08/04/2024
Kashmir Fall: Five Years On – Pakistan-Administered Kashmir's Political
Elite Refused to Defend 10 Million People Threatened by Genocide After
August 5, 2019, Justified India’s Attempted Annexation of Kashmir Valley,
Alienated the People of Indian-Administered Kashmir, and Cemented
Kashmir’s Permanent Division
Kashmir's Night of Silence: August 5, 2019, and the Abrogation of Autonomy Leading to an
Unseen Crisis
Kashmir was plunged into eerie silence at 10 o’clock on the night of August 4, 2019, following
days of intense military buildup. The valley was shrouded in a suffocating quiet. The only sound
on the streets and roads was the ominous tread of Indian soldiers’ boots. The region was placed
under a stranglehold by the Indian army, with 700,000 troops already deployed and an additional
200,000 summoned. The entire 10 million-strong population of the valley was effectively
imprisoned in their homes. From newborns to centenarians, everyone faced the same grim fate.
Armed soldiers patrolled the streets, ready to shoot anyone who dared to venture outside.
The following morning, August 5, 2019, residents awoke to the news that the Indian government
had taken two significant actions:
1. Abrogation of Article 370: This article, which had granted special autonomous status to
Jammu and Kashmir, was revoked.
2. Revocation of Article 35A: This article had granted special privileges to the residents of
Jammu and Kashmir, including exclusive rights to own property in the region. Its
abrogation meant that non-Kashmiris could now buy land and settle in the region, paving
the way for significant demographic changes.
In addition to these changes, Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized into two separate union
territories. Within a few days, more than 4 million domiciles were issued to non-Kashmiris.
The siege of Kashmir was marked by frequent and rampant night raids on Kashmiri homes,
resulting in the abduction of 40,000 Kashmiri youths. This situation prompted the US-based
nonprofit Genocide Watch to issue a genocide alert. Despite the looming threat of genocide,
news from the region was virtually non-existent. Internet services and phones were cut off, and
journalists' movements were severely restricted, effectively turning everyone into a prisoner.
This situation persisted for nearly a year, rendering about 500,000 Kashmiris jobless and causing
a loss of approximately $5 billion to the Kashmir economy from August 2019 to July 2020, aside
from the human toll.
Global Concern and the Treacherous Silence of Pakistan-Administered Kashmir's Political
Elite
The global community was alarmed, with governments, human rights organizations, and activists
voicing their deep concerns and condemnations. Yet, the political elite of Pakistan-administered
Kashmir remained shockingly silent, as if the 10 million people in Indian-administered Kashmir
did not exist.
False Pretense of Local Authority: The Silence of Pakistan-Administered Kashmir's Political
Elite
The political elite of Pakistan-administered Kashmir not only remained silent following the fall
of Indian-administered Kashmir on August 5, 2019, but after decades of exploiting the Kashmir
cause for their own benefit, they abruptly declared themselves as merely a local authority with no
power to speak out for the people of Indian-administered Kashmir. This may be the first instance
in history where politicians have blatantly refused to advocate for their fellow human beings,
especially women and children. The very politicians who chose silence were the same
individuals who had long professed to represent these people only to pursue their political and
financial gains.
There is no denying that the political elite of Pakistan-administered Kashmir have systematically
exploited the suffering of the people in Indian-administered Kashmir for their own political and
financial gain, and their indifference toward the people of valley has always been glaringly
evident. However, their public refusal to speak out for their own people was profoundly
shocking. This stance was not only a gross violation of humanitarian values and laws but also a
blatant breach of their region’s constitution, which unequivocally defines the regional
government as the “Azad Government of the State of Jammu and Kashmir.”
From Constitutional Duty to Political Exploitation: The Silence of Pakistan-Administered
Kashmir’s Leaders
The very individuals who refused to speak out for the people of Indian-administered Kashmir
had enshrined in the constitution decades ago a provision explicitly stating that this government
and assembly represent the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir, including both Indian-
administered Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. This provision also mandated that the regional
government would strive for the implementation of UN resolutions on Kashmir. This
representation is a core aspect of the government’s mandate. They assumed this responsibility
unilaterally, without seeking the consent of either Gilgit-Baltistan or the people of Indian-
administered Kashmir, nor did they consult them regarding their representation. Yet, they
abandoned this responsibility without amending the constitution. Their actions over the decades
make it clear that their primary interest was in maintaining a vast administrative apparatus and
enjoying the perks and privileges of a political and administrative elite in a small region with a
tiny population.
