
superintendent of the Royal library
(Darogha-i-Kutub Khana) under
Shahjahan. Thus Inayat Khan had both
the opportunity and capability of
gathering information from different
quarters about the events of Ladakh.
Being the superintendent of the Royal
Library he enjoyed large facilities in
Epilogue, October 2010
Column
History
terms of the collection of the book. His
social background enabled to collect
materials about the political and socio-
economic life of the seventeenth
century Ladakh.
The Shahjahan Nama gives various
types of information such as political
relations between the Mughals and
Tibet and the Mughals and Baltistan, the
forts, the trade routes, agricultural and
horticultural productions and the
zamindars etc. of Ladakh and Tibet. It is
known that Shahjahan was the first
Mughal emperor who extended the
Mughal empire up to Ladakh and Tibet.
The planning of the conquest of Tibet
has been described by Inayat Khan in a
very systematic way. For him the
subjugation of Ladak and Tibat was one
of the most prospering events of the
Mughal empire. He not only gives an
explicit description of the conquest of
Tibet and Ladakh, but also discloses
that Shahjahan's father Jahangir
planned to establish the Mughal
sovereignty in Ladakh, but he did not
succeed. According to him, “Although it
had been a favourite project with the
late emperor Jahangir to subdue the
country of Tibet, the contemplated
enterprise had never been carried into
execution. During the period of his
governing Kashmir, Hashim Khan, son of
Qasim Khan Mir Bahr, once collected at
the late emperor's command an army of
soldiers and zamindars, and set out on
the expedition. However, finding it
impossible to penetrate into the
country, he completely failed in his
attempt, and after great number of his
force were killed and many more taken
as prisoners, he effected a disastrous
retreat.”
Shahjahan appointed Zafar Khan as
the commander of the army for the
conquest of Tibet in 1637. Zafar Khan
collected an army of 2000 cavalry and
10000 infantry out of the provincial
www.epilogue.in
troops, his own followers and those of
the zamindars. Afterward, according to
Inayat Khan, followed the route of
Gurach, which was 64 kos (two miles)
far from Tibet. This was very difficult
route. But Zafar Khan successfully made
journey through this route and reached
a village called Sadpara. Inayat Khan
found a very useful gorge at Sadpara
village, which was used by the local
people for defence purpose. He
mentions: “…there (Sadpara) is a
narrow gorge with a torrent flowing
through. By throwing a dam across this,
the enemy had formed a large lake
which blocked up the road through the
centre of the pass, while on both sides
there were frowning precipices. On one
side, where it was just possible to climb
the steep ascent, they had built up a
strong wall of stone and mortar from the
water's edge to the summit of the
mountain so as to present anyone from
passing that way the opposite side being
naturally so inaccessible as not to
require the precaution. The natives of
Tibat had fortified this place long ago,
so that whenever any invading army
might advance against their country,
they could ascend the heights and arrest
their further progress. In fact, it was at
this very spot that Hashim Khan, when
he marched against Tibat, was defeated
and forced to retreat.” Abdal, a chief
(Zamindar) of Tibet, gave tough
resistance to the Mughal force. He
posted his army men along the height to
check the advancement of the Mughal
army. Consequently, Zafar Khan had to
change his strategy and divide his army
in three columns so that Abdal's army
was to be attacked from different
directions. Inayat Khan again mentions
that when his father's army reached
Skardu, it became very difficult for him
to make further advancement. The forts
of Tibet were the main obstruction in
the way of the Mughal victory of it.
