hmmm... it seems like this place is littered with Indians or pro-India supporters... not one Pakistani supporter has emerged...
well, I guess that leaves me to sort some of this out... India is no better than Pakistan, it's not the bastion of democracy they like to project, it's just as corrupt and the government just as inept as the Pakistani government... although, with Musharaf, there seems to be some hope for Pakistan.
Here's a history lesson for some of you moronic Indians that state Kashmir is part of India. And please, don't argue with me unless you have something of substance that I can verify... meaning that anti-pakistani rhetoric that your daddy and uncles spew doesn't cut it.
The following excerpts are from Stanley Wolpert's "A New History of India" - Fourth Edition.
Kashmir, Hyderabad and Junagadh were three states under rule of a monarch. Kashmir was overwhelmingly Muslim, but had a Hindu ruler while Hyderabad and Junagadh where primarily Hindu with a Muslim ruler.
"Though the nawab of Junagadh and the nizam of Hyderabad were Muslim, the overwhelming majority of their subjects were Hindus, and it seemed only proper, therefore in the spirit of democracy, to consider the preferenced of the people rather than despotic desires of their monacrchs in deciding to which dominion these states would accede. Geographic position was also a most important determinant, at least in the ase of Hyderabad, which was totally surrounded by India. The Nizam's reluctance to acced was thes viewed as litle more than an autocratic while, and India accepted a one-yer standstill afreement from Hyderabad, giving the Nizan until August 1948 to made up his mind. On septemberr 13, 1948, India troops invaded the state in what Dehli called a "police action," cide-named Operation Polo. Two divisions of the Indian Army's Southern Command crushed Hyderabad resistance in four days. Junagadh was much smaller than Hyderabad, yet its case was similar, though being on the coast of the Kathiawar peninsula some three hundered miles by sea from Karachi, its nawab claimed that he had every right to accede to Pakistan, whch he did on August 15, 1947. The government of India feared that the accession would have "undesirable efects on law and order in the Kathiawar as a whole" and hence imposed an economic blockage and subsequently armed a "liberation army" of Hindu emigrees to take acontrol of the state." (pg.352)
Well, well, look at that... India did exactly what it allegest Pakistan is doing right now in Kashmir. I don't think I need to say much more about India's hypocricy, Wolpert has said it with so much eloquence.
But wait... there's more:
"Kashmir posed a different sort of problem, since three-fourths of its four million people were Muslim, but it's maharaja, Hari Singh, was a Hindu Dogra Rajput. With some eighty-five thousand square miles of beautiful and highly strategic real estate dangling over North India as well as West Pakistan, the state of Jammu and Kashmir was a most tempting plum for both dominions, so tempding, in fact, that it would lure them to war more than once over its sprakiling Himalayan vale. The Dogra Rajput cal of Jammu rule Kashmir through their able Kashmiri brahman civil servants, the Pandits, whole most famous family was the Nehru-Kaul clan.... As the countdown on Britian's transfer of power neared its conclusion, Hari Singh, signed a standstill agreement with Pakistan, unable to bring himself to accede to either dominion and hoping that his mountainous state might be permitted to remain independant, a Switzerland of Asia. The communal complexion of most his population, as well as the all-weather road link to Pakistan and the fact that Kashmir controlled the headwaters of the Indus and other Punjab rivers, certaily seemed good reasons to predispose Kashmir toward accesion to Pakistan, but Hari Singh no doubt feared that his prospects of retaining power might be much weaker in a Muslim dominion than with India. While he temporized during late August and early September, the province of Poonch, in the south-wet corner of Kashmir, flared in revolt, Muslim peasents rising against the oppression of Dogra Rajput landowners. The Poonch revolt was supported by nieghboring Paksitani Muslims, who crossed the borders of the state in numbers to aid co-religionists in their agrarain struggle for freedom. Hari Singh viewed the revolt as a Pakistani plot to depose him. The maharaja turned to New Dekhi for support and released Shigkh Abdulla from jail to fly there for talks with Nehru, who has supported his nationa Conference durrings it's previous decacde of struggle. On OCtober 21, 1947, the sheikh informed Delhi's press that the Kashmiris wwanted "freedom beforre accession." Pakistan's British army lorries were, however, already packed with thousands of Pathans, armed to the teeth, barreling east over the IUndus at Attock, where Alexanderr had crossed with his army, down the Jhelum river valley to the undefended Baramula Road, the highway to Sirinagar.