Their refusal to exercise their authority to speak out for those under military siege—whom they
deceitfully claim to represent—reveals that the political elite were more concerned with
exploiting the suffering of 10 million people to coerce Pakistan into recognizing Pakistan-
administered Kashmir as the representative government of the entire state. This maneuver,
cloaked in the guise of advocating for the 'Kashmir cause,' stands in stark contrast to Pakistan’s
reluctance, which aligns with the true wishes of the people of Indian-administered Kashmir and
Gilgit-Baltistan.
The Sham of Representation: Pleasure Trips and Neglect of Kashmir’s Plight by Political
Elite
Before they claimed they had no power to speak out for the people of Indian-administered
Kashmir, the political elite of Pakistan-administered Kashmir spent decades traveling to Western
and Arab countries under the pretense of promoting the Kashmir cause, squandering billions of
rupees in the process. They made these trips without adequate preparation, as successive
governments of Pakistan-administered Kashmir deliberately ignored the violence perpetrated by
India on both sides of the Line of Control and failed to document it. Their actions ultimately
benefited India rather than addressing the plight of the victims of Indian violence.
They also never consulted the people of Indian-administered Kashmir, Pakistan-administered
Kashmir, or Gilgit-Baltistan before embarking on these trips, nor did they disclose the outcomes
of their travels. This suggests a belief that the people of Indian-administered Kashmir were
somehow beholden to them, allowing them to act with impunity.
Disturbing Justification: Pakistan-Administered Kashmir's Elite Uses False Pretext to
Excuse India's 2019 Actions
What is even more alarming is that the political elite of Pakistan-administered Kashmir justified
India’s attempted annexation of Kashmir on August 5, 2019, and its subsequent actions by
referencing Pakistan’s abolition of the State Subject Rules in Gilgit in 1974. If they had
genuinely cared about the issue, they would have protested at that time. Instead, they used the
historical revocation of the State Subject Rules in Gilgit as a pretext to excuse India’s actions
against the people of Indian-administered Kashmir, which occurred half a century later.
Furthermore, there is no real parallel between the two situations: one involved the brutal
annexation of Indian-administered Kashmir at gunpoint, a prolonged military siege, attacks on
homes, forced starvation, denial of healthcare, demographic manipulation under threat of
violence, and the looming threat of genocide against 10 million people. The other merely
concerned the revocation of the State Subject Rule.
Inaction Before and After August 5, 2019:
The silence of the assembly of Pakistan-administered Kashmir is evident in its inaction before
and after August 5, 2019.
Assembly’s Silence:
1. Routine Session Post-Fall:
o After the fall of Indian-administered Kashmir, the assembly held a routine 8-day
session from August 7 to August 14, 2019. o On August 14, just eight days
after the revocation of Indian-administered Kashmir’s autonomy, Prime Minister
Imran Khan addressed the assembly to express solidarity with the people cut off
from the world.
2. Extended Inaction:
o Following this session, the assembly did not meet for 69 days, despite the
genocide alert in Kashmir and a complete information blackout.
3. Subsequent Sessions:
o A week-long session was held from October 22 to October 28, 2019, fulfilling the
constitutional requirement for routine sessions. o This was followed by a 50-
day gap before the next routine week-long session, which took place from
December 10 to December 16, 2019. o Another 50-day gap followed before
a week-long session from January 30 to February 5, 2020.
4. Special Session:
o On February 5, 2020, a special session was held, during which Prime Minister
Imran Khan addressed the assembly, in keeping with the tradition since the 1990s
of observing Kashmir Solidarity Day. Despite this, there was a conspicuous lack
of substantive engagement with the actual situation in Indian-administered
Kashmir.
5. Further Sessions:
o A 12-day assembly session took place 90 days later, from May 8 to May 19,
2020. o This was followed by a 22-day budget session from June 10 to July
31, 2020.
o A 3-day session occurred from August 5 to August 7, 2020, during which Prime
Minister Imran Khan addressed the assembly.
From August 5, 2019, to August 7, 2020, a total of 67 days of assembly sessions were held,
spread across seven sessions, including the 22-day budget session. According to the constitution,
sessions spanning over sixty days are required within one fiscal year, from July to June of the
following year. However, from July 2019 to June 2020, only two special sessions were
convened: one on August 14, 2019, and another on February 5, 2020. Apart from these two
sessions, there were no substantive discussions, debates, or reports on Indian-administered
Kashmir, and no strategies were formulated. Instead, the sessions were marked by rhetoric and
blame games, seemingly aimed at diverting public attention.