Vol. 4, Issue 10
44
The Shahjahan Nama's description
of the forts of Ladakh is very useful for
the study of the heritage and
architectural activities of Ladakh and
Tibet. It mentions that there were thirty
seven forts in Tibet and Ladakh. Ianyat
Khan was very much impressed from the
strength of the forts of Ali Rai, Shigar,
Garewcha and Ganjak. According to him
these forts helped the local rulers and
people considerably against the Mughal
forces. He writes, “As soon as my father
(Zafar Khan) saw the loftiness and
strength of the two forts, he felt
convinced that it would be immensely
difficult to capture them either by
storming or siege. The whole period for
military operations in Tibet does not
exceed two months, and if an army
were to stay longer than this, the passes
would become closed by snow and
return would be rendered
impracticable. Moreover, should the
winter happen to be protracted one,
the troops would all perish for want of
provisions.” But Inayat Khan also
mentions that the soldiery and
peasantry of Tibet were highly
dissatisfied with Abdal's rule. Such
situation helped Zafar Khan and the
latter exploited it. However, after a
long chase the Mughal succeeded in
capturing Abdal. Inayat Khan gives a
long description of the battle between
the Mughas and the Ladakhis. He also
mentions that some Tibetans were
recruited in the Mughal army.”
There were two major two of
Ladakh and Tibet which attracted the
attention of Inayat Khan very much,
first through Gurach and through Lar.
Both of these routes created difficulties
for the travellers because of the
existence of high mountains, difficult
passes and innumerable gorges. He
mentions Ladakh a weak country in
terms of cultivation. Wheat and barley
were the chief crops of the region. The
Epilogue, October 2010
45
total revenue of Ladakh was one Lakh of
rupees. But it was rich region for the
extraction of gold and horticulture. He
observes, “It contains one stream from
the bed of which minute particles of not
over pure gold are extracted by washing
its slit, which privilege is formed out at
a yearly rent of nearly 2000 tolas of
gold. Most of the species of fruits
indigenous to a cold climate such as
apricot, peach, melons and grapes
thrive well in Tibat and the fruit is of
excellent flavour. There is also a variety
of reddish apple, the inside of which
resembles in redness. The mulberry,
cucumber, apricot, peach, melon and
grape all blossom at the same season
there.” This shows that the Shahjahan
Nama of Inayat Khan not only describes
the exploits of the Mughals in Ladakh
and Tibet, but more importantly it also
contains historical facts concerning the
socio-economic activities, heritage and
political situation of these regions.
The description of Ladakh by the
author of the Shahjahan Nama presents
the Mughal perception of Ladakh and
Ladakhis. It enables the modern
historians to study the historical
development and changes in Ladakh
from others point of view. Though the
historians of the Mughal empire were
very much influenced by the Persian
trends of historiography, they did not
underestimate the contribution of the
Ladakhis to maintenance and
flourishment of the regional identities.
The mentions of the Shahjahan Nama
pertaining to the history and culture of
Ladakh convey that the Ladakh was
treated one of the well established
historical regions of the 17th century
world and the Ladakhis as a regional
identity well placed on the map of the
world. The Mughal sources contributed
to the propagation of Ladakh's cultural
identity in non-Tibetan speaking
regions.
www.epilogue.in
exclusive series
New Research on Kashmir
Whose was
Kashmir to be ?
RAKESH ANKIT
‘Whose was Kashmir to be? The Raja, his Pandits, Sheikh Abdullah, Azad
Kashmir, the tribes or Russia?’1
One of the most opinionated and influential British officials who chose to stay
on in the Indian sub-continent post-1947 was Sir Robert Francis Mudie. Born in 1890,
Sir Robert, KCIE, CIE, OBE, joined the ICS in 1914. He served in the United Province
from the end of the First World War to the outbreak of the Second and served as
Chief Secretary, UP from 1939 to 1943. He also held the charge of the Acting
Governor of neighbouring Bihar in 1943-44 whereupon he was appointed as Home
Member in the Viceroy's Executive Council for 1944-45. From Delhi he was sent to
Karachi as Governor, Sind in 1946 and he was there when Pakistan was born on 14
August 1947. As Karachi became the national capital and Jinnah moved there, he
sent Mudie to the sensitive Lahore as Governor, West Punjab and Mudie continued
there till 1949 before leaving Pakistan to head British Economic Mission to
Yugoslavia in 1951-53.
