[Reader-list] We voted ‘because of the hate of our own leaders’. - Dr Shabir Choudhry

[Kshmendra Kaul]

We voted ‘because of the hate of our own leaders’. - Dr Shabir Choudhry ( 23 November 2008)
 
 
EXTRACTS from the blog entry at:
http://drshabirchoudhry.blogspot.com/2008/11/we-voted-because-of-hate-of-our-own.html
 
- If we look at the Pakistani media or views of those who support Pakistan irrespective of what they have done to the Kashmir dispute, then we find that there has been a total boycott of elections and that the Indian army has only one mission and that is to kill innocent people.

- some members of the Pakistani media and their puppets have only one mission: and that is to tell lies and hide facts from people as they have been hiding facts from their own people 
 
- According to BBC representative Altaf Hussain, he has ‘not seen such long queues for any voting in the past’. And despite cold weather people have come out in thousands to vote.
 
- attitude of young people, who have openly defied calls for boycott and used their democratic right to vote. People see this as a protest vote against pro Pakistan leaders who used the Kashmiri struggle to feather their own nests.

- "Our leaders Geelani Sahib, Mirwaiz Sahib, Yasin Malik, Javed Mir and others had appealed earlier that people should stay away from these elections but we want to tell them that our people voted not because of the love of pro Indian leaders but because of the hate of our own leaders".

- "These so called pro movement leaders make huge property on the blood of our martyrs especially on the sacrifices of our common Mujahideen. ........ We are treated as slaves, how can we stop our brothers and sisters from taking part in the elections". 
 
- people have clearly rejected calls of boycott as ordinary masses have no trust in those who give calls of boycott ..... "It is true we want independence and don’t want to be part of India, but by staying away from polling booths we will only strengthen hands of those who are promoting a Pakistani agenda in Jammu and Kashmir, and are getting rewards for this"
 
- This amazing turnout has bewildered everyone. After ‘successful communalisation’ of the Kashmiri polity, anti election leaders and their mentors thought they have won the battle, and they were predicting a total boycott and a possible ‘blood bath’ which could have helped them make political gains. 
 
- What has angered many people is the hypocritical approach of anti elections lobby – they support elections in areas occupied by Pakistan; but are prepared to go to any lengths to oppose elections in areas occupied by India.
 
- oppose elections for two reasons: rewards from Pakistani agencies for doing this; and fear that if they took part in fair and impartial elections they will lose their seats, hence fully exposed before everyone. They would like to take part in kind of elections which are held in Pakistani administered Kashmir where outcome is decided in favour of the higher bidder.

- At the time of elections in 2002 I had a meeting with the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials, and pleaded that the APHC leaders could possibly win the elections. I was told that in their judgement and in light of reports they have, there was no way they could win elections. And that if these leaders had even fifty fifty chance of winning, they would have taken the option of participating in the elections.

They further said if they were so sure about their popularity the best way was to take part in elections, and then speak with authority, as Sein Fin leaders used to do – they used to take part in elections in Northern Ireland and after winning their seats they refuse to come to Westminster.

- The present turn out should also be seen as a protest vote against policies of Pakistani governments. Kashmiri youths see Pakistan’s Kashmir policy changing like weather changes in England. Kashmiri youths are annoyed with continued proxy war, proxy politics, forced division and subjugation; and want to make their wishes known.