Azad Kashmir Government’s invitation to UNCIP and Memorandum
Azad Kashmir Government formally reconstituted itself on 24 October 1947. “TheProvisional” declaration admits that it is a consequence of the “The Provisional AzadGovernment, which the people of Jammu and Kashmir have set up few weeks ago with theobject of ending intolerable Dogra tyrannies and securing to the people of the State, includingMuslims, Hindus and Sikhs, the right of free self-Government has now established its ruleover a major portion of the State territory and hopes to liberate the remaining pockets ofDogra rule very soon.” The announcement of 4 October 1947 establishing Azad KashmirGovernment is acknowledged and carried forward. After this re-constitution, Azad Kashmir Government expressed itself for the first time as a“free self-Government” and its President addressed a letter dated 8 July 1948 to the Chairmanof the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan. It expressed its regrets that theSecurity Council gave India, Pakistan and Head of the Emergency Administration SheikMohammed Abdullah a “very full hearing” and allowing no opportunity to the Representativeof Azad Kashmir Government, to place its point of view before the United Nations”. Azad Kashmir Government invited members of the UNCIP to visit Azad Kashmir at theearliest, “to see with your own eyes the havoc wrought by the Indian Army and the heroicstruggle of our people, and to discuss with our representative ways and means to bring to aspeedy end this tragic state of affairs”. Azad Kashmir Government set out 8 conditions, in order to be able to agree to “participate inthe plebiscite and be bound by its results”. In para 11 the letter stated “We will be glad to discuss with the Commission the conditions onwhich the Azad Kashmir Government could agree to participate in the plebiscite and bebound by its results. Some of these have already been mentioned in the statements made fromtime to time by the Quaid-i-Millat Chowdhury Ghulam Abbas, myself and my colleagues.Others would have to be worked out in the light of the conditions now obtaining and futuredevelopments. The principal conditions are, however, enumerated below”: a. The Indian Armed forces, and the Sikh and R.S.S assassins must be completely withdrawn.b. Military and police forces required for internal security and the maintenance of lawand order should be raised locally, and be under the control of the PlebisciteAdministrator until the plebiscite is over.c. A Provisional Government should be set up which should reflect the will of themajority of the people. As the Muslim Conference enjoys the confidence of the vastmajority of Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir, who constitute nearly 78% of the State’spopulation, it should assume the main responsibility for forming the ProvisionalGovernment, and should provide the Prime Minister. We would welcome the co-operation of other political parties, but I would like to make it perfectly clear that,under no circumstances, would the representatives of the Muslim Conference and theAzad Kashmir Government agree to the continuance as Prime Minister of SheikhAbdullah, who has been playing the role of a Quisling and is a traitor to his owncountry. d. If a popular Government cannot be immediately established, we would agree to thesetting up of a completely neutral administration under the supervision and control ofthe United Nations’ Commission until the plebiscite is over.e. All political prisoners must be released and all political parties granted the fullestfreedom to propagate their views and ideas.f. All State employees who have been dismissed since 15 August 1947 because of theiralleged sympathies for Pakistan should be re-instated.g. The Commission should ensure the restoration and rehabilitation of all residents ofJammu and Kashmir who have left, or who have been compelled to leave the Statesince August 1947.h. The Plebiscite Administrator should have under its full and effective control, not onlythe armed forces and the police stationed within the country, but also theadministrative and judicial machinery, and should thus be in a position to ensure afree and impartial plebiscite.i. The future constitution of the State should be decided by its own people, inaccordance with recognised democratic methods. “The Azad Kashmir Government feel that these are the minimum conditions which mustbe satisfied before they could commit themselves and their people to the solutionproposed by the Security Council.”UNCIP accepted the invitation from Azad Kashmir Government and visited Azad Kashmiron 4 September 1948. Dr Syed Nazir Gilani Dr-nazirgilani@jkchr.com