Mudie is, in some ways, the most extreme and most fascinating of the entire
British cast of higher civil/military officials present in India (and Pakistan) during
the Endgame of Empire. He hated the Indian National Congress and, in particular,
Jawaharlal Nehru with some passion. His writings and correspondences which are
available at the India Office Records, British Library (London) ooze with emotion
today much as they did when penned down 60 years ago. (MSS Eur F 164/48; MSS Eur
F 164/12) It was an axiom for Mudie that:
'Pakistan has a powerful, truculent and unscrupulous neighbour. She is a mem-
ber of Commonwealth and expects help and support against that neighbour.
Instead she sees Britain giving way to India on every point – why should she remain
with the Commonwealth? Pakistan will seek her friends elsewhere with disastrous
consequence to the whole of Asia and the Middle-East. Any attempt at “impartial-
ity” or detachment would simply be taken as another proof of Britain's pro-India
and anti-Muslim attitude'.
In notes written in September 1948, Mudie identified three threats to
Pakistan's existence: 'Afghan-Russian threat'; India supporting the 'Abdul Ghaffar
Khan agitation' and the conflict in Kashmir. He had no 'doubt whatsoever of India's
hostility to Pakistan and of their intention ultimately to destroy it'. He drew some
fantastic parallels:
'Indian attack on Hyderabad is akin to the German attack on Belgium/Poland;
Hindus in sub-continent can be compared to the Southern Irish in Ulster and the
Hindu-Muslim equation can be drawn alongside as a parallel to the Spaniards-
Moors relations. A war between Indo-Pak would have violent consequences in the
Middle-East; would be taken advantage of by Russia and would be disastrous for
the Commonwealth'.
He was equally venomously forthright on the implications of the Kashmir con-
Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010
exclusive series
New Research on Kashmir
flict. In a letter to Sir Maurice Hallet
written in November 1948, Mudie wrote
that 'war would bring whole of India
within the Russian sphere/domination
consequently threatening the Indian
Ocean traffic'. It was self-evident to him
that on Kashmir:
'India contemplates the invasion of
Pakistan – on the other hand, Pakistan
has no intention of attacking. The only
possible explanation of India's desire to
obtain Kashmir – which would be a very
difficult province to hold – is their
desire to use it as a constant threat to
Pakistan as it is easy to attack the plains
from the hills. The possession of
Kashmir is as important to any power
wanting to attack Pakistan as the pos-
session of Austria was to Hitler when he
attacked Czechoslovakia'.
He was also clear about why HMG
should – IF NEED BE – go out of its way to
support Pakistan because:
'Pakistan is the barrier to
Communism spreading south of the
Himalayas and should be preserved
intact. This means that Kashmir, or at
any rate all but the small Hindu area in
the south-east should go to Pakistan
which was the best solution of a very
difficult problem. Communist conquest
in Sinkiang and Manchuria would lead
to increased propaganda'.
His 'main thesis' as he explained to
Hallet on 22 February 1950, long after
the initial dust had settled on Kashmir,
was that 'the Hindus, as a whole, are
determined to conquer Pakistan and re-
unite India'. In a speech given at the
International Islamic Economic
Conference, Mudie – while claiming that
'Indo-Pak war must be prevented at all
costs [because of the very real possibil-
ity of] Russian intervention' – declaimed
on Kashmir thus:
'Kashmir goes right to the root of
the matter. It is a negation of two-
nation theory – a negation of Pakistan's
right to independence. It would out-
flank the West Punjab – should it ever
www.epilogue.in
come to the one-nation theory [being]
enforced by war'. Thus 'Pakistan [had
to] aid the Pathan invaders and later its
army had to enter Kashmir to come to
the aid of the local insurgents'. The 'fun-
damental problem is Nehru's refusal to
accept two-nation theory and Muslim
right to rule themselves in Kashmir'.
