Peace Watch » Entries tagged with "Kashmir"
Who Is Going To Tell Kashmir Story
Z. G. Muhammad Sometimes, I feel downcast not for the fast changing political discourses. Not for the pipers and drummers of the ‘peoples narratives’ subtly joining the ‘dominant discourse’ and singing songs in symphony with actors that they often told us not to believe in but for our failure to tell our story effectively. It is not a new phenomenon, our history is full of bagpipers of ‘people’s narrative’ suddenly joining the drummers of the ‘dominant discourse’- some out of fatigue, some falling prey to the machinations of the ‘powers that be’, some out of lust for power, some for petty consideration and some stumbling for taking wrong steps at right moments. Nevertheless, the ‘people’s narrative’ never died. Our ancestors successfully always breathed fresh life in it by passing on ‘the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
2014- Kashmir and Afghanistan
Z.G. Muhammad Some fifty-nine years back Josef Korbel wrote, ‘India and Pakistan continue to dissipate their wealth, their strength and their energy on a near fratricidal struggle in which the hitherto almost unknown State of Kashmir has become the physical battleground.’ Trillions of dollars are spent on building arsenals at the cost of development of tens of millions living a sub-human life. People of the two countries have not been paying heavy prices for the wars … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take, Kashmir-Talk
Kashmir: 1947 Lies Exposed
Kashmir: 1947 Lies Exposed BY Z. G. Muhammad Manufactured narratives’ do not stand the test of the time. Like a soap bubble this burst once put to the litmus test of history. Christopher Snedden, an Australian politico-strategic analyst, author and academic in South Asian studies in his recently released book, “Kashmir: the Unwritten History’ has dismantled much orchestrated ‘dominant discourse’ about the Kashmir ‘dispute.’ For over past sixty six five years New Delhi has been asserting that Kashmir’s ‘conditional … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take, Featured
Why Did Plebiscite Front Die?
Z.G. MUHAMMAD On a cold but not freezing February afternoon pushing my way through crowded and crushing Residency Road to a nearby bookshop I was stopped by an old time Plebiscite Front worker. Given to intolerance of some contemporary “top” leaders, “clerics” and their “hangers-on”, initially, I thought, he has not liked some of my writings about once towering leader or his scions. There was no anger on his face but from expressions on his face, I … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take, Kashmir-Talk
Shimla Agreement and Kashmir
Z.G. MUHAMMAD On 2nd July 1972, Bhutto announced that his delegation would be departing following morning. ‘Surprisingly, during Bhutto’s farewell call on Mrs. Gandhi a breakthrough was made following some deletions and amendments to the final draft.’ Of the amendments made, the most relevant to J&K were inclusion of word “no prejudice clause’ in paragraph 4 (ii) and it read, “ In Jammu and Kashmir, the line of control resulting from the ceasefire of December 17, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
National Conference Demands Plebiscite?
Inconsistency’ we paid for and we continue to pay for it even now PUNCHLINE Z.G. MUHAMMAD Thank you Sheikh Nazir Ahmed. Thanks for your January 7, 2013 address to the National Conference workers refreshing their memory and reminding them of November 18, 1947, when outside the Palladium cinema hundreds of them had gathered to greet first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru. The Palladium cinema then functioned as emergency office of the National Conference – where summary trials of political adversaries were carried out with impunity – I may not recount enactment of those chilling dramas. It was nice of you to remind your workers about the pledge made to the people of the state by Pandit Ji– as the NC workers in Kashmir popularly called him. Standing on a table with Sheikh … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
Dr. Ahad’s New Book- A Good Read
Dr. Ahad’s book is an important read for students of history Z.G. MUHAMMAD It takes courage to tell the truth. In our situation, where “leaders” believe that they are the Zeus’ in their own right and their hanger-on’s make them believe that they are infallible demigods, “intellectual go-betweens” and “manufactured-elites” are engaged in strengthening the ‘dominant discourse” telling truth is like walking over double edged sword. Dr. Abdul Ahad, with his new book “Kashmir: Triumph and Tragedies” … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take