In the mid 1990s, the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border between Pakistan and India, was relatively porous, with many migrating from Srinagar (Indian-Kashmir) into Azad Kashmir. Some arrived in pursuit of a better life and others with hopes to win back Kashmir.
“I was around 18 years old when I decided I had enough. I had hoped that Pakistan, being a Muslim country, will help us win back Kashmir, but I was wrong,” said Omer, refusing to give his last name.
Omer’s exploits nearly two decades ago landed him with fighters who were training anyone and everyone for Jihad in Kashmir during the 90s.
“I was contacted by them, and they took me to Afghanistan, where I was trained in guerilla warfare for two years,” said Omer.
However, his stint as a Jihadi wouldn’t last too long. Eager to put his newly acquired skills to use, Omer crossed over with a group of fellow ‘freedom fighters’ into Indian-Kashmir.
“We were moving cautiously through the woods and hills when I stepped on a landmine which exploded,” he recalled.
The ill-fated night would constitute his first and last day on the battlefield. Omer injured his foot in the blast and was told by fellow ‘freedom fighters’ to return to the other side of LoC on his own since it was a general protocol for any injured combatants.
“I bandaged my foot, whatever was remaining of it, with a piece of cloth, as it was bleeding profusely. But God gave me the strength and I started to crawl back to this side again,” Omer said. A day later, miraculously, Omer reached the other side of LoC and was taken to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries. Even though doctors saved his life, they weren’t able to salvage his leg. He now wears a prosthetic leg.
Nearly two decades later, Omer is happily married with two children and is living on the outskirts of Muzaffarabad – AJK’s capital. However, even though Omer claims to have severed his ties with militant groups, he still believes that an armed resistance is the only way to win back his homeland.
“That is the only way we can have the world’s attention diverted towards us,” Omer said, adding that he and many other have been let down by the AJK and Pakistani governments as they have softened their stance on the Kashmir dispute over the years.
Speaking about the frequent talks between India and Pakistan, Omer said that even though the two countries have improved ties, they have not done so much for Kashmir’s inhabitants.
“There are these confidence building measures in which trade, travel and entertainment industry exchanges are taking place, but no one is resolving the Kashmir conflict even though everyday there are human rights violation by Indian authorities there.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 5th, 2012.
COMMENTS (60)
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@narayana murthy: If India wants to rule on Kashmir , then they first have to rule the heart of Kashmiris.
@akbar mohiddin: yes he could work in coal mine in balochistan
this is world biggest democracy which cries day and night on plight of pakistani hindus look how they treat kashmiris 1.5 million refugees in pakistan and pakistan government and establishment is too busy cosing it up with the west i liked hamid gul
@Truth Seeker: Go on Alice!!!!!!!!
@Viper: "This Kashmir issue will only end when one of the two nations goes broke. I know who I would put my money on."
Like Afghans are the richest people on this planet and your old friend USSR and new friend USA are the poorest of the poor.
@Indian:
"One more thing do read the statements before as to who was factual and who is speaking in thin air.."
I deliberately ignored your “factual statements” because these so obviously indicate your lack of the understanding of the subject.
"At the time of Partition in 1947, the Hindu population of Pakistan was estimated at approximately a quarter of the total population. For example, the population of Karachi, Pakistan in 1947 was 450,000, of which 51% was Hindu, and 42% was Muslim. In 1951, the Muslim population of Karachi was 96% and the Hindu population was 2% and in 1998, the Hindu population in all of Pakistan was 1.6%. In 1998 (14 years ago!!!) Hindu population was 1.6%… God only knows if any Hindus are left in Pakistan right now as you give me this talk!!! This information is from Pakistan’s own census….. ‘Truth’ as it is!!!! Now come to India – 9.9% in 1950 to 13.4% in 2010 census…. I am waiting for you to speak now"
Let’s start with "Now come to India – 9.9% in 1950 to 13.4% in 2010 census". Nothing to take credit of rather a discredit. This merely corroborate the findings of a recent report published by an Indian commission on Human Rights that comparative to 1947 the economic condition of Muslims deteriorated while of the all the other communities' ameliorated. The rule of thumb is, the more affluent you become the lesser you procreate, and vice versa.
Now come to first part. How can you ignore the impact of history’s biggest migration that took place during the independence. Tens of millions of people crossed borders from both sides. Most Hindus moved to India while Muslims migrated to Pakistan and this cross movement continued till late 50's albeit slowly. Now, what a silly comparison of 1998 percentages with that of 1947. However, the comparison of 1950 figures with the current numbers makes sense (the same you did while comparing Indian data), but for unknown reasons, you chose to skip these numbers which relly mattered.
What I can tell you is that Hindus who stayed in Pakistan are doing very well as they were in 1947, one of the reasons they chose Pakistan over India.
