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Mar 31st, 2010 - 02:16:56 |
Calling Earth
Did Jinnah know about the Kashmir War?:
Those who want us to believe that an obscure colonel forced Pakistan into a war without the knowledge of the top political leadership, especially someone of the stature of Jinnah, are insulting common sense
In his comment, ‘Jinnah’s role in the Kashmir War’ (Daily Times, March 24, 2010) on my op-ed a week earlier, ‘The 1947-48 Kashmir War’ (Daily Times, March 16, 2010), Yasser Latif Hamdani writes: “There is no evidence, let alone ‘overwhelming’ one, of Jinnah’s knowledge of the tribal invasion.” In the next paragraph he quotes Alastair Lamb who writes, “The Governor General, M A Jinnah was kept ignorant of all the details, though naturally he was aware that there was trouble of some sort brewing in Kashmir…” Lamb speaks about Jinnah being kept ignorant about details, not about the event itself.
The relevant portion from NWFP Governor George Cunningham’s quote Hamdani invokes strengthens the inference I draw above. Cunningham remarked, “Apparently Jinnah himself heard first heard of what was going on about 15 days ago, but said, ‘Don’t tell me anything about it. My conscience must be clear’.” In plain English, one can only read it to mean that Jinnah did not want others to know that he knew about the Kashmir campaign. Hamdani calculates that Jinnah first learnt about it around October 10, 1947. That means 14 days before “tribal warriors backed by Pakistani regulars and irregulars entered Kashmir in the last week of October”, as I wrote earlier. Fourteen days is long enough to put a stop to a misadventure. It was distinctly separate from the uprising in Poonch in August that comprised mainly Poonchis who had served in the Indian and Kashmir armies. The issue at debate is the invasion that started on October 24, 1947, that precipitated the decision of the Maharaja to accede to India. The events that preceded it are not relevant.
Hamdani claims that Major (retired) Agha Humayun Amin makes no claim about Jinnah being in the know about the Kashmir tribal incursion. In his book, The Pakistan Army till 1965 (1999), Amin writes, “The Muslim League’s high command had tasked Mian Iftikharuddin, Minister for Refugees, to prepare a plan aimed at ensuring that the Muslim majority state of Kashmir should join Pakistan. Brigadier Akbar Khan then serving in the Pakistan GHQ wrote an appreciation ‘armed revolt inside Kashmir’ on Mian Iftikharuddin’s request. It appears that Mr Jinnah had tasked Iftikharuddin to plan/handle the Kashmir business” (p 89). Further down, Amin talks of three principal parties that were involved in the whole invasion affair. Of the three, “One side was the Muslim League leaders like Shaukat Hayat (an ex-major), Iftikharuddin and Khurshid Anwar who had been ordered by Mr Jinnah to do something to help the Kashmiri Muslims…” (p 89).
Later Amin writes, “It may be noted that Mr Jinnah had ordered General Gracey the British Acting C-in-C…to attack Kashmir.” Gracey refused because Field Marshal Auchinleck, who was the Supreme Commander of both India and Pakistan, overruled British officers to take part in a war between India and Pakistan. Amin goes on to develop an argument that the Kashmir war was winnable. That is the opinion of a military officer and an author. One need not concur with that.
Hamdani latches on to Amin’s belief in victory in Kashmir and makes this interesting remark, “Jinnah tried to assert himself when he ordered [on October 24 or 25, 1947] the Pakistan Army to mobilise against the Indian Army’s movement towards Srinagar, but he was dissuaded from doing so by what can legally only be called ‘mutiny’ and nothing else.” How very interesting and original indeed! Instead of charging Gracey with mutiny, Jinnah promoted him as Pakistan’s second commander-in-chief in February 1948, which is several months after he allegedly mutinied. Gracey was C-in-C till 1951 when Ayub Khan took over.
