Prominent events in the valley from 1947 to date.
1. Kashmir Conspiracy case.
In early 50s ,the Indian central intelligence in the valley starting sending ground reports that the ruling elite in kashmir was working for an independent Kashmir and hobnobbing with Pakistan authorities to supply material and infrastructural support and help with cash and materials for arson and propaganda against the Republic of India. On getting a spate of reports from the intelligence supported by credible documentary evidence Sheikh Abdullah was dismissed and his lieutenant G.m.Bakhshi was appointed as P.M.by the majority in the house. Abdullah was arrested on August 8 ,1953 but later released on .He was again arrested in 1958 when a prosecution case of conspiracy for sedition ,and treason and war against the Indian state (in collusion with Pakistan )and spreading communal discord against Abdullah ,Beg,and 20 others was taken to court. The court case continued till 1968 when the state govt withdrew the case as directed by the centre for political reasons.
2. Moi muqadas agitation ( agitation for the lost relic of prophet's hair from Hazratbal shrine)
Moi(Arabic Strand of hair). Muqadas(sacred)
In Dec..1963 , it was found that the enshrined relic of prophet's hair at Hazratbal was missing from the shrine. This led to large scale spontaneous protests in all parts of the valley. To guide the agitation ,a working council of different social,religious and political groups was formed to guide and plan the agitation to put pressure on central and state govts.for the recovery of the relic . There were strong grounds for rumours afloat in the valley at that time as being the handiwork of some high-ups in the ruling clique for personal reasons. And when the conditions in the valley started getting out of control, it was secretly placed in the shrine and on following Friday it was publicly displayed after a group of muftis declared it as genuine in January 1964.
3.1965 invasion by Pakistan
Having failed in 1947, Pakistan planned and executed what was called 'operation Gibraltor' and without any fomal declaration of war , sent about 15000 soldiers of its army with air support from P.A..F., as infiltrators across the various trail routes into the valley across the cease - fire line Surreptitiously to seize the valley and proclaim it as a part of Pakistan . Their presumption was the Muslim majority would rise against India once pakistani forces were in Srinagar. this guerrilla movement was detected on August 6,1965 by gujjars in the BAHAKS (summer grazing grounds in the higher reaches in the mountain passes) who informed the nearest CRPF post . By the time the Indian army's resistance began, the vanguard of the Pakistan Army (clothed in local style)had already reached Batamallu in Srinagar city. The general public was completely unaware of the situation till the inhabitants of the locality were asked by the army to vacate for a few days to search and capture the raiders and those who harboured them. I am a living witness of the tragic scenario of a caravan of people emanating from Batamaloo along with their essentials down the road for dispersal to any alternative locations they could muster within the city. Coincidentally , I was on my way to Baramulla from my home at Karannagar when I passed this route and saw this caravan coming from the opposite direction. Pakistan presumably had succeeded in creating some sleeper cells even in 1965. The Pakistani army sensing their failure starting moving back. Another group of infiltrators was repulsed by a pincer movement by the Indian army at Singhpora and repulsed. The Pakistanis had planned to complete the capture of Srinagar cantonment ,secretariat ,radio station and the airport by 12/13 August and welcome Gen.Ayub khan on his projected arrival at Srinagar on 14th August ,Pakistan's Independence Day to declare accession of Kashmir to Pakistan . This story was based on the input of the local dailies of Srinagar during that period but its authenticity could not be corroborated by any other source.
In Jammu region, the Pak army attacked and captured the area from nearly 4 kms across Munawar tawi bridge to 2 kms. Short of Akhnoor town deploying air force,tanks and infantry regiments . Frantic air attacks were made on Akhnoor bridge to cut off the route from Jammu to Poonch. Pakistan crossed the Chenab river at Pargoal and captured Khour area and northwards to cut off the Jammu Poonch road at chowki chora . Pakistani regulars crossed the entire border from Sum nallah to Munnawar Tawi with tanks and armour in a brigade strength setting up its HQRS. at Peera-Da-khoh in the housing of the irrigation dept. already available. The front spread upto Bawe-Da-Mazar leaving Akhnoor only 2kms away. The entire left bank of River Chenab from Laliyal to Indri- patan was vulnerable due to constant mortar fire and shelling from Chicken-Neck ( a conical- shaped Pakistan territory projecting into the state on the right bank of minor branch of Chenab). An island between the two branches of Chenab called Pargoal was captured and part ot Tawi island and all the villages and small islands at the confluence of Tawi and Chenab fell into the hands of the enemy.The area across Munnawar Tawi in Chamb taluka including the town was captured with token resistance from Border Security Force and reportedly renamed as Farouqabad . The same strategy was extended to the entire area up to Poonch, and Meindhar bypassing the main towns in the first phase of the offensive.A counter offensive from India resulted in capture of Hajipir plateau which was Pakistan's nodal point of its strategic control on outskirts surrounding Poonch which had already passed into their hands right to Krishna- gati pass near Poonch town.
The situation for India was getting indefensible , and it had no alternative to opening a front of its own choosing from Gurdaspur to suchetgarh area to mount an offensive on 12th sept.1965,on Pakistan through the international border with full armoured might. Our fighting forces were on the gates of Lahore within a week (Ichugal defence channel) and our forces captured area at least 20-25 kms deep into Pakistan in western Punjab right upto Sialkot skirting the city.Immediately, after the offensive by India ,the Pakistan army started retreating facing pursuit by our army and Air Force . Jammu & Kashmir could not be rescued in 1965 if India had not started the offensive against the enemy from the fronts which suited It topographically across the international border .Pakistan was not expecting India would cross the International border. They counterattacked in the Barmer area and Khemkaran area . Pakistan army and air force landed a massive attack in khemkaran sector putting its patton tanks in the battle of assal- uttar (fitting its name when our jawans gave a befitting answer to Pakistan by inflicting heavy losses of men,and armour . The saga of sacrifice by our jawans against much superior armour is one of the legends of 1965. the defeat at assal uttar demoralised Pakistanis. The big powers wanted the hostilities to cease.Ultimately, a ceasefire was declared at Tashkent and an agreement between PM of India , Shastri and President Ayub Khan of Pakistan was sighned with Russian president Khrushchev as the arbiter. The history of 1947 was repeated in as much as we lost the chamb tehsil to Pakistan and returned the Haji- pir pass to them against our own future national interests and in the end I cannot place Pakistan as a loser in that adventure. I can't fathom why we handed over Hajipir and conceded to non- return of Chamb area across R..Munawar Tawi when the stipulation in Tashkent agreement wanted both India and Pakistani armies withdraw to the line of actual control before the hostilities.
