An independent country for the Kashmiris is impossible and can remain only as a dream, said Sardar Mohd. Abdul Qayyum Khan, former President and former Prime Minister of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), while delivering an address at Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi, on September 26, 2005.
"An independent country for the Kashmiris is impossible and can remain only as a dream," said Sardar Mohd. Abdul Qayyum Khan, former President and former Prime Minister of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), while delivering an address at Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi, on September 26, 2005.
Earlier, the distinguished guest was received at ORF by Amb. M Rasgotra, former Foreign Secretary of India, who is presently convener, National Security Advisory Board, and International Affairs Advisor, ORF, and Mr Baljit Kapoor, Honorary Secretary, ORF.
Amb Rasgotra apprised Sardar Qayyum Khan of the activities of ORF, including its initiative on Kashmir. Amb Hamid Ansari, Distinguished Fellow at ORF and a former Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, Amb Bhardra Kumar, Visiting Senior Fellow at ORF, and Prof SD Muni of JNU, who is Honorary Director of Research at ORF, were present on the occasion.
Sardar Qayyum Khan, who is also the supreme head of the All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference, appealed for a more practical solution to the Kashmir issue. "An independent state is not possible, especially because of the geo-political situation in Central Asia and the reservations against Muslim countries worldwide. We don't really bother about independence now", he said.
Sardar Qayyum Khan, who is in India leading a 14-member delegation that participated in interactions with former senior Indian officials and analysts, said it was absolutely important to sustain and continue unhindered the ongoing peace process.
He emphasized that over-50 years was "wasted" by taking recourse to "words such as finding a lasting, durable and permanent solution" to the Kashmir issue.
He also warned against placing conditions on the peace talks. "We have wasted 50 years, talking and arguing about the past. Now we should move on to catch up with the world." While suggesting that there should not be any conditions--such as the Indian position on cross-border infiltration--on the continuation of the peace process, he said its discontinuation would have disastrous consequences for both the countries.
"Most important is that the peace process should continue. Once it is guaranteed, it would take care of other issues, which can be addressed simultaneously," he said.
Sardar Qayyum Khan said the ongoing peace process would have electrifying effect on the people and societies, as can be noticed presently. "The peace process will take over everything - politics, policies, attitudes on both sides."
He stressed that intra-Kashmir dialogue between parties, institutions and people should continue, irrespective of the policies of the governments in Pakistan and India. He was quite optimistic that this would ultimately lead to peace.
Sardar Qayyum Khan said Kashmiri militancy has come to an end. The only remaining problem was "outsiders" supporting the militancy. He said this would also come to an end as the peace process moved forward. He, -however, added that the Kashmir militancy could rise its head once again if the aspirations of the people were not addressed.
Sardar Qayyum Khan also paid rich compliments to Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf for his bold handling of the Kashmir issue and participating in the peace process with India.
Speaking on the occasion, former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Jagmohan said that through good governance governments on both sides should work jointly to remove backwardness and illiteracy. He said a common front can be formed to remove poverty and educate people on both sides. Sardar Qayyum Khan agreed with Jagmohan that it should be and can be done.
In fact, Sardar Qayyum Khan went one step ahead and suggested that such a cooperation should could become an example that could be expanded to other areas of India-Pakistan relations.
On a question on madrassas encouraging militancy, Sardar Qayyum Khan said Pakistan itself was a victim of this. "We ourselves are in trouble. Our politics is in trouble. Many other Muslim countries are also in trouble, not just India," he said.
Sardar Qayyum Khan rejected the view in India that the elections in PoK were never free and fair. "It is not right. This is misinformation," he said, adding "the only time elections were rigged in PoK was when Benazir Bhutto was the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Then the elections were massively rigged," he said.
Sardar Qayyum Khan also warned against any one side pushing its agenda hard. "With Kashmiri militancy ended, we should stress on breaking the ice and continuing the peace process forward" he said.
Former J & K Governors Mr. Jagmohan and Mr. GC Saxena, the Indian government's interlocutor on Kashmir Mr. NN Vohra, well-known columnists Mr. Prem Shankar Jha and Mr. BG Verghese, renowned security analysts Vice Admiral KK Nayyar, Mr AS Dullat and Maj Gen (Retd) Afsir Karim, and others participated in the discussion.
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