On October 26, Hari Singh formally acceded to India and appealed for military support to defend Srinagar. Mountbatton insisted, in view of the prediminantly Muslim population of Kashmir, that India's acceptance "to be conditional on the will of the people being ascertained by a plebiscite after the raiders had been driven out of the State" and order was restored. Nehru an dhis cabinet agreed. The airlift of the first Sikh Battalion from Dehli to Srinagar was launched the following morning; the Vale's capital was saved and the tribal forces turned west witin a few days. Jinnah tried to hurl Pakistan's Army into a battle at this time, but his British commander-in-chief, General Gracey, explained that he coud not order his troops into compat against a siste dominon's forces without prior approval from his supreme commander, Field Marshal Auchinleck. Auchinleck flew to Lahore on October 28 to inform Govenor-General Jinnah that if he insisted upon sending Pakistn's Regular Army into Kashmir, which had "legall acceded" to India, it would "automaticallyy and immediately" require the withdrawal of every British officer serving with the Pakistan Army.
The fighting in Kashmir raged on until the state's defacto partition was effected on a line of battle stablized just east of Uri and Poonch. The number of tribal raiders was about thirty thousand before the year's end, and these men became the regular army of the government of Azad ("Free") Kashmir, which held less than a quarter of the western portion of the state, exclluding the Vale. Azad Kashmir, with its capital at Muzaffarabad, susequently acceded to Paksitan. No plebiscite was ever help in Kashmir as a whole. Nehru insisted as a prerequisite to a plecibite that Paksitan "vacate its aggression" by withdrawing all "invaders" from Kashmir, and Jinnah proposed simultanous withdrawal of the "forces of Indian Dominino and the tribesmen." Sheikh Abdullah was flown back to Srinagar as premier. The cease-fire arranged by the United Nations would not come into effect in Kashmir until January 1, 1949."
Now a little reference to the UN...
Resolution 47 calling for a Plebiscte in Kashmir.
"Noting with satisfaction that both India and Pakistan desire that the question of the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India or Pakistan should be decided through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite"
RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION FOR INDIA AND PAKISTAN ON 13 AUGUST 1948.
"PART III
The Government of India and the Government of Pakistan reaffirm their wish that the future status of the State of Jammu and Kashmir shall be determined in accordance with the will of the people and to that end, upon acceptance of the Truce Agreement both Governments agree to enter into consultations with the Commission to determine fair and equitable conditions whereby such free expression will be assured."
Resolution 80 (1950)
"Commending the Governments of India and Pakistan for their statesman like action in reaching the
agreements embodied in the United Nations Commission's resolutions of August 13, 1948 and
January 5, 1949 for a cease-fire, for the demilitarisation of the State of Jammu and Kashmir and for
the determination of its final disposition in accordance with the will of the people through the
democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite, and commending the parties in particular for
their action in partially implementing these Resolutions by
(1) The cessation of hostilities effected January 1, 1949,
(2) The establishment of a cease-fire line on July 27, 1949, and
(3) The agreement that Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz shall be Plebiscite Administrator,
Considering that the resolution of the outstanding difficulties should be based upon the substantial
measure of agreement of fundamental principles already reached, and that steps should be taken
forthwith for the demilitarisation of the State and for the expeditious determination of its future in
accordance with the freely expressed will of the inhabitants,
1. Calls upon the Governments of India and Pakistan to make immediate arrangements, without
prejudice to their rights or claims and with due regard to the requirements of law and order, to
prepare and execute within a period of five months from the date of this resolution a programme of
demilitarisation on the basis of the principles of paragraph 2 of General McNaughton proposal or of
such modifications of those principles as may be mutually agreed;
2. Decides to appoint a United Nations Representative for the following purposes who shall have
authority to perform his functions in such place or places as he may deem appropriate;
(a) to assist in the preparation and to supervise the implementation of the programme of
demilitarisation referred to above and' to interpret the agreements reached by the parties for
demilitarisation;
(b) to place himself at the disposal of the Governments of India and Pakistan and to place
before those Governments or the Security Council any suggestions which, in his opinion, are
likely to contribute to the expeditious and enduring solution of the dispute which has arisen
between the two Governments in regard to the State of Jammu and Kashmir; to exercise all of
the powers and responsibilities devolving upon the United Nations Commission for India and
Pakistan by reason of existing resolutions of the Security Council and by reason of the
agreement of the parties embodied in the Resolutions of the United Nations Commission of
August 13, 1948 and January 5, 1949; to arrange at the appropriate stage of demilitarisation
for the assumption by the Plebiscite Administrator of the functions assigned to the latter under
agreements made between the parties; to report to the Security Council as he may consider
necessary, submitting his conclusions and any recommendations which he may desire to
make; "
"*RESOLUTION ADOPTED AT THE MEETING OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION FOR INDIA AND PAKISTAN ON 5 JANUARY, 1949. (DOCUMENT NO. S/1196, PARA IS, DATED THE 10TH JANUARY, 1949)
THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION FOR INDIA AND PAKISTAN,
Having received from the Governments of India and Pakistan in Communications, dated December 23 and December 25, 1948, respectively their acceptance of the following principles which are supplementary to the Commission's Resolution of August 13, 1948;
The question of the accession of the State of Jammu and Kashmir to India or Pakistan will be decided through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite;
A plebiscite will be held when it shall be found by the Commission that the cease-fire and truce arrangements set forth in Parts I and II of the Commission's resolution of 13 August 1948, have been carried out and arrangements for the plebiscite have been completed;
The Secretary-General of the United Nations will, in agreement with the Commission, nominate a Plebiscite Administrator who shall be a personality of high international standing and commanding general confidence. He will be formally appointed to office by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Plebiscite Administrator shall derive from the State of Jammu and Kashmir the powers he considers necessary for organizing and conducting the plebiscite and for ensuring the freedom and impartiality of the plebiscite.