Professor Ayesha Jalal has the Kashmir war in her book, The State of Martial Law: The Origins of Pakistan’s Political Economy of Defence (1990). She observes: “One has perforce to conclude that the government of Pakistan with the connivance of the Frontier ministry was actively promoting the sentiments that had encouraged the tribesmen to invade Kashmir. Admittedly, the Pakistani leadership refrained from officially committing the army in Kashmir. But they did so because of the severe shortage of arms and ammunition, not because this was the preferred course of action. If they had been in a position to do so, the Muslim League leaders, with Jinnah’s blessings, would have thrown in the army behind the tribal effort…The commander-in-chief of the Azad forces was a Pakistani army officer, colonel Mohammad Akbar, who went under the pseudonym of ‘General Tariq’ [legendary conqueror of Spain in the 8th century] and was known to be in close contact with Qayum Khan and through him with Jinnah and the League leaders in Karachi” (pp 58-9).
Hamdani and others who want us to believe that an obscure colonel forced Pakistan into a war without the knowledge of the top political leadership, especially someone of the stature of Jinnah, are insulting common sense. If that were true, then why did Jinnah not order Akbar Khan to be tried for gross insubordination that was tantamount to treachery? Akbar Khan should have been court-martialled. He was not, because he had acted only after clearance from the very top. Before he became really ill in June 1948, Jinnah exercised real power and authority and made key decisions. Liaquat Ali Khan was practically his sidekick.
In April 1948, Gracey was convinced by Jinnah to send troops into Kashmir. By that time some arms had been procured from Britain, writes Brian Cloughley in his book, A History of the Pakistan Army: Wars and Insurrections (2000). Thus officially Pakistan and India were at war from April 21, 1948. Cloughley notes that May 1948 onwards, India began to enjoy the upper hand, but the war remained stalemated with neither side scoring victory (pp 20-21). Major-General (retired) Shaukat Riza reached the same conclusion, that neither side could win the war in Kashmir in his book, The Pakistan Army 1947-1949 (1989). Under the circumstances, it was not extended to Punjab, but would have had India felt it needed to checkmate Pakistan. That is what I concluded in my previous article.
Jinnah was a poker player who projected invincibility even when he was dealt a bad hand by fate, asserts Hamdani. It is a peculiar way to sum up Jinnah’s politics, to say the least. I am convinced that if the Kashmir gamble had succeeded, Miss Jinnah, Soraya Khurshid, Yasser Hamdani and many others would have described it as yet another marvellous poker gambit of Jinnah. Our heroes never make a wrong move. If they do we feign ignorance about it.
by Ishtiaq Ahmed
Mar 19th, 2010 - 03:54:07 |
Calling Earth
Rally held in support of AJK CJ :
MIRPUR: Hundreds of people staged a rally in favour of AJK Chief Justice Riaz Akhter Chaudhry, and independence and sovereignty of the Azad Kashmir judiciary here on Thursday.
Life was partially paralysed in the Central Shaheed Chowk for a few hours where the demonstrating people blocked all roads by placing burning tyres. A large contingent of the police was present at the Shaheed Chowk to deal with any unpleasant incident. The rally, however, concluded peacefully. Traffic was diverted to alternative routes.
The call for the rally was given by the AJK Chamber of Commerce and Industry president and was backed by all other segments of society. Addressing the rally, speakers said the people of Azad Kashmir fully backed the stay order issued on Monday by the AJK Supreme Court barring the AJK Council, and its chairmanPrime Minister of Pakistan from reopening and reviewing the appointment of AJK Chief Justice Muhammad Riaz Akhtar Chaudhry. They said the people of Azad Kashmir had great respect and honour for the Supreme Court of Pakistan and hoped that it would not interfere in the judicial affairs of Azad Kashmir.
A judge of the AJK Supreme Court, Justice Manzoor Hussain Gilani, has challenged the appointment of Chief Justice Muhammad Riaz Akhter Chaudhry in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, saying the sitting AJK chief justice was junior to him. The rally started from the city’s main Naangi Shopping Centre. It reached the Shaheed Chowk after passing through the Allama Iqbal Road and the Mian Muhammad Road.
