Attique regrets Zafar Shah remarks on Kashmir
Hameed Shaheen
ISLAMABAD - Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan, ex-Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and
Kashmir/President Muslim Conference, has issued the following statement on the Kashmir remarks of Senator Syed Zafar Ali Shah, the latter made during
the course of a Senate Committee meeting here Sunday. Talking to Pakistan Observer here Monday he said: “I was shocked to learn of the remarks
of Senator Syed Zafar Ali Shah Sahib on Kashmir. Shah Sahib himself is an eminent lawyer. Politically he belongs to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
Therefore such remarks come as a surprise”.
In relation to Pakistan’s international Kashmir stand Sardar Attique Khan said:
“Pakistan is fighting the Kashmir case at the regional and international levels on the basis of the fact that as per principles of the partition
of the South Asian sub-continent in 1947 into two separate sovereign states – Pakistan and India – the 86,000 square miles of State of
Jammu and Kashmir with predominant Muslim majority should have formed part of the geography of Pakistan. In fact socially, politically, historically,
geographically, racially, religiously Jammu and Kashmir form part of Pakistan. Even the slanting orientation of the mountains and flow of Kashmir
rivers determine the direction of the State towards Pakistan.
Giving some concrete instances he said: “Founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam
Muhammad Ali Jinnah had described Kashmir as the jugular vein of Pakistan. Under the Citizenship Act of Pakistan the Kashmiris (of AJK) have been
declared as the citizens of Pakistan. The Act is the honorable law.
“Under the United Nations Security Council resolutions on Kashmir,
the liabilities of Pakistan in relation to the State have been vividly defined. Institutionally the Chairman of the Kashmir Council is the Prime
Minister/Chief Executive of Pakistan”, he reminded.
Regarding historical position of the State he explained: “What the supreme fact
of history is that on August 12, 1947, the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir Maharaja Hari Singh had offered a Standstill Agreement to Pakistan and India.
Pakistan had accepted the Agreement, India had rejected that. Under that Agreement all those subjects like currency, foreign affairs, communications,
defense of the State which were being looked after by the British government in pre-mid-August, 1947 era stood transferred to Pakistan by virtue of
acceptance of that Standstill Agreement. It was in that line and spirit that on August 14/15, 1947, Pakistan flags were hoisted on the post offices
and telegraph buildings in the State as mark of Pakistan’s independence celebrations. All these instances suggest the geographic and historic
contiguity of Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan.
“It is again regrettable that the Kashmir remarks of Shah Sahib came from a Muslim Leaguer
whose forefather was Founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah himself. But If Shah Sahib believes what he has said about Kashmir, then his
party stands no locus standi in Azad Kashmir. He should wind up his party flag from Azad Kashmir”, he added.
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