Shabir Choudhry rejects UN Secy Gen's letter to Pak PM as 'unimpressive'

Faulting U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, in which he noted that "Pakistan is committed to peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute for the sake of regional peace and security", founder member of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Dr. Shabir Choudhry has said it is "not impressive" as it exhibits "poor understanding" of history of Kashmir and the India-Pakistan relations.

Holding Pakistan responsible for waging successive wars on India and promoting terrorism, violence and religious intolerance in Jammu and Kashmir that resulted in deaths of more than hundreds of thousands of people and immense suffering, besides massive human rights violations, Choudhry contended: "Your Excellency, I don't know what was on your CV that qualified you for the highest post in the U.N.; but your letter written to Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan, on August 12 is not impressive, as it exhibits poor understanding of history of Kashmir and the India-Pakistan relations."

Then, Choudhry presented some historic facts regarding history of Kashmir and the India-Pakistan relations to the U.N. Secretary General for his better understanding of the situation.

"Pakistan signed a 'Standstill Agreement' with the state of Jammu and Kashmir in August 1947, which it violated and attacked its weak and small neighbour on October 22, 1947, in which tens of thousands of people were killed, women raped and kidnapped," he said, adding, "Please don't tell me that Pakistan did this to resolve the Kashmir dispute peacefully."

"This Pakistani attack on Jammu and Kashmir culminated in to the first India and Pakistan war. I can assure your Excellency that this unprovoked Pakistani attack did not stabilise the region," he added.

Furthermore, Pakistan sent thousands of armed men in Kashmir in 1965, with the code name of 'Operation Gibraltar', and this military adventure of Pakistan also resulted in the India and Pakistan war of September 1965. I don't need to tell that this war also resulted in death and suffering of tens of thousands of people. This military adventure also did not promote peace or stability of the region," stated Choudhry who is, at present, Spokesman of the Kashmir National Party (KNP).

Apart from the above, he said, Pakistan is also a mastermind of the ongoing militancy and a proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir started in 1988, and the code name of this military adventure was 'Operation Topac'.

"Your Excellency may know that this adventure has already resulted in death of more than hundreds of thousands of people and immense suffering of the people, and massive human rights violations. I hope your Excellency is aware of many terrorist incidents, which took place in India, and which brought both India and Pakistan close to a nuclear clash," he added.

Choudhry reminded the U.N. Secretary General that Pakistan promotes terrorism, violence and religious intolerance in Jammu and Kashmir, and also started another military adventure in Kargil, which also nearly resulted in a nuclear clash between India and Pakistan.

In view of the above, he questioned, how can you say that Pakistan is committed to 'peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute for the sake of regional peace and security'?

"I hope your Excellency will take note of the above facts and play some role in resolving the Kashmir dispute that there could be peace and stability in the region," Choudhry concluded.

In the letter to Sharif, the U.N. Secretary General wrote: "I appreciate the continued commitment of Pakistan to the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute for the sake of regional peace and security, as you affirmed in your letter. The United Nations remains convinced that it is only through dialogue that the outstanding issues between Pakistan and India, including on Kashmir, can be addressed.