The Plebiscite Administrator shall have authority to appoint such staff or assistants and observers as he may require.
After implementation of Parts I and II of the Commission's resolution of 13 August 1948, and when the Commission is satisfied that peaceful conditions have been restored in the State, the Commission and the Plebiscite Administrator will determine, in consultation with the Government of India, the final disposal of Indian and State armed forces, such disposal to be with due regard to the security of the State and the freedom of the plebiscite.
As regards the territory referred to in A 2 of Part II of the resolution of 13 August, final disposal of the armed forces in that territory will be determined by the Commission and the Plebiscite Administrator in consultation with the local authorities.
All civil and military authorities within the State and the principal political elements of the State will be required to co-operate with the Plebiscite Administrator in the preparation for and the holding of the plebiscite.
All citizens of the State who have left it on account of the disturbances will be invited and be free to return and to exercise all their rights as such citizens. For the purpose of facilitating repatriation there shall be appointed two Commissions, one composed of nominees of India and the other of nominees of Pakistan.
The Commissions shall operate under the direction of the Plebiscite Administrator. The Governments of India and Pakistan and all authorities within the State of Jammu and Kashmir will collaborate with the Plebiscite Administrator in putting this provision to effect.
All persons (other than citizens of the State) who on or since 15 August 1947, have entered it for other than lawful purpose, shall be required to leave the State.
All authorities within the State of Jammu and Kashmir will undertake to ensure in collaboration with the Plebiscite Administrator that:
There is no threat, coercion or intimidation, bribery other undue influence on the voters in plebiscite;
No restrictions are placed on legitimate political activity throughout the State. All subjects of the State, regardless of creed, caste or party, shall be safe and free in expressing their views and in voting on the question of the accession of the State to India or Pakistan. There shall be freedom of the Press, speech and assembly and freedom of travel in the State, including freedom of lawful entry and exit;
All political prisoners are released;
Minorities in all parts of the State are accorded adequate protection; and
There is no victimization.
The Plebiscite Administrator may refer to the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan problems on which he may require assistance, and the Commission may in its discretion call upon the Plebiscite Administrator to carry out on its behalf any of the responsibilities with which it has been entrusted;
At the conclusion of the plebiscite, the Plebiscite Administrator shall report the result thereof to the Commission and to the Government of Jammu and Kashmir. The Commission shall then certify to the Security Council whether the Plebiscite has or has not been free and impartial;
Upon the signature of the truce agreement the details of the foregoing proposals will be elaborated in the consultation envisaged in Part III of the Commission's resolution of 13 August 1948. The Plebiscite Administrator will be fully associated in these consultations;
Commends the Governments of India and Pakistan for their prompt action in ordering a cease-fire to take effect from one minute before midnight of first January 1949, pursuant to the agreement arrived at as provided for by the Commission's resolution of 13 August 1948; and
Resolves to return in the immediate future to the sub-continent to discharge the responsibilities imposed upon it by the resolution of 13 August 1948, and by the foregoing principles.
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* UNCIP unanimously adopted this Resolution on 5-1-1949.
Members of the Commission: Argentina, Belgium, Columbia, Czechoslovakia and U.S.A.