What may shock many is that a four-month-long assembly session, held from December 19,
2022, to April 20, 2023, was primarily focused on destabilizing the Tanveer Iyas government for
personal interests. This underscores how their personal politics took precedence over the plight
of 10 million Kashmiris. During this period, India conducted an eviction campaign in
Indianadministered Kashmir, yet not a single day was dedicated to discussing this campaign or
formulating a strategy to counter it. Furthermore, on December 10, 2022, the then Speaker of the
Pakistan-administered Kashmir assembly refused to allow a discussion on the situation in
Indianadministered Kashmir on International Human Rights Day. Instead, the assembly
concentrated on appointments, promotions, and transfers.
Silent Streets and Staged Outrage: The Elite’s Lack of Response to Kashmir’s 2019 Crisis
Outside the assembly, the streets were eerily silent, devoid of spontaneous protests. The political
elite of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, having previously declared their limited local role and
lack of authority to speak for the people of Indian-administered Kashmir, made no effort to
mobilize the public. When a leading international media team arrived in Muzaffarabad shortly
after the revocation of Kashmir’s special status, they encountered a city that seemed deceptively
normal, leaving them with little significant coverage.
In response, a few activists hastily orchestrated a protest to create a false impression of dissent.
On Friday, August 9, 2019, worshippers exiting Sali Sarkar Mosque after prayers were briefly
assembled for this staged demonstration, allowing journalists to report some activity. This
contrived protest was a deliberate deception, intended to falsely suggest widespread public
outrage against Indian actions, but in reality, it was a superficial display of dissent.
During this critical period, the political elite of Pakistan-administered Kashmir remained
conspicuously absent and deliberately refrained from mobilizing public dissent. Their lack of
action and ambiguous statements seemed to tacitly condone India’s attempted annexation of
Kashmir on August 5, 2019, which risked the permanent division of the region. Meanwhile, 14
million people in Indian-administered Kashmir were effectively held hostage by one million
Indian military personnel.
From Absence to Falsehood: The Prime Minister’s Unexplained Departure and Misleading
Claims During Kashmir's 2019 Turmoil
This inaction was further highlighted by the fact that the Prime Minister of Pakistanadministered
Kashmir was away in the US and the UK for approximately six weeks, from August 18 to early
October 2019. His extended absence left the region without effective governance, and the
purpose and outcome of his visit remain unclear.
Upon his return, the then Prime Minister made a controversial claim that during a National
Security Council meeting held just before India’s attempted annexation, he was informed that
Pakistan planned to annex Pakistan-administered Kashmir as a province. This claim was quickly
refuted by Pakistan's Foreign Office, and subsequent investigations confirmed that no such
discussion occurred. This false assertion appeared to be a deliberate diversion, aimed at shifting
the focus of the people of Pakistan-administered Kashmir away from their own deteriorating
situation.
Crisis Downplayed: The All Parties Conference’s Tepid Response to Kashmir’s Genocide
Threat Three Months After Abrogation
Three months after India abrogated the special status of Kashmir, an All Parties Conference was
convened by the then government of Pakistan-administered Kashmir to address the situation in
Indian-administered Kashmir. The resulting statement acknowledged the gravity of the issue but
suggested that a cautious approach was necessary, as if the plight of 10 million Kashmiris facing
genocide threats was of secondary concern.
Historical Misuse Exposed: Kashmir Liberation Cell’s Funds Misallocated During 2019-
2020 Crisis
The issue is further compounded by the troubling history of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation
Cell, a government institution in Pakistan-administered Kashmir established to advocate for the
Kashmir cause. This misallocation of resources is not a new phenomenon; it has been a persistent
problem. In the fiscal year 2019-2020, the situation reached a new low: of the total budget of 130
million, a staggering 127 million was diverted to salaries, perks, and privileges for its employees,
leaving only a small fraction for the actual Kashmir cause.
This misallocation was not an isolated incident but a continuation of a troubling pattern. The
misallocation occurred during a crucial period marked by severe crises: the prolonged military
siege of Kashmir, widespread attacks on homes, the abduction of Kashmiri youth, the abrogation
of Articles 370 and 35A, and the issuance of domiciles to 4 million Indians, which potentially
altered the region's demographic makeup. The consistent failure to address these critical issues
with adequate resources underscores a blatant disregard for the plight of the people under siege,
revealing the institution’s indifference to the urgent needs it was meant to support.