4. 1967. The Pandit agitation( abduction of a pandit girl Parmeshwari Handu)
In the co- operative society shop (super bazaar ), Srinagar a pandit girl , Parmeshwari was employed on the sales counter . Daughter of an old widow residing at Rainawari , she was the sole bread earner for the family. She disappeared in August1967, when she did not return home . The poor mother contacted the police but to no avail. The news spread fast among the Pandits and some prominent Pandits took up the issue with the state machinery but got poor response.
After some days,the girl was produced before public by a fellow employee of hers ,proclaiming that she had converted to Islam and taken the new name Parveena and willingly married him twisting the facts. The truth was that she had been abducted and confined for several days and coerced to convert and marry the person without informing her mother.
The pandit community was alarmed and to their annoyance no notice was taken of their pleas by the state . It was only after all the doors were closed for them , they started a peaceful and non- violent agitation . The agitation was spearheaded by an action committee .The central nodal place for planning and programming of the agitation was at shitalnath in the office and ground of Sanatan Dharam Yuvak Sabha. The intensity ,spontaneity and response from Kashmiri Pandit men and women of all age groups was a major surprise to all and sundry. Voluteers for daily jathas for satyagraha and hunger strike from all sides of the valley joined the morchas .The protest did'nt slow down nor were there any indication of a slow down inspite of all the police brutalities and state crackdown and arrests. All means like harassment, physical cruelities and false propaganda were used by the state and goons from downtown population to suppress and fail the protest . The agitation still raged unabated till end of Sept when the centre intervened and mediated. Ultimately an accord was signed between the representatives of the centre ,the state ,and the Pandits and the agitation was withdrawn.
One positive from this episode emerged with no further abductions to lure,entice,and coerce pandit girls for a long time after 1967 up to 1990s when there was a well planned PROGROM against the Pandits forcing them to quit the valley.
5.Hijacking of Indian Aircrafts in 1970 & 1999
5.1. A Fokker Friendship aircraft 'Ganga' of Indian Airlines Corporation on its scheduled flight from Srinagar to Jammu on 30-01-1970 was hijacked by two Kashmiri militants ,Ashraf Qureshi and Hashim Qureshi demanding release of their comrades in custody . The pilot was redirected to Lahore.The passengers were disembarked after negotiations .The plane was burnt accompanied with a victory dance of the militants and chants of allah-u-akbar and anti- India slogans. Hashmis were treated as heroes . After negotiation,the passengers returned home in another plane sent by India. Immediately after the return of the passengers back home,India dis-allowed all Pakistani civil and army over-flights over its air space increasing the distance between the two wings of Pakistan . Pakistan retaliated by disallowing its airspace to Indian aircraft . The irony of the whole episode is both the Hashmis were later tried as Indian spies as a measure of expediency to defame India internationally
5.2.an Indian Airlines Flt. 814 with on its scheduled flight from Khatmandu tp New Delhi with 176 passengers on board was hijacked enroute by six Pakistani militants from the Hizb-ul- mujahideen on 24.12.1999. It was allowed to refill at Amritsar airport When it was refused to land at Lahore and diverted to Dubai but not allowed to land and again diverted to Kandahar in Afganistanto land surrounded by the militants. They issued an ultimatum to the central govt to release Hizb. Chief ,MAULANA MASOOD AZHAR, OMAR AHMED OMAR SHEIKH AND MUSHTAQ AHMED ZARGAR before a deadline when they would kill the passengers before destroying the plane. At Amritsar ,they had already killed one passenger and injured many though they conceded to allow the old, children and sick to disembark . India had to accept these conditions to save the passengers . The humiliation of the then Minister Of external affairs accompanying the three dreaded terrorists to Kandhar was the price India had to face to save the life of the passengers in view of our weak position in that environment of militant-dominated territory where writ of international law and relations did not exist. It is easy to dissect or comment in a post-trauma situation for political expediency as has been done so often since then, but a dispassionate and honest opinion has to be that the then PM and his cabinet exhibited great moral and physical courage by taking the only option open to them in national interest .
5. 1971 war.
The fact remains that the Pakistan's mindset that creation of Pakistan was incomplete without inclusion of Kashmir valley and other contagious muslim majority areas like poonch and rajouri in jammu region is the bedrock of its relations with India. There were two attempts earlier in 1947 and 1965 when Pakistan fought wars to annex kashmir but failed. From 1965 the tentacles of jammat-ul-Islami and net work of madrassas expanded (fuelled and funded by foreign sources)in the valley with indoctrination of pan-Islamic Wahhabi wave in the Kashmiri youth slowly started overtaking and over- riding the tolerant traditions of Kashmiri Sufist Islam. This wave spread and inculcated into schools,colleges and universities and thence travelled into all sections of the society with passage of time. Though the majority of the population wanted peace, a fringe extremist element got spawned into militant Islam . These elements got all the necessary assistance from the Kashmiri agents of Pakistan.Even after nearly a quarter of century after accession to India, Kashmiri Muslims were still not in the mainstream of Indian thought and ethos but had aspirations of a separate Kashmiri identity . The hot and cold policy of the Central Govt.made the situation worse by alienating the population and a peripheral polity grew in the valley demanding independence from India ,or outright merger with Pakistan . When this fringe started acting in collusion with Pakistan army intelligence, the propagation of anti-india sentiment in the muslim youth of the valley got a boost. It was 1971, and Pakistan over-estimated the extent of the intensity and the spread of this sentiment . They misjudged that in the event of their army sudden dash to Srinagar in a gorilla force ,the entire Muslim population of the valley would rise as one in rebellion against India and Pakistan would intervene as a ruse to help the Kashmiris to overcome the military might of India and as a follow-up wrest the valley from India .
