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British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond was obviously detached from reality when he suggested on March 08 that issue of Jammu and Kashmir should not be a precondition for resumption of IndiaPakistan dialogue and emphasized the need for reopening of talks between the two countries. He restated the obvious that an IndiaPakistan dialogue is essential for long-term economic development, peace and security in the region. A prompt comment came from All Parties Hurriyet Conference leader from Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK), SyedAli Geelani, terming the statement as inappropriate and adding: "The British government played a key role in creating the Kashmir issue".
Though advice for recommencement of dialogue is saner one and is reflective of the desire of the UK to see peace and stability in the region, the suggested parameters are faulty. Proposal that Kashmir should not be a precondition for resumption of Pakistan-lndia dialogue, that too from the British foreign minister, was disappointing.
Any historic scrutiny into the origin of Kashmir conflict leads to culpability of the British Crown representatives in India. Who would know better than Hammond that the Kashmir dispute was wilfully engineered through machinations of the last Viceroy Lord Mountbatten, who supervised the "Great Divide". On pretext of fake and fabricated accession letter from Maharaja of Kashmir, the Viceroy authorised air lift of Indian troops to mercilessly suppress the popular uprising against the Indian intent to annex Kashmir by armtwisting the Maharaja.
In the same context, earlier the Chairman of Boundary Commission Cyril Radcliff was pressured by the Viceroy and bribed by Nehru to alter the boundary award and give Muslim majority district of Gurdaspur to India because the only land connection between India and Kashmir passed through this town. The conspiracy was well orchestrated under the tutelage of the Viceroy, who was dying for becoming the joint Governor General of Pakistan and India. After Pakistan's refusal to accept him in that capacity, he crossed over to Indian interest.
Despite ruthless and disproportionate use of force, India failed to subdue pro-Pakistan sentiment in Kashmir. Seeing the impending takeover...