In his budget speech, the Prime Minister of Pakistan-administered Kashmir admitted that the
Kashmir Liberation Cell had been historically misused by previous regimes.
Scandalous Misuse: Vehicles Purchased Under False Pretense as Kashmir Crisis Funds Are
Diverted
In the fiscal year 2019-2020, the Information and Public Relations Department of the
Government of Pakistan-administered Kashmir egregiously misappropriated funds by purchasing
16 vehicles under the guise of promoting the Kashmir cause. These vehicles were acquired
through the Information and Media Development project, which was purportedly designed to
enhance the district information department and establish a digital archive and media section.
However, this project, which had no direct relevance to the Kashmir cause, was misleadingly
represented by successive governments as an initiative to “promote the Kashmiris' struggle for
freedom and mobilize international opinion towards a just and peaceful resolution of the
Kashmir issue through electronic and print media.”
In reality, this project was a blatant misuse of funds. A portion of Pakistan’s grant, initially
allocated for infrastructure development, was diverted under false pretenses to support this
project. Successive governments have squandered nearly Rs 600 million on this misallocated
venture over several years, reflecting a severe breach of trust and a scandalous disregard for the
genuine needs of the Kashmiri people.
Political Elite's Hypocrisy: Pakistan-Administered Kashmir’s Politicians Only Reach Out to
Indian Leaders for Election Gain
What will deeply shock you is that between August 5, 2019, and June 2021, no politician from
Pakistan-administered Kashmir made any effort to reach out to the house-arrested leaders in
Indian-administered Kashmir to check on their well-being or to gather information about their
dire situation following the revocation of Kashmir's special status. It was only when the dates for
the general elections in Pakistan-administered Kashmir were announced that some of these
leaders suddenly sought contact—not to offer genuine solidarity or support, but to secure
endorsements for their own political campaigns. This blatant opportunism starkly exposes the
self-serving and callous nature of the political elite in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Self-Serving Exploitation: How Pakistan-Administered Kashmir's Elite Capitalized on
Kashmir’s Suffering for Personal Gain
While the political elite of Pakistan-administered Kashmir declared their inability to speak for
the people of Indian-administered Kashmir following India’s attempted annexation in August
2019, they simultaneously exploited the suffering of these people to advance their own interests.
During the visits of Pakistan’s prime ministers to Muzaffarabad on February 5 each year and on
August 14, 2019—shortly after the revocation of Kashmir’s special status—these politicians
highlighted the sacrifices made by people in the Kashmir Valley. They used this suffering not to
seek support for the afflicted but to demand increased funding from Pakistan for their own
governments. Instead of addressing the needs of the people of Indian-administered Kashmir or
the Kashmiri refugees in the 13 camps of Azad Kashmir, their primary objective was to secure
more funds for their own benefit.
From Base Camp to Business Camp: Pakistan-Administered Kashmir’s Apparatus Feeds
Off Kashmir’s Tragedies
In his budget speech in late June, Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq, Prime Minister of
Pakistanadministered Kashmir, openly admitted that the entire governmental apparatus, funded
with hundreds of billions from Pakistan, operates under the guise of the "Kashmir freedom
movement." He revealed that this extensive system, which bears no real connection to the
struggle for Kashmir’s freedom, is maintained not by population size or land area, but by
exploiting the Kashmir issue for its own advantage.
The Prime Minister's statement was particularly striking as he described how their system thrives
on the 'tears of mothers, sisters, and daughters,' and the countless dead bodies of those who died
for freedom in Indian-administered Kashmir, often left unburied in the hills. He starkly
contrasted their governance with a "business camp," rather than the "base camp" for Kashmiri
aspirations that was promised.
"This base camp has transformed into a business camp," he asserted. "Our governance structure
has not been shaped by population size or land area. The Prime Minister's Secretariat, the
President's House, the High Court, and the Supreme Court—all are funded under the pretext of
the Kashmir freedom movement. Out of our 262 billion rupee budget, 44 billion rupees are
allocated for infrastructure development, while a staggering 220 billion rupees go to
nondevelopment expenditures. This disproportionate allocation is justified under the guise of the
Kashmir freedom movement. Remove that pretext, and this system would collapse like a house
of cards," he concluded.
