Page 22 - Seniors Today - Oct 2019
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all Pakistani Army troops and irregular armed of India ought, in these circumstances, to be
forces from occupied territories, failed to even willing to waive their claim, which has, in any
make a mention of these areas. It revealed the event, to be considered afresh.”
real intent of the Western powers.
The Indian Government was understandably The ‘Karachi Agreement’
upset. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on Since the matter of illegal occupation of vast
August 20, 1948 wrote a detailed letter to Indian territory in Jammu & Kashmir was
UNCIP Chairman, seeking explanation ‘for under discussion in the UN Security Council
absence of any mention about the problem and the Ceasefire Line was to be demarcated
of administration of defence of the large area on ground, Pakistan Government was unsure
in the north”. This letter also said that “after of the status of the Gilgit and Baltistan areas. It
Pakistani troops and irregulars have withdrawn devised an unusual political deal. It forced its
from the territory, the responsibility for the puppet “Azad Kashmir” Government to sign
administration of the evacuated areas should an Agreement to “hand over” this region to it.
revert to the Government of Jammu & Kashmir This is known as Karachi Agreement and was
and for the defence to us…..”. signed on April 29, 1949. Federal Government of
On August 25, 1948, the Chairman of the Pakistan was represented by Mushtaq Ahmed
UNCIP, Dr. Josef Korbel wrote back to say, Gurmani, its Minister without Portfolio. Sardar
“The Commission wishes me to confirm that, Mohammed Ibrahim Khan, President of “Azad
due to peculiar conditions of this area, it did Kashmir” Government signed for the unknown
not specifically deal with the military aspect and unrecognized set-up. Surprisingly another
of the problem in its resolution of August 13, signatory was President of All J&K Moslem
1948. It believes, however, that the question Conference, Chaudhury Ghulam Abbas.
raised in your letter could be considered Through this Agreement, matters handed over
in the implementation of the Resolution”. to Pakistan were:
The Czech member of UNCIP, Dr Chyle, in •Defence (complete control over AK Forces)
his minority report to the Security Council •Foreign policy of Azad Kashmir
pointedly said, “The situation in the northern •Negotiations with UNCIP
areas has meanwhile undergone a material •Publicity in foreign countries and Pakistan
change in that the Pakistan Army conquered •Coordination of arrangements of relief and
many strategically important places during the rehabilitation of refugees,
interval. The Commission is bound to admit •Coordination of publicity in connection with
that while the reservation of the Government of Plebiscites
India of August 20, 1948 may be legally valid, it •All activities within Pakistan
is physically impossible to implement it.” •All affairs of Gilgit, Ladakh under control of
The main report of UNCIP to the Security Political Agent.
Council did elaborate on the problem of the It is pertinent to point out that Pakistan did
northern areas. The observation made by not consider Gilgit and Baltistan as part of
the UK Representative on UNCIP is very Pakistan or even so-called “Azad Kashmir”.
pertinent. He said “In regard to the northern Why did Pakistan Government have to make
areas (i.e. Gilgit and Skardu) my government is it a tripartite agreement with somebody from
impressed by the view given on paper 273 of the a political outfit signing it? It has been claimed
Commission’s report that the entry of Indian by Balti nationalists that Sardar Ibrahim Khan
forces into the areas north of the ceasefire has neither confirmed nor denied that he ever
line would almost inevitably lead to renewal signed such a document. Even the Pakistan
of hostilities …. it will be remembered that all Government has been unable to produce the
the members of the Commission except one original Agreement. There are doubts persisting
(i.e. Czechoslovakia) felt that the Government that if ever such a document was signed at all,
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