Over the years, there have been numerous publications on the Kashmir issue due to its geopolitical significance and worldwide attention. With more than thousands of books with millions of copies sold, publications of Kashmir turn out to be sometimes repetitive for the readers who aspire to read more on this. This book sets it apart from all of the other publications as it works on an under-discussed topic which is Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The author of the book, Dinkar P Srivastava explains more on the context of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and its relevance for India, explaining it through the perspectives of internal agendas and in a Pakistani narrative that was unpopular and not much worked on to date by analysts in India. The author himself is an accomplished diplomat who had worked on the Jammu and Kashmir issue during his days at the Ministry of External Affairs has utilized his direct knowledge in drafting this book. Being the Director of UNP, he was part of the Indian lobby that resisted Pakistani efforts to pass resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir at the United Nations General assembly as well as worked in preventing internationalising Jammu and Kashmir issue during the Kargil war in 1999. All of these vital experiences and involvement has helped him to study the Pakistani mentality towards Kashmir which was evident in this book.
The book follows the events in chronological order from the time of accession citing Pakistan’s interest in Kashmir from the initial days. The book is categorised into 7 parts to clearly characterize events and their importance along with the Pakistani perspective and implications of the events. The author begins by portraying the role Pakistan played in initiating a revolt against Maharaja using tribes with support from the Pakistani armed forces. It is said that the tribal invasion was planned out by a committee chaired by the Pakistani PM and then led by Col Akbar Khan in the later stages. With no Kashmiri representation in the planning and carrying out of the invasion, the revolt is depicted solely in the interest of Pakistan and not the people of Kashmir. The author then moves on to convey how Pakistan strategically occupied Gilgit-Baltistan and the other areas invaded by tribes and explains in-depth the connection between the British government and Pakistan with Major Tim Brown becoming vital in executing the operations on behalf of the British crown and for Pakistan. Major Brown along with the Government made sure the aspirations of independent Kashmir is squashed by taking out Gilgit-Baltistan from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and incorporating it into the directly controlled North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. These incorporations are illegal under Lord Mountbatten’s Indian Independence Act of 1947. Here the author also explains the involvement of Britain in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and its complex relations with Pakistan.
The author then moves on to give a newer picture on the issue providing insights on the global political scenario with Pakistan getting support from Britain and the US in bringing up the Kashmiri issue in UNSC meanwhile Pakistan has already started cementing its position and governance of PoK. The author criticises the way in which Karachi Agreement was formed in 1949, which was kept secret until the 1990s. The agreement gave Pakistan enormous power over the governance of Azad Kashmir and placing Gilgit Baltistan under Pakistan’s direct control. With the Government of Pakistan manipulating the agreement and the other two parties Ghulam Abbas (Chairman of the Muslim Conference) and Sardar Ibrahim Khan (President of Azad Kashmir) disowning it in the future, the agreement has been seen as a violation of the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan resolution (UNCIP) of local governance and violation by changing the territorial status quo of PoK without a referendum. The author also condemns throughout the book on Pakistan’s continuous ignorance of the UNCIP, UNSC, and the Shimla Agreement over the years for its personal agenda.
The author then moves on to discussing Jammu and Kashmir in the United Nations and further goes into UNCIP and calls for a plebiscite. The author’s findings on Pakistan’s refusal on holding a plebiscite and connecting to the Sudhan revolt of the 1950s and protest of the Muslim conference against the government for its mode of suppression gives more information on Pakistan’s reluctant stand. The author then connects these repressive acts together with each of them carried out solely in the interest of the state. These interests were never in favour of the population as they are denied fundamental rights nor do they were equally treated as the other Pakistani citizens. The author also points out 3 times when Pakistan was offered a plebiscite Pakistan was unwilling to conduct it on all 3 occasions in wary of losing the territory or people preferring India over it.
The book goes on to discuss about how the people of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan were denied fundamental rights and exploited by Pakistan’s political motives through judicial changes. Newer amendments and acts in the constitution, the powers of the legislative council have always been reduced down invariably and to keep the region under check. From the initial stages itself, Pakistan has started considering PoK and G-B as their own territory. This was reflected when the PoK constitution was adopted in 1974, with even the preamble of the constitution stating that ‘authorisation of region to be issued and introduced by Pakistan’ and assuring the locus of the authority of the region is with them. Also, the deliberate exclusion of legislative powers of the PoK assembly in the constitution and keeping it undefined throughout has limited any chances of representation and functionality. The legislative assembly of PoK is kept subject to the approval of Pakistan which is against any of the democratic values. In the case of Gilgit-Baltistan, the author also put forward a similar judicial intervention with the G-B order of 2009 followed by the one of 2018 which abolished all the 61 functions of the council of GB and is reduced it to just a consultative role. It saw a widespread protest in the region but the order had the backing of the Judiciary of Pakistan with the supreme court in favour of the order. The author also conveys how the judiciary has become a namesake institution in PoK as their allegiance was with the interest of the government of Pakistan when it comes to these territories rather than protecting their rights.
The author also linked how the 13th amendment was strategically important for Pakistan as it was essential to have total control over the G-B region where China’s Pakistan economic corridor is also located. With billions of dollars of Chinese investments in the region in form of strategic highways, roads, dams, and other investments, the region has become an inevitable territory for Pakistan. Even though the region is developed and highly invested, it is statistically shown by the author that alienation and mistreatment still continue for the living population. The author here displays substantial data that the region is paid only 1/7th of the royalty funds and government funds that other provinces get in Pakistan. The investment in the region has benefited Pakistan heavily but for the sake of the population of the G-B. The author foresees that with the construction of newer dams in the region, more people will be displaced without proper compensation and also will not benefit from any of the development.
Dinkar P Srivastava’s treatment of Jammu and Kashmir in the United Nations has been notable strength of this book. The author has simplified and distinguished between plebiscite and self-determination, resolving the common confusion of considering both as the same. His direct knowledge as a diplomat on resolutions and India’s stance on it has enlightened the audience who have read only the political or general perspective. The author’s research in finding internal developments of PoK focusing on uncertainties in containing PoK and G-B has been the backbone of the book. The author has done a remarkable linking of CPEC and Pakistan’s rising security status in the region and gave a vision of current Chinese investments that could increase in the future. The author’s usage of Pakistani and International sources was interesting and will encourage more research on this perspective. The author’s ability to look at the issue from Pakistan’s perspective and with the aspirations of the people of PoK and G-B makes it exemplarily well written for scholars to read on.