On Pakistan Air Force in an unprovoked sudden and swift move attacked the IAF air stations in northern and western India. India retaliated with its full might inflicting heavy damage to Pakistan's air and land power within the first few days of the war. Pakistan entered the heavy armour across the state border across Chenab river at Pargoal and Planwala sector in Akhnoor region to advance to chowkichowra village to cut off the communication artery to Poonch And Rajouri by blocking the Jammu-Poonch road. Air attacks were mounted for bombing the Akhnoor bridge across R. Chenab on Jammu Poonch highway. But unlike 1965,they could'nt make any headway in the Akhnoor area as India was better prepared. In The Poonch and Rajouri sectors the resistance from India could not hold on for long due to long supply line and more difficult access from base.
India strategically chose to open another front by crossing the international line from Gurdaspur to shakargarh with later extension to suchetgarh (Sialkot sector). Pakistan apart from defending its territory attacked with its heavily armoured land forces and Air Force all along the border from Jaisalmer(Rajasthan) to Doab area in Punjab , the venue of the decisive battle of Longawal. To assist the support and morale of the forces,the civilian volunteers of Jammu and kathua would carry parcels of cooked meals,fresh milk and curds ,vegetables fruits in their transport to the fronts round the clock braving the constant shelling and air forays the enemy. I have witnessed all this with awe and admiration.
It was almost concurrently that India was posed with the problem of heavy influx of Bengali Hindu refugees from the east pakistan(now Bangladesh )due to Mass killings,abduction ,rapes and untold cruelty of Pakistan army stationed in the then E.Pakistan . They were out to quell the battle- cry of the bangla Mukhti vahini who wanted Bangladesh ceded from Pakistan . sheikh Mujib ur Rahman who was the president of Awami league scored a stunning victory in the election getting a majority in Pakistan assembly and was arrested and flown out to Punjab and tried for treason.
In order to arrest the flood of refugees to India ,Indian army waged multi- pronged assault on east Pakistan with Mukhti vahini scouting and guiding to easiest approaches. Being with scanty supply line , the Pakistan army finally surrendered .The Bengalis declared independence from Pakistan and this was the birth of Bangladesh and Rahman was declared its first president .
Pakistan's allies America and China assumed threatening postures but stopped when faced with surrender of Pakistan army by Lt. Gen. AAA Niazi to LtGen. J.S.Arora ,by signing the instrument of surrender at Dacca .
In the western sector slow attrition of Pakistan armour had already set in.
The western powers and other friends of Pakistan pressurised India to agree to a cease- fire which was declared when the instrument of surrender was signed in the eastern sector at Dacca and the war ended. It was a blessing to Pakistan as any extension of war would end in its rout and further division by similar situation developing in Blouchistan. 92000 officers and men were taken over as prisoners of war by the Indian army and detained in different places ,one of them at Ram nagar,Udhampur,J&K, which I have seen personally .
India was in a bargaining position to settle the so called Kashmir issue permanently in 1971 but all we could negotiate was the Simla agreement which has been reduced to a farce by Pakistan time and again .Again what we gained on the ground we lost in diplomacy.
6.Growth of alienation and militancy in the valley and other Muslim dominated districts of Jammu .
The think- tank of the Sheikh Abdullah led National Conference grew up in their political struggle against the Dogra rulers with the notion of a separate Kashmiri identity. With his stature as the tallest valley leader, he transmitted this sentiment to the masses. During the days of non- accession to either India or Pakistan he sent a mission headed by Afzal Beg to Pakistan in early oct. 1947 to negotiate terms with Jinnah for safeguarding the Kashmiri identity( priority the valley.). Jinnah rejected any conditions and asked for outright accession . The mission to Pakistan failed and he (Abdullah )had India to negotiate with . With Pakistani attack on the state in last week of Oct. 1947 , the issue of accession was forced on Maharaja to ask for assistance of India and Nehru made Abdullah as as a participitant of back -up party of the negotiating team. It was at this stage that Mahraja was made to abdicate and transfer power to the representative of the people. Nehru was agreeable to allow:
1. A separate flag
2. A separate constitution
3.naming of head of council of ministers govt as P.M.
4.separate president termed Saddar-I-Riyasat.
5.J&K citizenship for only domicile residents later incorporated as Art.370 of the constitution of India .
6.Offering a plebiscite for permanent settlement for the state which can never happen now ( as the condition of de- militarisation by both India and Pakistan shall remain unfulfilled between these nuclear powers . Pakistan has gifted some of the aksai- chin area to China and impounded the Northern areas of Gilgit and Skadu under its direct control )
Thus construing the psychology of an autonomous region within the dominion of India . India had jurisdiction of Defence ,communications,and External affairs .In those early days, one had to get a permit to enter the state of J&K accentuating the idea of separateness.. The die for the present turmoil was actually administratively cast in 1947.
The Indian army operations repulsed the Pakistanis but It will remain a riddle why India accepted the ceasefire at a strategically difficult line of defence leaving some important salients with the enemy. Maybe the Kashmiri leaders headed by sheikh Abdullah worked on this to avoid any meddling from punjabi-speaking Muslims from other areas in vicinity of W.Pakistan in their quest for political primacy in Indian held J&K?
The first elected Govt of J&K with Abdullah as P.M.. took over in Feb.1948 and in his speeches and statements ,he made no secret that Kashmir held its distinct place with its autonomous relations with the Union of India. The western powers found the situation ripe for playing the big brother with strong anti-Indian bias with Pakistan as willing partner for the perpetual intrigue and espionage and sabotage. The American Aldai Stevenson came to Srinagar those days and met the Sheikh.
