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| India-Pakistan | |
| Pakistan says it never claimed Kashmir as its territory | |
| 2006-12-12 | |
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam made these remarks when asked to comment on President Pervez Musharraf's statements to an Indian TV channel that Pakistan would give up its claim on Kashmir if India showed similar flexibility. "First, Pakistan does not claim Kashmir. The dispute is about the aspirations of the Kashmiris. According to the UNSC resolutions, Pakistan and India are parties to this dispute, and Kashmiris have to essentially decide their future," Ms. Aslam said at the weekly briefing. General Musharraf had not talked about unilaterally giving up Pakistan's position, nor were his proposals new. "He talked about flexibility, the need for flexibility by both sides, and he said that this cannot be unilateral," the spokesperson said. Asked to clarify Pakistan's position, she said it was the legal position based on the UNSC resolutions for a plebiscite in the disputed territory. Pakistan "hoped" the Kashmiris would choose to join it, were a plebiscite to be held. Ms. Aslam drew attention to Article 257 of the Pakistan Constitution that says, "When the people of the State of Jammu and Kashmir decide to accede to Pakistan, the relationship between Pakistan and that State shall be determined in accordance with the wishes of the people of the State ... We have had many Constitutions, but that article has always been there ... You don't need any other proof that we have not made territorial claims on Kashmir. | |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 Every adult in Kashmir should be allowed to vote on Pakistan, India, or independence. When the votes are tallied and form a base for future discussions. My guess is the voters would simply split along the pre-existing occupation lines but we might be surprised. If they all want independence both India and Pakistan have a problem. My gut instinct is that India should allow for partial independence of both Kashmir and Punjab. This would create friendly buffer states between themselves and Pakistan before Pakistan falls apart. The independence of both areas would probably push Pakistan into falling apart that much sooner. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2006-12-12 15:13 |
| #2 And India does claim Jammu and Kashmir, all of it, including the Pak and Chinese occupied portions, based on an article of accession (as mandated by the Indian Independence 1947 act of the UK parliament), signed by the Maharajah and the last Viceroy of the Indian Empire, Lord Louis Mountbatten, cousin of the English Queen. And Indian courts have ruled that there can be no secession from the Indian Union |
| Posted by: john 2006-12-12 12:13 |
| #1 Ms. Aslam drew attention to Article 257 of the Pakistan Constitution that says, "When the people of the State of Jammu and Kashmir decide to accede to Pakistan "When" ? Suppose they didn't want to? Even Kofi Annan has acknowledged that the UN resolutions on Kashmir are defunct. Pakistan is yet to conform to the first resolution.. that one said that there should be a plebiscite to decide on accession to either India or Pakistan. All Pakistani troops were to leave Kashmir with, get this, Indian troops replacing them, as many as needed to guarantee security. So Perv, how about conforming to the UN resolution and pulling your army and Punjabi settlers out of Kashmir? |
| Posted by: john 2006-12-12 11:59 |