For Mudie Pakistan was to be 'the
link between the Middle East Muslim
states and the Commonwealth and the
rest of the world; also a bridge between
the Muslims of the Middle East and the
South East'. This sense of the 'increasing
gravity and significance of the Kashmir
issue in the wider setting of recent
developments' was not restricted to
Mudie. It was only most vehemently
expressed by him. It was equally exuded
– if in more measured and diplomatic
terms – by the UK High-Commissioner to
Pakistan Sir Lawrence Graffety Smith
and the Commonwealth Relations
Office, London. In November 1948,
Graffety-Smith presented to the CRO
three over-riding anxieties for Pakistan
over Kashmir: a) 'Refugee exodus due to
Indian army's advance leading to crack-
ing economy and collapse; b) India
would deny Pakistan waters of
Jhelum/Chenab and turn West Punjab
into a dessert; and, c) If we can not
restrain India, Pakistan would turn to
Russia. We believe this to be not black-
2
mail but genuine despair' . This message
was forwarded to Sir Alexander Cadogan
– UK Permanent Representative to the
UN – to show to the Americans and
impress the implications of its contents
upon them.3 By this time, there was a
dominating feeling in London that:
'The Indian case is built on the
assumption that Kashmir is part of India
and that consequently the Pakistan
troops there are aggressors. Whatever
the legal validity of these arguments,
the basic political reality of the situa-
tion has in the question whether India
wants the future of Kashmir to be set-
tled by the will of the people or by con-
Vol. 4, Issue 10
46
quest'?4
Earlier, in October 1948, the CRO
had already sent a note to the PM
emphasizing that:
'Whatever the merits of the case
might be and even if the blame for
aggression lay fully on one side or the
other, the fact of war in Kashmir would
present HMG in the UK with following
most serious problems:
Issue of “stand down” which would hit
Pakistan
Commonwealth membership
Russian involvement
Relations with the Islamic Middle East
Instability/chaos in the sub-continent'5
It became an obsession with one
and all among the British thinkers and
strategists, officials/officers and even
journalists that 'Kashmir can not be a
vacuum in power politics, with Russia
and China restive on the Himalayan
ramparts'6. This added fuel to the fire of
another obsession – the diagnosis that
events after 15 August 1947 amounted
to 'a Hindu-Sikh plot to seize the Punjab
[later Kashmir after Hyderabad and
Junagadh] and put all the blame on
them [Muslims]'7. It was not just people
in the cauldron of events but also
observers from far and wide like Joseph
Skrine – sitting in and watching from the
UK Embassy in Tehran – felt thus a fort-
night before independence/partition:
'The people who are least pleased
at our going are the very ones who were
most insistent on our getting out – the
Congress Leaders. They have lost
Muslim India and are not all sure
whether they are going to keep Hindu
India without the support of British bay-
onets and British administrative expe-
rience in the higher ranks'9.
After the Communist-coup in
Czechoslovakia in February 1948, the
third dimension emerged to complete
the triangle: 'Indians are reluctant to
accept the proposition that the world
must necessarily be divided up into two
and feel impelled to seek some way out
Epilogue, October 2010
47 exclusive series
New Research on Kashmir ZONAL HEADQUARTERS
CRIME BRANCH JAMMU
9
of the present impasse’ . On Kashmir itself, the arch-villain
was all too real and all too easily available. John Shattock who
first served Maharaja Hari Singh as Joint Commissioner Scams target you
(Ladakh, 1942-44) and then served New Delhi as the 1st
Assistant Resident (Kashmir) led the chorus from within the
Protect yourself
British 'official mind' in Srinagar to train the guns on the
Maharaja: Most scams need you to do something
'It was Hari Singh's inability to decide before August 15, before they can work like providing your personal
1947 whether to accede to India or Pakistan that was to cause information or sending money.
all the troubles that ensued in the autumn when tribesmen
from the frontier and Pakistan invaded Kashmir and caused DON’T RESPOND
Kashmir to accede to India backed by Indian troops. Lord Scammers fool you by :
Mountbatten and Lord Ismay did their best in the summer to Ü Making promises of great prizes or easy
urge Hari Singh to make up his mind but they failed. Clearly money.
Hari Singh did not foresee that his hesitancy to decide the Ü Pretending to be legitimate banks banks and
state's future would have the results that followed in Gilgit,
businesses.