The IB(central intelligence beareau) from their ground reports submitted a detailed report to the govt.of India regarding the valley politicians conspiring with some elements in Pakistan for getting assistance to engage in a perpetual armed struggle in their quest for autonomy from India if and when all 'other means failed. This case was known as the 'Kashmir conspiracy case' and was later withdrawn for political reasons. Had, at that juncture, this case been pursued to its legal and logical conclusion, Kashmir might have suffered less over the years as the populace would accept the judicial process and its ultimate conclusions .
The immediate effect of the subsequent incarceration of Sheikh Abdullah by the Govt. of India was spawning of a breed of adherents to the idea of autonomy/independence across the entire section of Kashmiri society . Whether it was the student community in schools,colleges,or institutes of higher learning , the the depth of this feeling grew .
With the passage of time ,it is now bred into the psyche of the present generations living in the valley being strongly opposed by regions like jammu ,kathua,udhampur and ladakh districts where Muslims are in a minority turning the undertones of the issue as communal.
With the Kashmiri society bereft of the umbrella of Sheikh Abdullah's leadership ,the N.C.adherent split into different branches . The days of opportunistic alliances started taking shape and any govt. would only last if the centre so wished.There were numerous P.Ms/C.M's from 1953 to 1975 (when Abdullah returned as C.M. as per a pact between him and Indra Gandhi)and in these 22 years anti-Indian feeling expanded as Kashmiris felt let down.
The legacy of sheikh in his absence was taken over by Afzal beg who started the 'J&K Plebescite front' as the National conference was hijacked by Bhakshi Ghulam Mohd who was installed as the P.M. Of the state with support by the progressive groups .In this period , the National conference was merged into national congress and also got a resolution of full accession to India passed in the state assembly.
The jurisdiction of the pesident of india ,C.E.C., Supreme Court of India ,comptroller and auditor general of India ,etc.was extended to the state.the state would have a Governor and a Chief minister henceforth . All these changes diluted 1947 coditionalities mutually agreed to by Nehru and Abdullah. That is why the demand of the N.C. that the state should be restored to pre-1953 status in their demand of autonomy and there is no visible difference on this policy with the other groups with the exceptions of BJP and Ladakh Buddhist Council.
As the ruling clique had merged the NC with the Indian national congress and sheikh Abdullah on his release fought elections in 1977 on the national conference ticket and got a majority to form the Govt.as chief minister of the state. He again started the autonomy debate ,but distanced himself from the idea of independence. He died In 1982 .
After his death ,their were succession claims within the family.GMShah left the NC and started Awami National Conference. NC was headed by Farouq Abdullah . An era of manipulative political opportunism set in and was exploited by the centre . Aya rams and Gaya rams were ready for changing a majority into a minority and resulted in interegums of CMs and President's rule. Nobody in the state and the centre acted to control the flow of ideologues of the rabid anti- Indian and fundamentalist philosophy into the the all sections and tiers of the society spreading the venom against anything connected with India or Indian . Local militant groups like JKLF , and splinter groups created mayhem and sabotage on a comparatively minor scale by targeting only unarmed civilian targets mostly Kashmiri Pandit leading lights in public but were locally instrumental in the wide spread of anti- indian psychosis within the Muslim dominated areas.Now Pakistan's ISI accelerated the undercover activities in Kashmir by sending trained militants (commanders and foot soldiers )across with and maintained a continuous supply lines of local guides, infrastructural support groups, finanances,arms and ammunition. Training camps were set-up in pak-held Kashmir and Pakistan for Kashmiri Muslim youth who were entinced by any means ,be it threats,coercion, financial support, radical sentiments,and even pan- Islamic idealism. The hideouts for men and materials in the higher reaches for stockpiling of provisions and arms and ammunition and even training camps were put in place across all mountain trails of access to the valley . The entire infrastructure with adequate flow of trained militants from across the border was complete by late 80's and the militancy in Kashmir announced its arrival in August 1989 and continues with equal vigour unabated with deceptively quiescent periods depending on the pressure from the security forces and state of relations between India and Pakistan.
By this time, the political thought in the valley crystallised into distinct sections:
1.those who openly advocate merger with Pakistan headed by G.M.Gillani who became later the spearhead and overt face and voice of militancy and insurrection against Indian state . They get their strength and voice by being propped by established millitancy and sufficient freedom which a democratic system and soft reactions of the ruling class allows them.they donot accept the Indian constitution .
2. The advocates of independent Kashmir . Like Mirvaiz molvi farooq (now his son Ummar)G.H.Lone (now his two sons) and many others like them who openly advocate AZADI .a group who after inset of millitancy in late 1980's were called moderate Hurriyat and they accept the Indian constitution only whenever it suits them for their selfish interests.
3.the mainstream parties like National Conference ,People's Democratic party,Communist party of India with each one with their power base but united in their search for dilution of centre's powers in J &K.the BJP has just a notional presence in Muslim dominated areas and is a non-player and as such a non- entity in the political events of these areas.
From 1980's the ethnic cleansing of minorities in these areas under the threat of gun totting militants backed by a section of the local politicians (very much under the eyes of Govt) is a fact of HISTORY evenly understated by vested interests in the state and the centre .The extinction of almost an entire community of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley by the gun wielding Muslim fundamentalists will always stay as a blot on secular India.
The only viable solution of this problem would be to give the valley autonomy after eking out a separate land for resettlement of ousted KPs to retain a hold in their homeland and keeping the military only at the borders for their specified job of safeguarding the existing de - facto borders ,strongly blocking any ingress and egress of disparate hostiles. Having done this ,all anti-national actors should be harshly dealt with.The aspirations of Jammu and Ladakh regions have to be addressed separately on the basis of ground realities.The Central Govt. in India needs to determine now to act fast against any anti national elements from within and outside as the present situation may result in a never-ending mayhem and bad human rights record and expanding activities of the fundamentalists and separatists and may get out of control with disasterous consequences for our nation..