This Kashmir issue will only end when one of the two nations goes broke. I know who I would put my money on.
@Truth Seeker: One more thing do read the statements before as to who was factual and who is speaking in thin air..
@Indian:
"God bless you!!"
My profound thanks.
"can’t get Alice out of the wonderland"
You need solid arguments based on real facts not fairy tales.
@let there be peace:
"let there be peace"
Really? By organising terrorisim in Baluchistan
"Pakistan should Invite and give immediate citizenship to anyone in India"
All you want is land (wealth) and don't give a damn to your fellow denizens of different creed. Yes, we are not Indians; as to you Indian means Hindus. We take pride being Pakistani and are natives of the South Asian Subcontinent, the same land you (Hindus) claim is all yours and the rest of the others must leave.
So, the Muslims leave for Pakistan, Buddhist leave for China, Nexilites leave for Burma, and Sikhs leave for Indian Ocean.
Read your ex-foreign minister Mr. Natwar Singh's book to enlighten yourself who compelled the Muslims to demand for a separate homeland.
@Truth Seeker: God bless you!! You can't get Alice out of the wonderland, then let her be in the wonderland and ask her at-least not to impose the wonderland to the world outside it...
@Truth Seeker: However, every body should have the right to practice and propagate their beliefs as long as the means are peaceful and does not cultivate hate mongering. I appreciate, I also think the same. But pleeease let us start this from Arabia and Persia.
This was also the vision of our founding father, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, What? what? what? :o
@Truth Seeker: To me, it is more shameful to keep insisting on applying the same uncivilized rules in this modern world
again, you are challenging very existence of Pakistan!
@Truth Seeker: Ever you heard of South Sudan and East Timor? . Ever heard about PAKISTAN? It was six decades before South Sudan. An artificial entity called Pakistan was created in NorthWest India for those who think they are not Indian and POPULATION EXCHANGE was carried out. Pakistan should Invite and give immediate citizenship to anyone in India who think they are not Indian, and India should accept non-Muslims/Atheists/Apostates from Pakistan who want to immigrate. If you don't agree, it is like denying very ideological basis of Pakistan.
@SalSal: Fighting for your country against occupational forces is a birth right and responsibility. Nothing mulla here.
yes, but the 'homeland' of Jihadis is Arabia/Persia, NOT India/Indian subcontinent. Why can't the Jihadis go back to their real homeland and fight, kill, and do whatever they want?
@Indian:
"‘Should I also mention what have you done to Sikhs in the recent past’ – What amuses me is a Pakistani raising concerns of a community a member of whom is now the Prime Minister of India"
You forgot to mention the "(photographic proofs of which are hanging in the hall of a Sikh temple on highway 27 in Toronto, Canada)" part. I guess that hurts, hurts badly, and why not? Yes, any decent person, irrespective of his faith or nationality, will get hurt and raise concern after seeing a large number of large sized photographs of brutally tortured, mutilated dead bodies of Sikh youth; courtesy to the so called democratic, secular, shining India's security forces.
Do I also need to refresh your memory of the massacre of 5,000 Sikhs by the Hindu hooligans in a single day in Delhi only; not in a very distant past. Or, of the desecration of the Golden Temple and killings there in by your security forces.
"Shred the hypocrisy and get to reality"
Yes, I say that, you don't. Shred the hypocrisy and get to reality.
three points to consider when you make this claim. one- indians could not win aspirations of muslim before independence. 2-indian meddling in kashmir while agreeing on partion double standard. 3- everyone was told of future independence. maybe you were not invited. some hindus migrated while others converted. you are complaining just like if we complain. like, in auranzeb rule why did india still remains hindu. simple reason majority regions succeeding in claiming independence[pakistan]. what about mauyra gupta dynasty made conversion. God is going to judge us all especially regarding religion.@Indian:
@Indian:
"It is the poor Hindus in rural India who are being converted to Christianity out of lure of a economically better life."
Even though poor Hindus were lured to Christianity; whose fault is this in the first place?; it was being done peacefully and lawfully. My point is, what Hindus did in retaliation?. Burnt their Churches, threatened to their life and property - by the way, the same was done to Muslims also on innumerable occasions - all the acts of force and vandalism instead of peaceful preaching. Should I also mention what have you done to Sikhs in the recent past (photographic proofs of which are hanging in the hall of a Sikh temple on highway 27 in Toronto, Canada).
"By the way i hope you read of the conversions of Hindus to Islam in Pakistan"
I guess this is same as in India, but be assured that any incidence of force is an exception not the rule.