By Sayed Abid Hussain Shah
Mar 16th, 2010 - 04:58:22 |
Pakistan Pal
Birdi, Lakhvinder’s Remand Extended
SAMAAN LATIEF
Zahid’s Killing
Srinagar, Mar 15: The Jammu and Kashmir Police is likely slap murder charges against BSF Commandant R K Birdhi and constable Lakhvinder Kumar accused of killing a teenaged boy in Nishat area of the city last month. In its charge sheet to be filed before a court later this week, the police are likely to charge the duo under Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) Section 302 which deals with murder, official sources said.
The BSF personnel may also be charged under Section 120-B, which deals with criminal conspiracy, and Section 210 for destruction of evidence, they said. Investigations into the killing of 16-year-old Zahid at Brein Nishat on February 5 have almost been completed and the charge sheet is likely to be filed in next few days, the sources said.
Meanwhile, a local court here on Monday extended the judicial remand of the paramilitary BSF commandant, R K Birdi and his subordinate, Lakhvinder Kumar, by seven days. The duo was arrested in connection with the killing of the Nishat teenager, Zahid Farooq, shot dead on city outskirts on February 5.
Birdi, who was sent to 10-day judicial remand by Chief Judicial Magistrate, Muhammad Ibrahim Wani on March 7, was today produced by police in the court of the Passenger Tax Judicial Magistrate Masrat Shaheen to seek extension of his judicial remand. However, Birdi’s counsel, Moulvi Ejaz argued that his client should be shifted to the BSF hospital at Humhama as his medical records were lying there. “My client is suffering from unstable angina and could suffer from heart attack any time,” Moulvi Ejaz informed the court.
Birdi also submitted before court that he was suffering from chest pain and cardiac ailment.
Special prosecuting officer Abdul Aziz Teli said that Birdi was an accused and should be treated like other accused in jails. “There shall be no special treatment for him,” he submitted before the court.
The court directed the superintendent of police, Central jail, to lodge Birdi under safe and proper custody and provide the required medical treatment and facility to him. “In case he needs consultation of BSF doctors, the superintendent of Central Jail should provide him. However, he should not be handed over to BSF doctors for treatment,” the court ordered.
The Judge enquired from the doctor accompanying Birdi whether any authority had directed him to do so. “No My Lord. I came here of my own,” the doctor replied.
Subsequently, judge asked him to leave the court. Another accused Lakhwinder Kumar was also present in the court.
Following the submissions made by the prosecution and defence, court extended the judicial remand of the two accused till March 22.
Pertinently, Lakhvinder, a BSF constable was arrested earlier last month on murder charges. He had reportedly told the Special Investigation Team of the police that Birdi had “forced him to open fire” at Zahid.
Following which police tightened noose around Birdi and arrested him on murder and other charges. The FIR No 04/2010 under sections 302, 109, 201 RPC stands registered in Police Station Nishat against the duo.
Mar 16th, 2010 - 04:55:07 |
Pakistan Pal
March 16, 2010 by soskashmir
http://soskashmir.wordpress.com
From Jan. 1989 to February 28, 2010
Total Killings * 93,142
Custodial Killings 6,966
Civilians Arrested 116,931
Structures Arsoned/Destroyed 105,832
Women Widowed 22,719
Children Orphaned 107,326
Women gang-raped / Molested 9,901
February 2010
Total Killings * 23
Men 22
Women 0
Children 1
Custodial Killings 0
Tortured/Critically Injured 458
Civilians Arrested 204
Structures Arsoned/Destroyed 54
Disappeared 3
Women Widowed 4
Children Orphaned 13
Women gang-raped / Molested 1
* Including custody
Jan 25th, 2010 - 01:24:08 |
Calling Earth
Indian Troops Martyred 28 Kashmiris in November :
In Occupied Kashmir, Indian troops, in their continued acts of state terrorism, martyred 28 innocent Kashmiris including a women during the month.
According to the Research Section of Kashmir Media Service, the troops tortured 80 persons and injured most of them critically, by using teargas shelling and bullets against the peaceful protestors while 49 people, mostly youth, were arrested during the month.
The killings by the troops rendered 11 children orphaned while a woman was disgraced and misbehaved during the period, the troops also damaged eight residential houses with heavy mortar shelling during siege and search operations.
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