1. Kashmir Conspiracy case.
In early 50s ,the Indian central intelligence in the valley starting sending ground reports that the ruling elite in kashmir was working for an independent Kashmir and hobnobbing with Pakistan authorities to supply material and infrastructural support and help with cash and materials for arson and propaganda against the Republic of India. On getting a spate of reports from the intelligence supported by credible documentary evidence Sheikh Abdullah was dismissed and his lieutenant G.m.Bakhshi was appointed as P.M.by the majority in the house. Abdullah was arrested on August 8 ,1953 but later released on .He was again arrested in 1958 when a prosecution case of conspiracy for sedition ,and treason and war against the Indian state (in collusion with Pakistan )and spreading communal discord against Abdullah ,Beg,and 20 others was taken to court. The court case continued till 1968 when the state govt withdrew the case as directed by the centre for political reasons.
2. Moi muqadas agitation ( agitation for the lost relic of prophet's hair from Hazratbal shrine)
Moi(Arabic Strand of hair). Muqadas(sacred)
In Dec..1963 , it was found that the enshrined relic of prophet's hair at Hazratbal was missing from the shrine. This led to large scale spontaneous protests in all parts of the valley. To guide the agitation ,a working council of different social,religious and political groups was formed to guide and plan the agitation to put pressure on central and state govts.for the recovery of the relic . There were strong grounds for rumours afloat in the valley at that time as being the handiwork of some high-ups in the ruling clique for personal reasons. And when the conditions in the valley started getting out of control, it was secretly placed in the shrine and on following Friday it was publicly displayed after a group of muftis declared it as genuine in January 1964.
3.1965 invasion by Pakistan
Having failed in 1947, Pakistan planned and executed what was called 'operation Gibraltor' and without any fomal declaration of war , sent about 15000 soldiers of its army with air support from P.A..F., as infiltrators across the various trail routes into the valley across the cease - fire line Surreptitiously to seize the valley and proclaim it as a part of Pakistan . Their presumption was the Muslim majority would rise against India once pakistani forces were in Srinagar. this guerrilla movement was detected on August 6,1965 by gujjars in the BAHAKS (summer grazing grounds in the higher reaches in the mountain passes) who informed the nearest CRPF post . By the time the Indian army's resistance began, the vanguard of the Pakistan Army (clothed in local style)had already reached Batamallu in Srinagar city. The general public was completely unaware of the situation till the inhabitants of the locality were asked by the army to vacate for a few days to search and capture the raiders and those who harboured them. I am a living witness of the tragic scenario of a caravan of people emanating from Batamaloo along with their essentials down the road for dispersal to any alternative locations they could muster within the city. Coincidentally , I was on my way to Baramulla from my home at Karannagar when I passed this route and saw this caravan coming from the opposite direction. Pakistan presumably had succeeded in creating some sleeper cells even in 1965. The Pakistani army sensing their failure starting moving back. Another group of infiltrators was repulsed by a pincer movement by the Indian army at Singhpora and repulsed. The Pakistanis had planned to complete the capture of Srinagar cantonment ,secretariat ,radio station and the airport by 12/13 August and welcome Gen.Ayub khan on his projected arrival at Srinagar on 14th August ,Pakistan's Independence Day to declare accession of Kashmir to Pakistan . This story was based on the input of the local dailies of Srinagar during that period but its authenticity could not be corroborated by any other source.
In Jammu region, the Pak army attacked and captured the area from nearly 4 kms across Munawar tawi bridge to 2 kms. Short of Akhnoor town deploying air force,tanks and infantry regiments . Frantic air attacks were made on Akhnoor bridge to cut off the route from Jammu to Poonch. Pakistan crossed the Chenab river at Pargoal and captured Khour area and northwards to cut off the Jammu Poonch road at chowki chora . Pakistani regulars crossed the entire border from Sum nallah to Munnawar Tawi with tanks and armour in a brigade strength setting up its HQRS. at Peera-Da-khoh in the housing of the irrigation dept. already available. The front spread upto Bawe-Da-Mazar leaving Akhnoor only 2kms away. The entire left bank of River Chenab from Laliyal to Indri- patan was vulnerable due to constant mortar fire and shelling from Chicken-Neck ( a conical- shaped Pakistan territory projecting into the state on the right bank of minor branch of Chenab). An island between the two branches of Chenab called Pargoal was captured and part ot Tawi island and all the villages and small islands at the confluence of Tawi and Chenab fell into the hands of the enemy.The area across Munnawar Tawi in Chamb taluka including the town was captured with token resistance from Border Security Force and reportedly renamed as Farouqabad . The same strategy was extended to the entire area up to Poonch, and Meindhar bypassing the main towns in the first phase of the offensive.A counter offensive from India resulted in capture of Hajipir plateau which was Pakistan's nodal point of its strategic control on outskirts surrounding Poonch which had already passed into their hands right to Krishna- gati pass near Poonch town.
The situation for India was getting indefensible , and it had no alternative to opening a front of its own choosing from Gurdaspur to suchetgarh area to mount an offensive on 12th sept.1965,on Pakistan through the international border with full armoured might. Our fighting forces were on the gates of Lahore within a week (Ichugal defence channel) and our forces captured area at least 20-25 kms deep into Pakistan in western Punjab right upto Sialkot skirting the city.Immediately, after the offensive by India ,the Pakistan army started retreating facing pursuit by our army and Air Force . Jammu & Kashmir could not be rescued in 1965 if India had not started the offensive against the enemy from the fronts which suited It topographically across the international border .Pakistan was not expecting India would cross the International border. They counterattacked in the Barmer area and Khemkaran area . Pakistan army and air force landed a massive attack in khemkaran sector putting its patton tanks in the battle of assal- uttar (fitting its name when our jawans gave a befitting answer to Pakistan by inflicting heavy losses of men,and armour . The saga of sacrifice by our jawans against much superior armour is one of the legends of 1965. the defeat at assal uttar demoralised Pakistanis. The big powers wanted the hostilities to cease.Ultimately, a ceasefire was declared at Tashkent and an agreement between PM of India , Shastri and President Ayub Khan of Pakistan was sighned with Russian president Khrushchev as the arbiter. The history of 1947 was repeated in as much as we lost the chamb tehsil to Pakistan and returned the Haji- pir pass to them against our own future national interests and in the end I cannot place Pakistan as a loser in that adventure. I can't fathom why we handed over Hajipir and conceded to non- return of Chamb area across R..Munawar Tawi when the stipulation in Tashkent agreement wanted both India and Pakistani armies withdraw to the line of actual control before the hostilities.