@Indian:
"islam rule all over the world and let secular societies be secular"
Personally, I agree with you that State should be "truly" Secular, not the pseudo secular like India, and the religion should be a private matter.However, every body should have the right to practice and propagate their beliefs as long as the means are peaceful and does not cultivate hate mongering. This was also the vision of our founding father, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, as outlined in his speech to the constituent assembly.
@Yuri Kondratyuk:
"No native Indians were christians or muslims. So, what are you talking about?"
Playing dumb will not help. I am off course talking about the "forced" conversion, persecution and even killing of Buddhists and Jains in the past, and Muslims and Christians in the recent times by Hindu extremists. By the way, human race did not came into existence with Hinduism as their religion.
@Truth Seeker: "What a pathetic and desperate rhetoric to defend the un-defendable act of forced conversions – which is still going on mainly in rural India with the weaker minorities like Christians and Muslims – a fact preserved in human history." First requirement to be a truth seeker is to know the farce in the information being fed to you. It is the poor Hindus in rural India who are being converted to Christianity out of lure of a economically better life. And Muslims in India have never converted to any other religion let alone Hinduism in a mass (an occasional incident here and there might be there but that is an exception to the general rule and not the rule in itself). So, please get your facts right or else stop spreading lies or misinformation... Speak the truth Mr.Truth Seeker!! By the way i hope you read of the conversions of Hindus to Islam in Pakistan. Do the 'Truth Seeking' why??
@Truth Seeker: Maybe you guys understand the same and stop blurting things like gazwa e hind and islam rule all over the world and let secular societies be secular...
@Truth Seeker:
No native Indians were christians or muslims. So, what are you talking about?
@Observer:
"As a fair minded and intellectually honest guy, would you also agree that it was a shame that Islamic invaders imposed Muslim rule on Hindu lands for a period of 800+ years?"
I wish the world had been as civilized 2000 years ago as it is today (no so civilized, yet better), but back then these were the rules of the game. People still revere those great conquerors like Alexander the Great. The same was happening within the Indian subcontinent between the rival princely states and fiefdoms, but the only difference was their limited courage to reach beyond the subcontinent.
To me, it is more shameful to keep insisting on applying the same uncivilized rules in this modern world.
@manish:
"YES we brahmins(aryans) came from central asia i.e. TURKEY, PERSIA, UZBEKISTAN. now we want to come back."
My recommendation to you is to check with the embassy of the relevant country i.e. “TURKEY, PERSIA, UZBEKISTAN” along with your proof of origin. And, please inform me the outcome, please.
@Indian trolls..... We Pakistani people will continue to support kashmiri struggle in every possible way....against 700,000 strong Indian force.....
Kashmir issue shall be resolve in light of UN resolution.
@sylmarkhan:
"shame on indians gilgit have forgotten hindu rule, indians think they can impose hindu rule on muslim lands. this is not maurya century or gulab singhs century. that is why india lost this war."
As a fair minded and intellectually honest guy, would you also agree that it was a shame that Islamic invaders imposed Muslim rule on Hindu lands for a period of 800+ years?
@amit:
"TO SAVE DHARMA WE ARE UNITED ANY MOSTLY BUDDHIST AND AND SOME JAIN BECOME FALLOWER OF HINDUISM."
What a pathetic and desperate rhetoric to defend the un-defendable act of forced conversions - which is still going on mainly in rural India with the weaker minorities like Christians and Muslims – a fact preserved in human history.
@Truth Seeker: YES we brahmins(aryans) came from central asia i.e. TURKEY, PERSIA, UZBEKISTAN. now we want to come back . are muslims ready to vacate those lands?
@Dr Imran Ahmed: why not the balochs be allowed to decide their own future? if you do not integrate with the rest of the country hoping that being hindus they will discriminate against you, it's your fault.
the best option for us & them is to cut all ties with them. tell them our brethren can't have peaceful life what is useful for us to have diplomatic relations.
this way we can win back kashmiri aspiration & the same time show the indians that kashmir pakistan is closed road for them to venture.
If they want to resolve the dispute the heart of kashmir lies in pakistan. too many suffering yet have diplomatic ties. what use if this country does not recognize pakistan kashmir to have diplomatic ties.
the government is corrupt, they foreign policy that backfires. we have to solve our internal problems before we can create strongest foreign policy.
why do we have misconception that india will want to resolve, when they keep militarized the disputed state. shame on indians gilgit have forgotten hindu rule, indians think they can impose hindu rule on muslim lands. this is not maurya century or gulab singhs century. that is why india lost this war.
@G. Din:
"What country in the world exercises self-determination after it has been exercised? If some people are not happy, best course is to immigrate!"
Ever you heard of South Sudan and East Timor? According to your logic these guys should have immigrated, possibly to India".