He essentially admitted that their system is built upon the tragic realities of mass graves, mass
incarceration, mass torture, sieges of entire populations, mass massacres, mass rapes, and
custodial killings in Indian-administered Kashmir. These atrocities are exploited to justify the
expansive administrative apparatus in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, revealing a disturbing
exploitation of Kashmir’s suffering for personal and political gain.
The Prime Minister further qualified his statement by noting that in Pakistan-administered
Kashmir, nothing substantial is done to support the “freedom movement” in Indian-administered
Kashmir beyond foreign tours and seminars. He candidly acknowledged that neither he nor any
of the 52 members of the assembly have lost any kin as martyrs across the Line of Control. He
emphasized that their actions have caused irreparable harm both practically and ideologically,
leaving a lasting mark on history and the minds of younger generations.
Moreover, he conceded that while 10 million people in Indian-administered Kashmir are left at
the mercy of a million Indian troops, their suffering has been ignored. Instead, the political elite
in Azad Kashmir have indulged in corruption with Pakistan’s grants, practiced nepotism, and
displayed regional biases, all while sweeping the Kashmir freedom movement under the carpet.
As the Prime Minister rightly observed, "We have to live and die by government means." This
statement underscores the stark contrast between the self-serving actions of the elite and the
desperate plight of Kashmiris facing existential threats.
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, the annual budget has never allocated a single penny for the
people of Indian-administered Kashmir or for the so-called freedom movement, despite years of
false claims to the contrary. The political elite have brazenly professed their commitment to the
Kashmir cause while failing to direct any resources towards it.
Their callousness is evident in their rhetoric: advocating for the continuation of an armed
struggle and the perpetuation of the freedom movement without acknowledging the grim reality
faced by the people in Indian-administered Kashmir. With less than 1% of India's population,
they are besieged by a million soldiers from a nation of 1.5 billion. Their survival is under direct
threat, yet the political elite in Pakistan-administered Kashmir appear indifferent to their plight.
Instead of genuinely supporting the struggle, the political elite of Pakistan-administered Kashmir
seem more concerned with preserving their own extensive administrative apparatus and the
associated perks and privileges. They are willing to let the people of Indian-administered
Kashmir endure further suffering to sustain their own power.
By turning a blind eye to the suffering in Indian-administered Kashmir and tacitly endorsing
Indian actions, the political elite of Pakistan-administered Kashmir have utterly forfeited their
claim to represent Kashmiri aspirations. Their alignment with India’s narrative, cloaked in
deceit, has not only betrayed the trust of the Kashmiri people but has also stripped them of any
moral authority to advocate for Kashmiri rights. This episode reveals a shocking pattern where
political convenience and self-interest overshadow genuine solidarity with those yearning for
freedom and justice.
The people of Indian-administered Kashmir have borne their suffering in silence, abandoned by
the very elite who have exploited their plight for political gain and justification of Indian actions.
It is high time to let the people of Indian-administered Kashmir chart their own course, free from
the manipulative grasp of the political elite in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Saying Goodbye to Deceit: Pakistan-Administered Kashmir’s Elite Show Indifference to
Indian Kashmir’s Crisis
In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, a political and administrative elite entrenched in luxury and
perks prioritize their own comfort over the well-being of the people in Indian-administered
Kashmir. Their detachment from the existential threats faced by a small population surrounded
by millions of soldiers from a country of 1.5 billion demonstrates a profound disregard for the
dire situation. As one Kashmiri businessman in Islamabad starkly put it, “We refuse to sacrifice
lives for their perks and privileges and no longer require farcical and deceitful statements from
the political elite of Azad Kashmir. Their statements only deepen the divide and further alienate
us. We have endured sieges, mass massacres, mass torture, mass incarceration, mass blinding,
and mass graves without the support of the politicians of Azad Kashmir. Our loved ones died, we
raised our voices, and diverted international attention to our plight without any real support from
them. We can fight on our own. We don’t need farcical statements.”
The writer is the award-winning former BBC journalist Zulfiqar Ali, recognized for his
extensive coverage of the Kashmir conflict. Ali has also contributed to Reuters, AFP, and
Pakistan’s Daily Dawn's now-defunct monthly magazine The Herald. He authored the book
Kashmir: India’s Sniper War Along the UN-Monitored Ceasefire Line and
produced the documentary Dead Eyes of Kashmir, which focuses on the pellet victims in
Indian-administered Kashmir.