Poonch and the Western area of the State. I, too, was sur-
prised at the precise turn of events but my view all along had
Ü Using leaflets, letters and web sites that look
been that as the sub-continent had been divided on the basis like the real thing.
of religion then the three “problem” states must accede on Ü Asking you to send money, personal details
the same basis eg. Junagadh to India, Kashmir minus the or fees before delivering anything.
Jammu Hindu area to Pakistan and Hyderabad to India – oth- Ü Asking you to keep the deal or offer a secret.
erwise there would be disaster'.10 Ü Floating ads in newspapers for admission to
And then there was the UN – variously looked upon as 'pa- professional courses.
thetic' and 'inviting ridicule over Palestine and Kashmir' among
the British official class, particularly those serving the PROTECT YOURSELF
Government of Pakistan. The UNCIP was to be met with an 1. Avoid ripoffs. Treat all unsolicited promises
aggressive explanation, along the following lines, as and requests for your details carefully.
Cunningham expounded to Caroe:
STOP. Don’t respond.
'If I had to give evidence to the UNO Commission, the
2. Check to see if the request is legitimate and
point that I would go on stressing would be that every man
who has gone to fight there (and everyone who has supported
research the person, company and offer.
him here and I would admit that some officials have sup- 3. GET independent advice if the offer involves
ported them sub rosa) has done [so] because he felt a real obli- money, time or commitment.
gation to go and protect his Muslim brethren in Kashmir. 4. NEVER respond to out of the blue requests
Nothing that we could have done by force up here would have for personal details.
stopped them, and if we had tried to use really effective force 5. DON”t use contact details provided in offers
the result would have been massacres of Hindus and Sikhs all or request find them independently.
over the place in our territory'. 6. CHECK your credit report at least twice a
FOOTNOTE :
1. Randolph Holmes, 'Khyber Frontiers in Turmoil', MSS Eur F 265/18, TNA, p. 111
year.
2. 18.11.48, T. No. 1395, DO 142/521, TNA
3. T. No. 1195, DO 142/521, TNA
Fight the Scammers.
4. 20.11.48, Comments on T. No. 4026 from Delhi to London for Attlee's consid-
erations, DO 142/521, TNA Don’t Respond!
5. S. No. 85/48, DO 142/521, TNA
6. Randolph Holmes, 'Khyber Frontiers in Turmoil', MSS Eur F 265/18, TNA, p. 129
Report them to Crime Branch Jammu
7. 21.10.47, Joseph Skrine Papers, MSS Eur F 154/29, IOR on Phone No. : 0191-2578901
8. 30.7.47, Joseph Skrine Papers, MSS Eur F 154/29, IOR
9. MSS Eur D 1033/13, Esmond Walter Lumby Papers (India Office, 1934-48),
Report for April 1948, IOR
Issued in public interest by
10. MSS Eur F 226/27, John Shattock Papers, IOR CRIME BRANCH, JAMMU
11. 2.4.48, MSS Eur F 164/19, Cunningham Papers, IOR

No. : DIP/J-5119

www.epilogue.in Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010

bookS
Review
Gender and Conflict
Situation in Kashmir
REKHA CHOWDHARY
D espite plethora of work on the
conflict situation in Kashmir, one
rarely finds the story of conflict
written from the perspective of women.
Basically it is the marginalisation of
women in the society, in general, and
the masculine representation of con-
flict in particular that makes women
invisible. However, it is not only the con-
flict situation, women's accounts are
missing from the social and political nar-
ratives of Kashmir. Issues related to
women, in any case, do not find much
space in the public domain here. Not
only there is a lack of gender sensitivity,
but a general apathy towards women's
concerns. The gender context of politics
does not hold even symbolic signifi-
cance and many a times one is struck up
in the situation of politically incorrect
positions vis-à-vis women. We are refer-
ring to a State where the State
Commission for Women could remain
headless for more than six year without
creating much political ripple; where
women still have to find their rightful
place in the Panchayati Raj Institutions;
and where frequent attempts have
already been made to formally disqual-
ify women from holding the status of
Permanent Residents if they marry out-
side the state. In fact, in the context of
this last issue, the political class across
the ideological spectrum in Kashmir
takes a formal position that the context
of women's identity and rights remains
secondary to the context of the larger
project of Kashmiri identity and rights.
www.epilogue.in
The 'Kashmiri identity' is seen as the pri-
mary identity and women's identity is
seen as subservient to that. This
explains as to why much of the conflict
narrative is masculinised and gender
context is relegated to the background.