@Kashmiri Chilgoza:
"The whole subcontinent Ie entire south asia belongs to hindus (sikhs, jains, buddhists)"
When did the Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists become part of the Hindus. You should read history what the Hindus did to the Buddhists to make them flee for life from subcontinent (their motherland). And, what you did to Sikhs in the recent past and what are you doing with Muslims and Christians currently.
@G. Din:
“and then has been attested to and confirmed since then at every election. India will not go through that exercise merely because some people somehow are not happy”
And to motivate them to attest to and control “some” unhappy citizens, India needs only 700,000 strong military personnel (world’s 3rd largest) in Kashmir only. And, not to mention billions upon billions of dollars of lethal military hardware imported to suppress any such aspirations of self rule.
@G. Din:
"We are not afraid of any exercises of self-determination. Self-determination by Kashmiris was exercised in 1947"
A blatent lie, at the least. When did that happen? Any exact date? Who suppervised this exercise?
@Indian:
"In the very same voice you can also say – ‘Let baluchis decide their own future now that they see Pakistan as an external force on their land…’"
By all means. If the Indian Government agree to hold plebiscite in Kashmir under the United Nations, we have no problem doing the same in Baluchistan. Only this time your conspiracy will fail - in-spite of your best not so clandestine operations - as this would a democratic exercise, not a military aggression.
@Truth Seeker: "I am sure most Indians would love to abandon their “Hindu Land” if given immigration of these Christian occupied lands. " No, they never did and they never would. They go where their talents are requested and paid for. Legions of them are returning, too. "Here is the world’s biggest democracy (hypocrisy), who is afraid of its people and run from a democratic process of self determination." We are not afraid of any exercises of self-determination. Self-determination by Kashmiris was exercised in 1947 and and then has been attested to and confirmed since then at every election. India will not go through that exercise merely because some people somehow are not happy. What country in the world exercises self-determination after it has been exercised? If some people are not happy, best course is to immigrate!
@Kashmiri Chilgoza:
"The whole subcontinent Ie entire south asia belongs to hindus (sikhs, jains, buddhists). Everybody esle should be kicked out back to arabia."
Most people living in Pakistan (Muslims, Christians, Hindus etc.), I guess 99.9%, are the natives of the Indian subcontinent. Which Arabian country you would kick us to? And most importantly, where you would kick your Hindu Barahmans (Aryans) to?
@narayana murthy:
Never read about a "Hindu Land", or "Christian Land", or "Jew Land", or "Muslim Land" in history. And what about "Atheists Land"? The fact is, countries are created according to the wishes of the people living there. What about USA, Canada, Australia, Newzealand, or South Africa? I am sure most Indians would love to abandon their "Hindu Land" if given immigration of these Christian occupied lands.
Here is the world's biggest democracy (hypocrisy), who is afraid of its people and run from a democratic process of self determination.
@Dr Imran Ahmed: In the very same voice you can also say - 'Let baluchis decide their own future now that they see Pakistan as an external force on their land...'
Our policy in supporting freedom fighters in kashmir should be much more aggressive. Shame on our corrupt leaders who sit silently while our kashmiri brothers are oppressed by savages.
@SalSal
Jihad is sanctioned by the state, and armies fight in the battle field. If the states decide on a ceasefire, according to Islam, it’s binding on every citizen. Private jihadi groups only exploit people; its just a business.
Dont reveal the fact that Pakistan trains and sends armed people in to Indian Kashmie...the world will know it and our case will be weaker...make a face as if we know nothing likw we did when NATO accused us of supporting Talibans
@faraz Fighting for your country against occupational forces is a birth right and responsibility. Nothing mulla here.
Kashmir was unjustly handed to India against the wishes of it's majority who remain unhappy with Indian rule. The issue is a stalemate between the two countries Pakistan and India and has proved impossible to resolve by force. Let the Kashmiri decide his own future.
The whole subcontinent Ie entire south asia belongs to hindus (sikhs, jains, buddhists). Everybody esle should be kicked out back to arabia.
Dear Omar, your services are more required in Baluchistan than Kashmir and you get a lot of support there. Lot of Baluchis are killed everyday, there is no government to protect them whereas in Kashmir there is a responsible government, judiciary, media.
@narayana murthy: well said,enough concessions have been made.not only india but the entire world has lost patience with jihadis in chechenya,xingjiang,kashmir etc.keep fulfilling their wish for paradise.
Your homeland is not kashmir. kashmir is a Hindu land. You are happy in Muzaffarabad. You should ask your other Muslim brothers to move to Pakistan and live happily. Leave our Hindu land and go to your Muslim land!!! Sorry, we can only be blunt here.
“I was contacted by them, and they took me to Afghanistan, where I was trained in guerilla warfare for two years,” said Omer. - Does anyone need to say anything more what Pakistan is actually doing??
The poor guy was exploited by mullahs who live in large cities and whose children live abroad