Jammu and Kashmir: AJK president hints at ‘third option’ talks

Says issue may be resolved with BJP at the helm.


Irfan Ghauri February 20, 2014
AJK President Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan. PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD:


AJK President Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan on Wednesday hinted that Pakistan was ready to talk with India on the option of carving out an independent state of Jammu and Kashmir.


“We are ready to consider the option, if India comes to the negotiating table and puts forward the idea of giving Indian Held Kashmir (IHC) independent status,” the president remarked in what appears to be a major policy shift.

He was speaking with a group of reporters after his meeting with Muhammad Afzal Khan, who is contesting the upcoming elections of the European Union from the UK, and Manchester Lord Mayor Naeemul Hassan.

The option of an independent state of Jammu and Kashmir had always been a contentious issue amongst the Kashmiris themselves and in India and Pakistan. Under the AJK interim constitution, even those who believe in the idea of an independent Kashmir were barred from taking part in the AJK legislative assembly elections.

The AJK president said Pakistan was sincere in wanting to resolve the Kashmir issue. “These things (discussing options) are only possible when India comes to the negotiating table and admits that Kashmir is a disputed territory,” he added.  “If India agrees to give IHC independence status, we can also think (along these lines),” he told another questioner.

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To a question about the possibility of the BJP coming to power in India and its impact on the Kashmir issue, the AJK president said he was more hopeful of a resolution to the issue with the BJP in power. “Congress has never shown any seriousness (to resolve the issue),” he remarked.

He said once NATO forces begin drawing back from Afghanistan, the Kashmir issue will once again become important. He said Afghanistan had overshadowed the Kashmir issue for the past 10 years.

Earlier, Afzal Khan, a British Pakistani who is one of the promising candidates to secure a seat in the European Parliament, said the EU should play its role to resolve the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan.

He said the EU should appoint a focal person on Kashmir just as it appointed Catherine Ashton, the EU’s top foreign policy official, to lead talks that led to the current deal over Iran’s nuclear programme.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2014.

COMMENTS (51)

Jammu wasi | 10 years ago | Reply

Kashmiris are being used.

NotSoCommon | 10 years ago | Reply "Hindu migrants from Gujurat and Buddhist Tibetans refugees are not part of our region, but pushed into Kashmir by Indian state policy." Shows you complete knowledge of the policies in place in Kasmir......ZERO. Heard of article 370? One of its clauses states - no non-permanent resident has a right to either buy or own a property in J&K. So if the India govt's policy was to "infiltrate" Kashmir, this article will mute it. Is there any such policy in "AZAD(?)" Kashmir? Secondly if you really want to go with who owns the land then lets talk history, who do you think came first - your 97% muslims or the hindus/buddhist? If you cannot understand the concept of sharing of this historic and cultural land, then its you who needs to move out of the original lands of the Hindus and Buddhist. If Pakistan was for all the muslims of the sub continent, as your justification for the move of Kashmir to Pakistan, then why did so many muslims stay back in India? and why did Bangladesh separate from it? "Free elections. Don’t make me laugh" You may laugh at free election but the 60% voters who turned out for it didn't. So if you want, then please move over to azad(?) kashmir and laugh to your hearts content. And lastly regarding the subjugation of the land of "your people", how about asking China to return the part it was gifted by Pakistan. Get that first and then you can talk about getting the rest from India. Until then my suggestion would be to open your eyes and look around the world, the reality may surprise you
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