There is a sort of uneasiness about con-
fronting issues from gender perspec-
tive. The sense of unease is further
intensified when the gender issues are
placed in the context of religion.
The value of Nyla Ali Khan's much
Vol. 4, Issue 10
48
reviewed book Islam, Women &Violence
in Kashmir: Between India and
Pakistan, is to be seen in the challeng-
ing task of raising the most uncomfort-
able questions about women, religion
and conflict situation and seeking
answers in a gender-oriented paradigm.
She presents a nuanced understanding
of the intersection of religion and gen-
der that goes much beyond the gener-
ally available simplified and one-
dimensional understanding of the impli-
cations of conflict for women – opening
in the process many layers and revealing
various shades of complex reality.
Though the book provides a
detailed account of the Kashmir conflict
and goes into the details of the political
discourses related to partition, plebi-
scite, autonomy and integration and
deals with the political debacles as well
as militarization of Kashmir, the present
note is specifically focused on those
chapters that deal with the gender-
related themes.
The intricacy of Nyla's gender per-
spective is to be found in her even-
handed treatment of the implications of
conflict for women. She refers to the vul-
nerability of women both due to the
state as well as non-state actors. While
the state forces are held responsible for
committing acts of sexual violation and
humiliation and loss of dignity of
women, the non-state actors are also
seen to be indulging in brutality against
women. Thus reference is made to the
realities of J&K marked by the 'over-
Epilogue, October 2010
49
whelming presence of paramilitary
troops, barbed wire and invasive
searches; dispossessed youths trained in
Pakistani traning camps to unleash a
reign of misguided terror; custodial kill-
ings in detention centres, and mothers
whose faces tell tales of woe waiting
outside those gloomy centres to catch a
glimpse of their unfortunate sons (an
exercise in futility); and burqa-clad
women living in fear of the wrath of fun-
damentalist groups as well as paramili-
tary forces bent on undercutting their
self-respect.' (101) Giving a detailed
analysis of the conflict, Nyla argues that
it is not merely the coercive force (used
by the security forces, militants, for-
eign mercenaries and government spon-
sored militants alike) but the overall mil-
itary culture which makes autonomous
life difficult for women. It is this culture
which socialises boys and men into the
conflict psyche with substantial impact
on women.
Conflict perpetuates the gender
hierarchy and controls over women.
With the identity of the family, commu-
nity and the nation written on the body
of women, conflict brings about new
restriction on women solely with the pur-
pose of preserving the honour of the
family, community and the nation. Nyla
refers to the suffering of women who
have been 'dishonoured' and thereafter
shunned by their families.
What bothers Nyla about the con-
flict situation is the manner in which bru-
talities committed both by the state and
non-state actors are justified in the
name of nationalism – whether Indian
nationalism or Kashmiri nationalism. It
is a matter of great concern to her that
there is lack of women's autonomy as
their subjectivities are subjugated to
the centrality of nation. 'In effect',
argues Nyla, 'Kashmiri woman is con-
structed as a parchment on which the
discourses of religious nationalism, secu-
www.epilogue.in
lar nationalism and ethno-nationalism
are inscribed' and most barbaric acts
are justified. (109-110) Further in the
name of the community and nation,
backwardness is imposed on women.
Nationalisms of all kind and their
feminisation through the concepts of
'homeland' as the 'motherland', she
argues, 'serves in effect to preserve the
native woman in pristine retardation.'
(113) The nationalist discourse while
creating the dichotomy of the
inner/outer emphasises the inviolabil-
ity of the inner domain which is used not
only to essentialise the identity of
The intricacy of Nyla's gender per-
spective is to be found in her even-
handed treatment of the implications
of conflict for women. She refers to
the vulnerability of women both due
to the state as well as non-state
actors.
women but also to subjugate them to
the larger cultural/national context.
