 US
study group: Divide Kashmir in 5 parts
WASHINGTON, FEB 19: The Kashmir Study Group has come up with a new
proposal that leaves the Line of Control undisturbed, while suggesting
that the state be divided into five parts, two under Pakistan’s
overall suzerainty, three under India’s.
While Pakistan and India would be responsible for defense and foreign
affairs, the five entities – Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh in what is now
Indian-held Kashmir and Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas in
territory controlled by Pakistan - would be free to have their own
flag, citizenship and passport.
Farooq Kathwari, a Srinagar-born, naturalized American furniture
tycoon, in a letter addressed to the Group’s 25 members, says that he
received “positive feedback” when he visited New Delhi with his
revised proposal.
In Pakistan, he adds, he had meetings with the president, prime
minister and foreign minister. He also claims to have discussed his
proposal with Kashmiri leaders from both sides of the LoC and “they
also felt that (these) ideas should be developed further”.
The Kashmir Group, which is primarily made up of former State
Department officials and academics, developed the proposal that
Kathwari is now trying to sell.
The proposal reads, “We recommend that portions of the former princely
state of Jammu and Kashmir be reconstituted into self-governing
entities enjoying free access with each other and from both India and
Pakistan.”
The three entities in India and two in Pakistan would take part in
bodies that would coordinate issues such as internal trade and
transportation. “An all-Kashmir body would be set up to coordinate
areas of broader interest such as regional trade, tourism,
environment, and water resources.”
The entities would have their own democratic institutions,
citizenship, flag and legislature. India and Pakistan would be
responsible for the defense of the entities, which would maintain
their own police forces. Citizenship of the entities would entitle
citizens to acquire Indian or Pakistani passports, or use entity
passports subject to endorsement by India or Pakistan. Their borders
with India and Pakistan would remain open for people, goods, and
services.
The LoC would remain until India and Pakistan decided to alter it, but
both countries would demilitarize the area included in the entities.
All displaced persons would have the right to return to their
homesteads.
(By Khalid Hasan of Daily Times, USA) |
