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Generally, Kashmir issue is considered as an inter-state conflict between India and Pakistan .Its centrality in Pakistan's foreign as well as in domestic policy, has assigned this issue a very prominent place in the national politics and inter- provincial governmental relations. The issue lost its unanimous place very soon after the establishment of Pakistan. It has been argued that Kashmir dispute instrumentally utilized to legitimize the centralized state structure for the ascendency of civil- military bureaucratic oligarchy dominated by Punjab. This article explores the development of internal discourse on Kashmir issue during the first parliamentary and first military era of Pakistan from 1947-1969.
Introduction
Since early days of independence, Kashmir issue has been considered as one major cause of the multiplicity of tensions and conflicts between India and Pakistan, along with the ensure of the evacuee properties settlement, the distribution of Indus Basin Water, the sharing of armed forces and war equipment and the distribution of treasury money, etc. This long standing tension is aggravated by the later extension of the disputes to Siachen Glacier, Sir Creek Border and the Wular Barrage. Of all contentious issues between India and Pakistan, Kashmir was and still remains by far the most crucial one and considered as 'the core issue'.
At the time of the liquidation of British Empire in 1947, twofifth of the subcontinent was ruled by princes over whom Britain had juridically been suzerain. In the liquidation plan of third June 1947, states were expected to join India or Pakistan, following the geographical position of their state as well as wishes of the people of state. The overwhelming majority - some 550 out of 560were Hindu potentates ruling Hindu population and were swiftly rounded up for India by Lord Mountbatten at the time of independence. Kashmir, the largest princely state with a predominantly Muslim population under a Hindu Maharaja Hari Singh, was expected to join Pakistan as ninety percent of the population of the state was Muslim and it was geographically, culturally, religiously and economically was linked the areas constituting Pakistan. But contrary to the wishes of the people of Kashmir, through a forged declaration of accession to India by the Maharaja Hari Singh of Kashmir, Kashmir was annexed to India on 26 September 1947...