Merger of PoK with India required to resolve Kashmir problem in totality
The entire problem on the Radcliffe Line is that Pakistan which was created by British political subterfuge their perceived strategic issues, started to have grandiose ideas regarding itself. The Paki rulers started thinking of Pakistan as ‘strategically located’ as a bridge between the East, West and Central Asia. Whereas historically the area after the eclipse of Sindhu Valley Civilization became just a transit route for trade.
Though Pakistan emerged as a Country on the World map in 1947 with backing of Britain, it was just an enforced uneasy loose amalgamation of four different sub ethnic groups or sub nationalities – Sindhis, Baluchs, Punjabi and Pashtuns.
The people populating the entire area have great strength who have always been resilient and enterprising. Over the centuries as part of the bigger entity called Bharatvarsha, Hindustan or India they overcome every challenge through their indomitable spirit and characteristic grit and determination.
So naturally the Brits and subsequently the USA ( and now the Communist China ) had great expectations from the politicians of Pakistan for their Great Game in the Region. Pakistan was expected to continue to “play a pivotal role” in both Central Asia and South Asia.
However it seems that Pakistan as a country is still struggling with its identity. Economic sacrifices of millions of its inhabitants has not been able to lift the Country above the poverty line, all because of total failure of its Political leadership. Right from 1947 the political class had only one agenda …. Act Anti India. It immediately led to their invasion of Jammu Kashmir, Gilgit, Baltistan and Ladakh areas in 1947 itself and till date every action of theirs revolves around Jammu & Kashmir only.
Even after four major wars Pakis could not grab any additional territory in entire J& K area. They then started indirect warfare in the form of terror warfare in J& K. After tolerating all the Paki activities on the Line of Control and on various international forums, India finally got fed up.
India has in the past firmly told Pakistan that Jammu and Kashmir will always be an integral and inalienable part of the country but reiterated by another most visible action. The temporary article 370 of Indian Constitution was abolished and the State divided into Union Territories of J&K, Ladakh and of course the third being the would be UT of Gilgit Baltistan & Sakhsagam.
Now Indians firmly believe that quest for sustainable peace and stability in South Asia can only be achieved through a integration of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Gilgit, Baltistan and Sakhsagam Valley through peaceful talks or if required by force.
The politicians of Muslim League had adopted the historic Lahore Resolution on March 23, 1940 which provided a framework for the realisation of the goal of a separate homeland for Muslims of South Asia. Well look what happened thereafter. Firstly a sizeable Muslim population from hinterland of India did not go to this Pakistan. Some who did are called Mohajirs and still treated as outsiders. Then in 1971 more than half the population were forced to break off and form their separate nation of Bangladesh.
Presently Baluchistan which was forcibly occupied by Pakistan has started its Liberation War in unrest. Sindh wants to opt out and so do Pashtun people. Even Pakistan Occupied Kashmir is fed up of Pakistani interference and now a large number of Kashmiris from POK and Gilgit Baltistan want to re merge with the Indian Union.
A peaceful struggle is going on for quite some time in POK and Gilgit Baltistan to determine their destiny as per their own choice. However slowly they are realizing that they can have peaceful coexistence based on equality and mutual respect only when they are part of the Union of India.
The quest for sustainable peace and stability in South Asia can only be achieved through complete unification of POK with Jammu and Kashmir and unification of Gilgit Baltistan with Ladakh or becoming a separate UT of India.