4. 1967. The Pandit agitation( abduction of a pandit girl Parmeshwari Handu)
In the co- operative society shop (super bazaar ), Srinagar a pandit girl , Parmeshwari was employed on the sales counter . Daughter of an old widow residing at Rainawari , she was the sole bread earner for the family. She disappeared in August1967, when she did not return home . The poor mother contacted the police but to no avail. The news spread fast among the Pandits and some prominent Pandits took up the issue with the state machinery but got poor response.
After some days,the girl was produced before public by a fellow employee of hers ,proclaiming that she had converted to Islam and taken the new name Parveena and willingly married him twisting the facts. The truth was that she had been abducted and confined for several days and coerced to convert and marry the person without informing her mother.
The pandit community was alarmed and to their annoyance no notice was taken of their pleas by the state . It was only after all the doors were closed for them , they started a peaceful and non- violent agitation . The agitation was spearheaded by an action committee .The central nodal place for planning and programming of the agitation was at shitalnath in the office and ground of Sanatan Dharam Yuvak Sabha. The intensity ,spontaneity and response from Kashmiri Pandit men and women of all age groups was a major surprise to all and sundry. Voluteers for daily jathas for satyagraha and hunger strike from all sides of the valley joined the morchas .The protest did'nt slow down nor were there any indication of a slow down inspite of all the police brutalities and state crackdown and arrests. All means like harassment, physical cruelities and false propaganda were used by the state and goons from downtown population to suppress and fail the protest . The agitation still raged unabated till end of Sept when the centre intervened and mediated. Ultimately an accord was signed between the representatives of the centre ,the state ,and the Pandits and the agitation was withdrawn.
One positive from this episode emerged with no further abductions to lure,entice,and coerce pandit girls for a long time after 1967 up to 1990s when there was a well planned PROGROM against the Pandits forcing them to quit the valley.
5.Hijacking of Indian Aircrafts in 1970 & 1999
5.1. A Fokker Friendship aircraft 'Ganga' of Indian Airlines Corporation on its scheduled flight from Srinagar to Jammu on 30-01-1970 was hijacked by two Kashmiri militants ,Ashraf Qureshi and Hashim Qureshi demanding release of their comrades in custody . The pilot was redirected to Lahore.The passengers were disembarked after negotiations .The plane was burnt accompanied with a victory dance of the militants and chants of allah-u-akbar and anti- India slogans. Hashmis were treated as heroes . After negotiation,the passengers returned home in another plane sent by India. Immediately after the return of the passengers back home,India dis-allowed all Pakistani civil and army over-flights over its air space increasing the distance between the two wings of Pakistan . Pakistan retaliated by disallowing its airspace to Indian aircraft . The irony of the whole episode is both the Hashmis were later tried as Indian spies as a measure of expediency to defame India internationally
5.2.an Indian Airlines Flt. 814 with on its scheduled flight from Khatmandu tp New Delhi with 176 passengers on board was hijacked enroute by six Pakistani militants from the Hizb-ul- mujahideen on 24.12.1999. It was allowed to refill at Amritsar airport When it was refused to land at Lahore and diverted to Dubai but not allowed to land and again diverted to Kandahar in Afganistanto land surrounded by the militants. They issued an ultimatum to the central govt to release Hizb. Chief ,MAULANA MASOOD AZHAR, OMAR AHMED OMAR SHEIKH AND MUSHTAQ AHMED ZARGAR before a deadline when they would kill the passengers before destroying the plane. At Amritsar ,they had already killed one passenger and injured many though they conceded to allow the old, children and sick to disembark . India had to accept these conditions to save the passengers . The humiliation of the then Minister Of external affairs accompanying the three dreaded terrorists to Kandhar was the price India had to face to save the life of the passengers in view of our weak position in that environment of militant-dominated territory where writ of international law and relations did not exist. It is easy to dissect or comment in a post-trauma situation for political expediency as has been done so often since then, but a dispassionate and honest opinion has to be that the then PM and his cabinet exhibited great moral and physical courage by taking the only option open to them in national interest .
5. 1971 war.
The fact remains that the Pakistan's mindset that creation of Pakistan was incomplete without inclusion of Kashmir valley and other contagious muslim majority areas like poonch and rajouri in jammu region is the bedrock of its relations with India. There were two attempts earlier in 1947 and 1965 when Pakistan fought wars to annex kashmir but failed. From 1965 the tentacles of jammat-ul-Islami and net work of madrassas expanded (fuelled and funded by foreign sources)in the valley with indoctrination of pan-Islamic Wahhabi wave in the Kashmiri youth slowly started overtaking and over- riding the tolerant traditions of Kashmiri Sufist Islam. This wave spread and inculcated into schools,colleges and universities and thence travelled into all sections of the society with passage of time. Though the majority of the population wanted peace, a fringe extremist element got spawned into militant Islam . These elements got all the necessary assistance from the Kashmiri agents of Pakistan.Even after nearly a quarter of century after accession to India, Kashmiri Muslims were still not in the mainstream of Indian thought and ethos but had aspirations of a separate Kashmiri identity . The hot and cold policy of the Central Govt.made the situation worse by alienating the population and a peripheral polity grew in the valley demanding independence from India ,or outright merger with Pakistan . When this fringe started acting in collusion with Pakistan army intelligence, the propagation of anti-india sentiment in the muslim youth of the valley got a boost. It was 1971, and Pakistan over-estimated the extent of the intensity and the spread of this sentiment . They misjudged that in the event of their army sudden dash to Srinagar in a gorilla force ,the entire Muslim population of the valley would rise as one in rebellion against India and Pakistan would intervene as a ruse to help the Kashmiris to overcome the military might of India and as a follow-up wrest the valley from India .
