The head of the Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday traced South Asia’s dangerous descent into conflict and instability to the festering dispute of Kashmir.
“Much of the ensuing hostility in the subcontinent is due to the festering dispute of Kashmir,” Bilawal told the delegates of 7th ZABMUN Conference at the old Sindh Assembly building Sunday afternoon.
“I believe that the region that we inhabit has become less secure,” he said, adding that our future direction will have a lasting impact on not only the fate of this region, but arguably the entire world.
Bilawal’s speech comes after a lull in fighting between India and Pakistan following days of heavy shelling and gun battles across the contentious border that has killed at least 12 people in Pakistan.
Reading out the United Nations Security Council resolution relating to Kashmir, Bilawal asserted the UN’s demand for “a referendum must be held to decide the fate of Kashmir.”
The Kashmiri people continue to await the realisation of the promise that the world made to them over six decades ago, he said.
“We believe in the fairness of the international world order that was created to respect human rights, to respect the right of self-determination, and which was established to provide a just and fair world,” the PPP leader stated.
If the Kashmir problem had not made it to the UN, we had reason to mourn its apathy towards a dispute of this proportion, he added.
In a speech punctuated by applause from the audience, Bilawal said, “The brutal occupation of Kashmir proves that had the world listened to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, had the world listened to Benazir Bhutto and had the world listened to Pakistan, today world peace would be more than just a dream.”
This is not the first time the PPP leader has spoken about the Kashmir dispute. Last month, while addressing party workers in Multan, Bilawal vowed to take back all of Kashmir from India and not leave behind a single inch of it as it “belongs only to Pakistan”.
Flanked by Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani, the PPP leader also made the most of the youthful setting by taking a few jabs at the ruling party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) for their approach towards the ‘future’ leaders of the country.
“The youth is talked to and told what to do but not heard. The youth is pandered to with concerts and free laptops,” he said in an apparent criticism of the PML-N’s laptop schemes and PTI’s dharnas.
The PPP leader also said that the youth of the country are critical players in defining the future and their energy needs to be harnessed for a prosperous, progressive and peaceful Pakistan.
Referring to the situation in the country, Bilawal said, in today’s world power is measured by the strength of our democracy, the fairness of our economy and our commitment to world peace. The next generation will not count the number of tanks or nukes that we have.
Our generation demands democratic, peaceful, prosperous and progressive Pakistan, he added.
He also criticised the West for its willingness to sign a civil nuclear deal with India , allowing it to export of equipment, materials and technology in the nuclear field.
While the doors remain closed on Pakistan, we see all these doors open one by one for India, once again under the watchful gaze of the UN, Bilawal said.
This consistent discrimination, against a peace loving, democratic Muslim country at the highest forum on the planet, is unacceptable and can no longer be tolerated, he said.
Outlining choices for the country in the future, he said either we become a peaceful, prosperous and progressive Pakistan or we fall to religious fascism. Concluding his remarks to the youth assembly, the Bilawal said, “I beseech the world: listen to the people, listen and learn from Pakistan.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2014.
COMMENTS (31)
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" If pakistan wanted a sincere resolution,just get out and vacate AJK/G-B and let india control it as part of united J&K -then its up to the UN & India. " Anyone who trusts India with to hold plebiscite after Pakistan "vacate AJK/G-B" is naive to the core. That is just a ruse to occupy the whole of Kashmir by India. Since India is adamant and intransigent regarding the Kashmir issue, I do not foresee a peaceful solution, period. The fear is that untoward incidents on the ceasefire line, whether started by India or Pakistan can lead to a wider conflagration with disastrous consequences. By not being realistic on Kashmir, India is exposing South Asia to the possibility of incurring unacceptable damage and calamitous costs.