Reading this analysis of Nyla, the popu-
lar metaphor that 'the identity of a com-
munity is written on the bodies of
women' becomes very clear in the con-
text of Kashmir. One can see as to how
the burden of maintaining the purity of
the culture and ethnicity is placed on
woman, and how in this process her life
is restricted to the metaphoric inner
domain. In more than one way, she is
confined to the inner domain and
boundaries are clearly laid down for her.
Forbidden from stepping outside the cul-
tural threshold, women may be denied
Vol. 4, Issue 10
books
Review
the justice and fairness. Here she refers
to the controversial though unsuccess-
ful initiatives aimed at denying the
Permanent Resident status to the
women married outside the state.
Exclusionary nationalism com-
bined with religious fundamentalism,
according to Nyla, shuts down all voices
of dissent and generates a process of
homogenisation that directly affects
the women. Erosion of cultural
syncretism and its substitution for cul-
tural homogenisation has the conse-
quence of restricting the freedoms that
women have been traditionally enjoy-
ing. On the whole conflict has a
masculinist discourse and praxis -
'Power relations within the prevalent dis-
courses of patriarchy and fundamental-
ism mediate the Kashmiri women's iden-
tity. The valorisation of her subordina-
tion is underwritten by praxis that legit-
imizes gender identities, which are nec-
essary to patriarchal and fundamental-
ist dominance'. (124) It is in this context
that she critically refers to the
Dukhtaran-e-Millat, the only women's
organisation to be playing a major role
in the separatist politics. What Nyla
finds objectionable in the role of
Dukhtaran is the diminution of woman's
person in the name of religious interpre-
tation and her representation as a burqa
clad, faceless and voiceless cultural
icon.
Nyla would rather see woman as a
person in her own right, woman as hav-
ing an agency – a woman like Parveena
Ahangar who has risen above her per-
sonal grief and has made her victimisa-
tion as a basis of collective solidarity.
Parveena Ahangar's Association of
Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP)
is an example of women making a state-
ment of 'personal as political'. Through
Parveena she highlights the courage of
Kashmiri women and portrays them as
women who are not mute spectators but
Epilogue, October 2010
books
Review
who are intervening and 'speaking from
their locations about current political
realities.' (103)
This is where Nyla's book makes a
contribution to the understanding of
conflict from the perspective of gender.
She goes beyond the sense of victimisa-
tion and puts the spotlight on agency
and empowerment of women. The focus
of her work therefore is on the way
women have been surviving in patriar-
chal social setting and the way they
have been negotiating in small spaces
available to them. Defining empower-
ment, she states, 'for me, empower-
ment is a process that enables the
margibalzed to make strategic life-
choices regarding education, liveli-
hood, marriage, childbirth, sexuality,
etc, - choices that are critical for peo-
ple to lead the sort of lives they wish to
lead and which constitute life's defining
parameters. It is important to keep in
mind, however, that women are con-
strained by and grapple with the norma-
tive structures through which societies
create gender roles.' (114) Although she
argues that the level of woman's
empowerment varies according to fac-
tors such as class, caste, ethnicity, eco-
nomic status, age, family positions etc,
she portrays the agency in the context
of power relations in which women are
placed.
The attempt to portray the agency
of woman takes Nyla to a historical sur-
vey of the role of women in Kashmir dur-
ing the pre-1947 political movement
and during the tribal invasion. She
reconstructs the role of National Militia
and the Women's Defence Corps in the
voice of some of the actors of the time,
especially Krishna Misri and Sajjida
Zameer. However Nyla notes with regret
that the agency of women forcefully
asserted in 1947 did not lead to their
emancipation. After playing a very sig-
nificant role, women reverted to their
www.epilogue.in
50
private realms where they were once conscripting the role of women, Nyla
more governed by normative gender makes a case for the progressive roles
roles. Even when they joined the public prescribed for women within Islamic
life, they were not able to assert their norms.