On Pakistan Air Force in an unprovoked sudden and swift move attacked the IAF air stations in northern and western India. India retaliated with its full might inflicting heavy damage to Pakistan's air and land power within the first few days of the war. Pakistan entered the heavy armour across the state border across Chenab river at Pargoal and Planwala sector in Akhnoor region to advance to chowkichowra village to cut off the communication artery to Poonch And Rajouri by blocking the Jammu-Poonch road. Air attacks were mounted for bombing the Akhnoor bridge across R. Chenab on Jammu Poonch highway. But unlike 1965,they could'nt make any headway in the Akhnoor area as India was better prepared. In The Poonch and Rajouri sectors the resistance from India could not hold on for long due to long supply line and more difficult access from base.
India strategically chose to open another front by crossing the international line from Gurdaspur to shakargarh with later extension to suchetgarh (Sialkot sector). Pakistan apart from defending its territory attacked with its heavily armoured land forces and Air Force all along the border from Jaisalmer(Rajasthan) to Doab area in Punjab , the venue of the decisive battle of Longawal. To assist the support and morale of the forces,the civilian volunteers of Jammu and kathua would carry parcels of cooked meals,fresh milk and curds ,vegetables fruits in their transport to the fronts round the clock braving the constant shelling and air forays the enemy. I have witnessed all this with awe and admiration.
It was almost concurrently that India was posed with the problem of heavy influx of Bengali Hindu refugees from the east pakistan(now Bangladesh )due to Mass killings,abduction ,rapes and untold cruelty of Pakistan army stationed in the then E.Pakistan . They were out to quell the battle- cry of the bangla Mukhti vahini who wanted Bangladesh ceded from Pakistan . sheikh Mujib ur Rahman who was the president of Awami league scored a stunning victory in the election getting a majority in Pakistan assembly and was arrested and flown out to Punjab and tried for treason.
In order to arrest the flood of refugees to India ,Indian army waged multi- pronged assault on east Pakistan with Mukhti vahini scouting and guiding to easiest approaches. Being with scanty supply line , the Pakistan army finally surrendered .The Bengalis declared independence from Pakistan and this was the birth of Bangladesh and Rahman was declared its first president .
Pakistan's allies America and China assumed threatening postures but stopped when faced with surrender of Pakistan army by Lt. Gen. AAA Niazi to LtGen. J.S.Arora ,by signing the instrument of surrender at Dacca .
In the western sector slow attrition of Pakistan armour had already set in.
The western powers and other friends of Pakistan pressurised India to agree to a cease- fire which was declared when the instrument of surrender was signed in the eastern sector at Dacca and the war ended. It was a blessing to Pakistan as any extension of war would end in its rout and further division by similar situation developing in Blouchistan. 92000 officers and men were taken over as prisoners of war by the Indian army and detained in different places ,one of them at Ram nagar,Udhampur,J&K, which I have seen personally .
India was in a bargaining position to settle the so called Kashmir issue permanently in 1971 but all we could negotiate was the Simla agreement which has been reduced to a farce by Pakistan time and again .Again what we gained on the ground we lost in diplomacy.
6.Growth of alienation and militancy in the valley and other Muslim dominated districts of Jammu .
The think- tank of the Sheikh Abdullah led National Conference grew up in their political struggle against the Dogra rulers with the notion of a separate Kashmiri identity. With his stature as the tallest valley leader, he transmitted this sentiment to the masses. During the days of non- accession to either India or Pakistan he sent a mission headed by Afzal Beg to Pakistan in early oct. 1947 to negotiate terms with Jinnah for safeguarding the Kashmiri identity( priority the valley.). Jinnah rejected any conditions and asked for outright accession . The mission to Pakistan failed and he (Abdullah )had India to negotiate with . With Pakistani attack on the state in last week of Oct. 1947 , the issue of accession was forced on Maharaja to ask for assistance of India and Nehru made Abdullah as as a participitant of back -up party of the negotiating team. It was at this stage that Mahraja was made to abdicate and transfer power to the representative of the people. Nehru was agreeable to allow:
1. A separate flag
2. A separate constitution
3.naming of head of council of ministers govt as P.M.
4.separate president termed Saddar-I-Riyasat.
5.J&K citizenship for only domicile residents later incorporated as Art.370 of the constitution of India .
6.Offering a plebiscite for permanent settlement for the state which can never happen now ( as the condition of de- militarisation by both India and Pakistan shall remain unfulfilled between these nuclear powers . Pakistan has gifted some of the aksai- chin area to China and impounded the Northern areas of Gilgit and Skadu under its direct control )
Thus construing the psychology of an autonomous region within the dominion of India . India had jurisdiction of Defence ,communications,and External affairs .In those early days, one had to get a permit to enter the state of J&K accentuating the idea of separateness.. The die for the present turmoil was actually administratively cast in 1947.
The Indian army operations repulsed the Pakistanis but It will remain a riddle why India accepted the ceasefire at a strategically difficult line of defence leaving some important salients with the enemy. Maybe the Kashmiri leaders headed by sheikh Abdullah worked on this to avoid any meddling from punjabi-speaking Muslims from other areas in vicinity of W.Pakistan in their quest for political primacy in Indian held J&K?
The first elected Govt of J&K with Abdullah as P.M.. took over in Feb.1948 and in his speeches and statements ,he made no secret that Kashmir held its distinct place with its autonomous relations with the Union of India. The western powers found the situation ripe for playing the big brother with strong anti-Indian bias with Pakistan as willing partner for the perpetual intrigue and espionage and sabotage. The American Aldai Stevenson came to Srinagar those days and met the Sheikh.