Reading out the United Nations Security Council resolution relating to Kashmir, Bilawal asserted the UN’s demand for “a referendum must be held to decide the fate of Kashmir.” True, very true. But a false impediment is cited by Indians that Pakistan should first vacate Azad Jummu and Kashmir as per UN resolutions, especially the one of 1948. This issue was resolved by the UN Plebiscite Administrator, Sir Owen Dixon. He proposed that the armies of the two States could remain where they were and UN would hold plebiscite in the districts of Kashmir and accession would be decided on the basis of votes at the district level, thus making the division of Kashmir a possibility. Pakistan relented its demand for not partitioning Kashmir and agreed to the Dixon formula. Nehru accepted in the hope that Kashmiris could be won over. Thereafter, India spent huge sums of money to develop Kashmir and provide jobs to its inhabitants. But the Nehru “magic” did not work and he reneged on his promise to abide by the Dixon formula. Instead, the Indian National Congress held state elections in 1956 in which no more than 10 percent of Kashmiris participated. But the Indian PM trumpeted it as a proof of Kashmir’s accession to India citing that elections were held under the Indian Constitution.
The young Bilawal is trying his best to revive the party whose popularity graph had gone down considerably even in its own province. Kashmir which was almost a forgotten issue during the last election in Pakistan has suddenly come into prominence after the recent firing incident is his best chance to bring his dissatisfied supporters back to PPP. But he appears to be overdoing this Kashmir drama which may backfire on him as Pakistan's internal problems are much bigger which needs to be addressed first along with good governance in the Sindh.
@Tahir Khan: Invaders go back when they lose. They can't demand rights.
@ObserverUSA: India doesn't want a resolution going by the dixon formula. By the same token you use, I could say - Pakistan doesn't want to implement UN resolution sincerely,hence bringing up what tom or harry or dixon proposed as formula. If pakistan wanted a sincere resolution,just get out and vacate AJK/G-B and let india control it as part of united J&K -then its up to the UN & India. Then have patience and wait while UN & India work out how/when to hold a plebiscite,and wait for the outcome. Choice of whether war or not is up to pakistan. If it wants a war,it shall have it and if it wants a peace & etc thats there too. Why can't pakistan turn LoC into a border? Many in india are willing to do that & move on. But one thing is sure and that is that without pakistan vacating there can be no solution for all of J&K
@Indiaspeaks: Acceptance of the Dixon formula is the only way out of the Kashmir issue. If India does not want a resolution sincerely it can hide behind a host of arguments. But the real issue of Kashmir cannot be wished away and could cause another war between South Asian neighbors bringing destruction to both. @R.Subramanian: Zahid who wrote before you did, has already answered your question.
I am from Kashmir. We want a united Kashmir and a vote on independence. This son of Zardari should not preach on issues he does not understand. He should stick to the Zardari party aka PPP and I think it is a matter of time before the illiterate realise their support for his family is of no benefit to them. Pakistan is unique in that the only political parties asking for a vote are from family run ventures with generic names PPP PML etc. Strange they all start Pakistan but it is not for Pakistan but for their extended families and tribes.
i think sir great mr bilawal bhutto should first think of plebiscite in KARACHI. we in karachi want to separate from ppp sindh MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCHMUCH MORE than kashmir want to from india PLEASE!! united nation take note! of desparate situation of our once great city karachi!
Well said ten percent dynasty. Your grandfather divided this country, your mom looted this country, your father made this country a joker. You have the combination of all these qualities. If your turn come, Baluchistan also leave Pakistan.
Although a good statement.......its seriousness is directly proportional to the speaker and the speaker has yet to establish his serious side.
@Zahid: Dixon or whoever may well have proposed,but it doesn't change the UN resolution requiring vacating of AJK/G-B by pakistan. Pakistan as the party wanting the plebiscite and as the one preventing the process from happening ,is required to take this first step. Thereafter,its between India & the UN & Pakistan has no position except as a possible beneficiary of any plebiscite held in the future.
Not taking this fundamental step amounts to hypocrisy & attempting to ignore UN resolution provisions which are inconvenient to pakistan and hence,pakistan has zero credibility and especially failed oligarchs like Bhutto have zero credibility
C. Christine Fair, Assistant Professor in the Security Studies Program of Georgetown University, writes thus on the Plebiscite issue in her book “Fighting To The End: The Pakistan Army’s Way Of War”:
QUOTE: most contemporary Pakistani commentators have either forgotten (or simply choose to ignore) that Pakistan—not india—failed to fulfill the first, necessary (if insufficient) condition for the now much desired plebiscite, making Pakistan unable to blame India alone for its failure to meet subsequent obligations. UNQUOTE.