agency and often were bogged down to Nyla Ali Khan's book provides us
the secondary position. She is specifi- with a fresh insight into the issue of reli-
cally critical of the insignificant role of gion, women and conflict in Kashmir. It
women in the formal decision making raises very important questions about
positions and objects to the reductive the gender identity not merely vis-à-vis
portrayal of women members of the the larger Kashmiri identity but also the
State legislature as merely objectified religious identity. Significantly, rather
beings. She holds the responsibility for than shying away from bringing to the
this to the asymmetrical gender hierar- surface the contradictions, she con-
chies legitimised by the forceful dis- fronts them boldly and critically analy-
semination of fundamentalist and mili- ses them. It is in this process that Nyla
tarized discourses which lead to the makes very crucial academic as well as
debasement and prostration of women. political intervention in the ongoing dis-
Nyla's intervention in the conflict course.
analysis via religion is very interesting
as she is able to open various layers and
is thereby able to project a holistic pic- Book Review of Islam,
ture from a gender perspective. Not Women &Violence in
only she offers a powerful critique of Kashmir: Between India
fundamentalism and misguided repre- and Pakistan
sentation of religion but she is also able Author: Nyla Ali Khan
to develop an equally powerful critique
Delhi: Tulika, 2009
of western empirical analytical
approaches which seek to trivialise reli-
gion, especially Islam. Religion, argues
Naila, does not necessarily subjugate
women, it may also provide them the
space to assert their agency. Giving an
example of her own upbringing and her
own orientation towards religion, she
notes, 'I was raised in a secular Muslim
home where we were encouraged to
speak of the 'liberation of women' and of
a culturally syncretic society. I was
taught that Islam provides women with
social, political and economic rights,
however invisible those rights are in our
society. It was instilled in me that Islam
gives women property rights… the right
to interrogate totalizing social and cul-
tural institutions; the right to hold polit-
ical office ….' (114) Unlike the western
understanding which focuses on funda-
mentalism and seeks to portray Islam as
Vol. 4, Issue 10 Epilogue, October 2010
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 Vaibhav Anand is a 2008 batch
chemical engineer from Delhi College
of Engineering and a 2010 batch MBA
from FMS, Delhi. He is currently
employed by Citibank. His interests lie
in writing fiction and poetry.

Narendra Mani Ganesh is a 2008 batch

mechanical engineer from Delhi
College of Engineering. He is currently
employed by Siemens Power. His
interests lie in traveling.

T
he novel is set in the backdrop of a premier Business School campus (FMS, Delhi) in the years 2007 through 2009, when the worst
recession of our lifetimes hit the world. It is inspired by a true story. The story is told through the eyes of Hari Parmeshwar - a
simple & romantic person, madly in love with Meenakshi. Hari is an IT engineer with 4 years of work experience, who dreams of
being a writer. The story begins with Hari cracking the FMS MBA interview which is supposed to be his ticket to the big leagues. Little does
he realize that God has other plans.
At FMS, he meets & befriends Matar- a surd who becomes his best friend, Scooby-a self proclaimed ladies' man and Bastard- a
mysterious genius. Their friendship deepens over drunken parties/ nights on town, copied assignments, Scooby's everlasting attempts at
getting laid, presentations in which they end up making public fools of themselves, run-ins with the law, intra class rivalries & tiffs,
society applications, intense pre-exam mugging & summer placements. The story of Hari's first year moves forward peppered by Hari's
narrative wit and piquant banter between these four friends.
The second year takes a dark turn as recession hits and all high paying jobs become a distant dream. The authors, through Hari, take
the reader through a fictional recession MBA journey in an incredibly candid fashion as they delve into the inside story of what happened
at top Business schools, when recession hit.
What sets this book apart, besides its zany & spicy characters, is that it is a bare-naked brutally honest look at not only the recent
recession, its pains & its pangs and the force with which it hit premier B-Schools but also life/ culture/ scandals at B-schools. The tone of
the book is sarcastic & witty, and it ends up making several startling & unknown revelations about several premier B-Schools besides FMS.
In a nutshell, it spares no one.