The IB(central intelligence beareau) from their ground reports submitted a detailed report to the govt.of India regarding the valley politicians conspiring with some elements in Pakistan for getting assistance to engage in a perpetual armed struggle in their quest for autonomy from India if and when all 'other means failed. This case was known as the 'Kashmir conspiracy case' and was later withdrawn for political reasons. Had, at that juncture, this case been pursued to its legal and logical conclusion, Kashmir might have suffered less over the years as the populace would accept the judicial process and its ultimate conclusions .
The immediate effect of the subsequent incarceration of Sheikh Abdullah by the Govt. of India was spawning of a breed of adherents to the idea of autonomy/independence across the entire section of Kashmiri society . Whether it was the student community in schools,colleges,or institutes of higher learning , the the depth of this feeling grew .
With the passage of time ,it is now bred into the psyche of the present generations living in the valley being strongly opposed by regions like jammu ,kathua,udhampur and ladakh districts where Muslims are in a minority turning the undertones of the issue as communal.
With the Kashmiri society bereft of the umbrella of Sheikh Abdullah's leadership ,the N.C.adherent split into different branches . The days of opportunistic alliances started taking shape and any govt. would only last if the centre so wished.There were numerous P.Ms/C.M's from 1953 to 1975 (when Abdullah returned as C.M. as per a pact between him and Indra Gandhi)and in these 22 years anti-Indian feeling expanded as Kashmiris felt let down.
The legacy of sheikh in his absence was taken over by Afzal beg who started the 'J&K Plebescite front' as the National conference was hijacked by Bhakshi Ghulam Mohd who was installed as the P.M. Of the state with support by the progressive groups .In this period , the National conference was merged into national congress and also got a resolution of full accession to India passed in the state assembly.
The jurisdiction of the pesident of india ,C.E.C., Supreme Court of India ,comptroller and auditor general of India ,etc.was extended to the state.the state would have a Governor and a Chief minister henceforth . All these changes diluted 1947 coditionalities mutually agreed to by Nehru and Abdullah. That is why the demand of the N.C. that the state should be restored to pre-1953 status in their demand of autonomy and there is no visible difference on this policy with the other groups with the exceptions of BJP and Ladakh Buddhist Council.
As the ruling clique had merged the NC with the Indian national congress and sheikh Abdullah on his release fought elections in 1977 on the national conference ticket and got a majority to form the Govt.as chief minister of the state. He again started the autonomy debate ,but distanced himself from the idea of independence. He died In 1982 .
After his death ,their were succession claims within the family.GMShah left the NC and started Awami National Conference. NC was headed by Farouq Abdullah . An era of manipulative political opportunism set in and was exploited by the centre . Aya rams and Gaya rams were ready for changing a majority into a minority and resulted in interegums of CMs and President's rule. Nobody in the state and the centre acted to control the flow of ideologues of the rabid anti- Indian and fundamentalist philosophy into the the all sections and tiers of the society spreading the venom against anything connected with India or Indian . Local militant groups like JKLF , and splinter groups created mayhem and sabotage on a comparatively minor scale by targeting only unarmed civilian targets mostly Kashmiri Pandit leading lights in public but were locally instrumental in the wide spread of anti- indian psychosis within the Muslim dominated areas.Now Pakistan's ISI accelerated the undercover activities in Kashmir by sending trained militants (commanders and foot soldiers )across with and maintained a continuous supply lines of local guides, infrastructural support groups, finanances,arms and ammunition. Training camps were set-up in pak-held Kashmir and Pakistan for Kashmiri Muslim youth who were entinced by any means ,be it threats,coercion, financial support, radical sentiments,and even pan- Islamic idealism. The hideouts for men and materials in the higher reaches for stockpiling of provisions and arms and ammunition and even training camps were put in place across all mountain trails of access to the valley . The entire infrastructure with adequate flow of trained militants from across the border was complete by late 80's and the militancy in Kashmir announced its arrival in August 1989 and continues with equal vigour unabated with deceptively quiescent periods depending on the pressure from the security forces and state of relations between India and Pakistan.
By this time, the political thought in the valley crystallised into distinct sections:
1.those who openly advocate merger with Pakistan headed by G.M.Gillani who became later the spearhead and overt face and voice of militancy and insurrection against Indian state . They get their strength and voice by being propped by established millitancy and sufficient freedom which a democratic system and soft reactions of the ruling class allows them.they donot accept the Indian constitution .
2. The advocates of independent Kashmir . Like Mirvaiz molvi farooq (now his son Ummar)G.H.Lone (now his two sons) and many others like them who openly advocate AZADI .a group who after inset of millitancy in late 1980's were called moderate Hurriyat and they accept the Indian constitution only whenever it suits them for their selfish interests.
3.the mainstream parties like National Conference ,People's Democratic party,Communist party of India with each one with their power base but united in their search for dilution of centre's powers in J &K.the BJP has just a notional presence in Muslim dominated areas and is a non-player and as such a non- entity in the political events of these areas.
From 1980's the ethnic cleansing of minorities in these areas under the threat of gun totting militants backed by a section of the local politicians (very much under the eyes of Govt) is a fact of HISTORY evenly understated by vested interests in the state and the centre .The extinction of almost an entire community of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley by the gun wielding Muslim fundamentalists will always stay as a blot on secular India.
The only viable solution of this problem would be to give the valley autonomy after eking out a separate land for resettlement of ousted KPs to retain a hold in their homeland and keeping the military only at the borders for their specified job of safeguarding the existing de - facto borders ,strongly blocking any ingress and egress of disparate hostiles. Having done this ,all anti-national actors should be harshly dealt with.The aspirations of Jammu and Ladakh regions have to be addressed separately on the basis of ground realities.The Central Govt. in India needs to determine now to act fast against any anti national elements from within and outside as the present situation may result in a never-ending mayhem and bad human rights record and expanding activities of the fundamentalists and separatists and may get out of control with disasterous consequences for our nation..
