A Point Of View On Kashmir
By Ahmed Ata khan
The dream of a separate homeland for Muslims of India seemed too good to be true.!
We, as Pakistanis, have always been too indulgent in a sentimental and sympathetic view of history than a factual and analytical one. This has kept us, especially the younger generation, away from the political and realistic truths.
The actual sufferings of the people who migrated across the bloody, newly formed borders were over-shadowed by the political hatred against the Hindus and Sikhs cultivated by our ‘leaders’.
The revenge against the Sikhs was flared up by unscrupulous elements, which should have been controlled by the leaders, who were certainly not statesmen. They allowed the fire of hatred to burn in our hearts and they have fueled it since so that it burns forever.
The interests of our leaders have never coincided with the interests of our country, or, in other words, the interests of the people of Pakistan. The people, alas, have never figured in the making of policies which would ruin their lives in the end.
They have always been at the receiving end of all the fallout. The saying ‘As you sow, so shall you reap’ doesn’t exactly fit our country. The common man doesn’t sow the seeds of hatred. It is the ‘wadera’ or the ‘politician’ who does that.
This is probably one of the things overlooked by Muhammad Ali Jinnah who was flanked by more ‘Nawabs’ than by common workers. In fact, the creation of Pakistan was more the result of a ‘divide and rule’ policy by the retreating British than the maneuvers of Jinnah.
Obviously, everyone needs a hero, and the nearest we could get to, was Jinnah. Of course, that does not take the credit from him, and his personality was the main factor in uniting the Muslims.
If seen from the British point of view, this is exactly what the British wanted. India was getting too hot for them, especially after World War – II, and the inevitable was quite near. However, the thought of leaving a united India, which could have challenged them in the years to come, was quite frightening.
Therefore, as the British had always done, it was the best policy to divide India, on religious grounds, and be ascertained of a perpetual conflict. In addition, even if the divided countries managed to stand on their feet, the ‘dispute’ of Kashmir would always keep them at loggerheads.
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I think Kashmir should be given its autonomy…. it is too beautiful to belong to one.Only thing the kashmiris should do is to restrict the number of people visiting… i also think that so many decades after the independence we can stop blaming the brits…. India is deeply divided inso may ways in any case…. religion is just an excure.Withinreligions there are communities and within those are sub communities and within that….. some more bifurcations….
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Your take on the British “divide and rule” is well known, but the British are not the only one to be blamed for their profound understanding of the religious fractures and skillful exploitation of the same that led to division of India.
It is also true that the British did not want to see the rise of undivided India as a power that could challange the British, therefore they suceeded in planting the seed of perpetual conflict and weakness in the region.
The Anglo-Americans, for decades, have consistantly propped up Pakistan with tens of billions of dollars in economic and military aid to scuttle India’s rise. However that British ploy has served its utility and the wheel of time is turning …… ! The British power is on the decline, so is American unipolar world of undisputed superpowerdom.
And to the utter dismay of the British, India is finally able to take Pakistanis in its stride and India’s rise on the international stage is gaining momentum.
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Nice write up! If only the people of both countries realize their capabilities (we are the finest brain on the planet, and a cultured and refined race) and unite, together we can give the West a run for their money and put an end this ridiculous ‘White Supremacy’.
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thanks kiran. sure, we are the finest brains, but need the correct leadership
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