That “first, necessary (if insufficient) condition” that Christine Fair writes about is:
QUOTE: First, Pakistan was to “secure the withdrawal from the State of Jammu and Kashmir of tribesmen and Pakistani nationals not normally resident therein who have entered the State for the purpose of fighting” (UNSC 1948). In addition, Pakistan was to “to prevent any intrusion into the State of such elements and any furnishing of material aid to those fighting in the State” (ibid.). UNQUOTE.
@Zahid: "Instead, the Indian National Congress held state elections in 1956 in which no more than 10 percent of Kashmiris participated." U have any proof of ur expert comments ?
We Indian and we see both PPP in Pakistan and Congress in India never comes to power in their respective countries in future. Insha allah we ensure that.
from (Muslim India) it is because we also have 20 crores Muslim population and still growing in numbers
So when are you gonna do a plebiscite in Baluchistan, at least Baluchistan was never part of Pakistan until your armed forces illegally occupied it. Kahsmir is our land for thousands of years except couple of hundred years when invaders from Middle East and Europe occupied it.
Billy even you mom was not borne when UN resolution was announced. You might be allowed to read.
Ok if the referendum has to take place as per UN conditions Pakistan has to vacate POK and give it back to India. One more factor is China also has to vacate the occupied Kashmir territory and give it back to India... then only the so called referendum can take place.
Is Pakistan READY to vacate POK and give it back to India.
Another important point is Pakistan terrorist had killed Kashmir Pandits in a genocidal way... they had changed the demography of Kashmir valley in favor of Muslims Realistically speaking referendum is irrelevant in a changed situation. Even if Pakistan insist means first Pakistan has to vacate POK and give it back to India as per UN mandate then India will decide. Without vacating POK, Pakistan does not have any right to talk about referendum.
Baby Bilawal seems to be teething these days. Mood swings are characteristic of this condition, accompanied by obsession for a certain toy.
Does this imported guy know where on map Kashmir is?
This good-looking young man before he even starts his political career may exacerbate the cause of both Kashmir and Indo-Pak peace. That’s one way to start being a leader in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Will somebody please buy him a new XBox? Master Bilawal, you need to read up on history. Did you know who lived in Kashmir before the Muslim invaders ran riot in the region? There is a land for Muslims now. Please ask them to go there and the problems will sort themselves out.
Fix your own home first Mr. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari!
Nanoo ZAB promised one thousand years to feast on grass. I should do some thing better than Mama and Nanoo. BTW, do we have grass for more than thousand years. I guess not. Papa will be so mad at me.
wish had a time capsule, PPP two face should send back to Dubai.
Quit waving the Democracy flag little boy when you yourself were never elected as party leader.
"Reading out the United Nations Security Council resolution relating to Kashmir, Bilawal asserted the UN’s demand for “a referendum must be held to decide the fate of Kashmir.” True, very true. But a false impediment is cited by Indians that Pakistan should first vacate Azad Jummu and Kashmir as per UN resolutions, especially the one of 1948. This issue was resolved by the UN Plebiscite Administrator, Sir Owen Dixon. He proposed that the armies of the two States could remain where they were and UN would hold plebicite in the districts of Kashmir and accession would be decided on the basis of votes at the district level, thus making the division of Kashmir a possibility. Pakistan relented its demand for not partitioning Kashmir and agreed to the Dixon formula. Nehru accepted in the hope that Kashmiris could be won over. Thereafter, India spent huge sums of money to develop Kashmir and provide jobs to its inhabitants. But the Nehru “magic” did not work and he reneged on his promise to abide by the Dixon formula. Instead, the Indian National Congress held state elections in 1956 in which no more than 10 percent of Kashmiris participated. But the Indian PM trumpeted it as a proof of Kashmir’s accession to India citing that elections were held under the Indian Constitution. Since then India has called Kashmir its integral part and refused to hold plebiscite. Its stance is quite contrary to UN resolutions and the morality of the issue. But force always trumps justice as India’s continued occupation of Kashmir shows.
"Listen and learn from Pakistan". Learn what- how not to do things?
Only our young Bilawal can stand up to Indias Modi
More drama to fool the public and grab votes. Leave Pakistan and go back abroad.