Spy Chronicles and Ideology of Independence in Jammu Kashmir
Should we hope that a day will come when policymakers at Delhi and Islamabad also think like Durrani and Dulat? Let’s keep the hopes alive for a better future of sub-continent.
( June 14, 2018, Boston, Sri Lanka Guardian) Authored by former intelligence agency chiefs from India and Pakistan, the newly released book, The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace, has already created instigating pandemonium in Pakistan’s intelligence and military spheres. The book is a sequence of discourses, facilitated by journalist Aditya Sinha, between former Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt. Gen. (retired) Asad Durrani and former Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief A.S. Dulat.
The authors being two ex- intelligence heads from India and Pakistan, it was anticipated that the Kashmir issue would be debated among the authors. Durrani and Dulat’s tête-à-têtes on Kashmir contributes much to this book, with six chapters utterly concentrating on India and Pakistan’s featuring role in the disputed territory of Kashmir. Remarkably, in the book Durrani orates that the existing stalemate in Kashmir isn’t essentially “unfavorable to Pakistan,” proposing that “Pakistan could be comfortable with the unrest except that Kashmiris died.” His proposed Kashmir policy takes shape when he submits, “…Because of what is happening in the Valley, Pakistan should simply sit back and watch the fun.” Dulat, on the other hand, proclaims that if Kashmiris were happy, then they would not turn to Pakistan, as Kashmiris need Pakistan only when they’re in “trouble.”
In this way, the two spy chiefs are in agreement that India has effectively positioned its assertion on Kashmir, while Pakistan may not be somewhat as linked as it likes to carry to the disputed territory of Kashmir. This apparent agreement between Durrani and Dulat gives the impression which is conflicting to the official position of Pakistan towards Kashmir, which espouses that the Kashmir is not an integral part of India, and that the Pakistani government imparts “unwavering political, moral, and diplomatic support” to the cause of Kashmiris.
When the influential intelligence executives from India and Pakistan meet in a friendly environment, Afghanistan is another inescapable region for confab. Yet, for such a provocative subject, there is an astounding amount of unanimity between Dulat and Durrani within The Spy Chronicles. In terms of the tactical calculus, the former RAW chief couldn’t have been more honest when proposing, “Afghanistan is as crucial to Pakistan as Nepal is to us.” On this, the two sides are in agreement that any Indian interference in Afghanistan would be equivalent to Pakistan interfering in Nepal.
However, the scope of this write-up would be limited to dispute in Jammu Kashmir and the agreements, suggestions and hopes to support an independent Kashmir movement discussed in the book. Both personally feel to come out of the stalemate and give some relief to Kashmiris but again both admit that they do not have sufficient support from the policy making institutions in Delhi and Islamabad. Talking about the possibility of an Independent Kashmir Durrani gives the impression of a compassionate factor when he describes “But if they (Kashmiris) decide on independence, enough would say; why not? We (Pakistanis) always claimed the Kashmiris’ heart is with us, so an independent Kashmir should gravitate towards us. I (Durrani) have no problem with independence (of Kashmir)” but the establishment is not convinced.
Admiring late Amman Ullah Khan’s firm commitment to restore independence of Jammu Kashmir Durrani admired Mr. Khan by saying “That’s why if someone talks about independence then we have no business getting in the way. So Amman Ullah was not handled well by us (Pakistanis). He was not the ISI’s favorite, not Pakistan’s favorite.”
Durrani further spoke about the possibility of Independent Kashmir in the view that which country would lose more if Kashmir becomes Independent? His assessment was India would lose more because India has more Kashmir as compared to Pakistan and if after 70 years of living in a status quo Kashmiris want independence, “that sentiment must count for something”. However, Durrani while talking about establishment as a whole says that “some stupidly say that an independent Kashmir would be disastrous and logic behind this disaster is paranoia.” Durrani admired Amman Ullah Khan’s commitment for Independence, but at the same time reveals that his ideology was not favored by establishment, although he had a massive following in Kashmir. Therefore, establishment had to bring in Hizbul Mujahahideen and other outfits to counter Amman Ullah Khan in Kashmir.
However, Durrani fears that in case of independence, due to its strategic importance, Kashmiris could attract “America, Germany and Japan, including others”. The China factor was also discussed by both; how in case of independent country, Kashmiris can reach out to China for better relations due to the fact that both share the borders with each other. They fear that these countries would like to establish bases as they did in Afghanistan and Kashmiris’ relationship with these countries would be friendlier as compared to India and Pakistan. Dulat’s personal interaction with Yasin Malick (a pro-independence leader) was very fascinating. When Dulat discussed Kashmir dispute with Malick, he categorically said in Urdu “Aapke sath kya baat Karenge, hum tau Azadi chahte hain (What we will talk with you? We only want independence)”. Dulat’s response to Malick was very passionate “If you could get independence then I would wave the Kashmiri flag with you” but the hard reality is “India will never countenance it”
Dulat, however, mentions on record that “Geelani Saheb (Syed Ali Geelani) in 1989-1990 at the beginning of militancy in Kashmir referred to these boys (JKLF) as terrorists. Then he was summoned to a meeting in Kathmandu (by Pakistan) and things changed”. Dulat explains it was because, in the beginning Pakistan lost control of movement in valley due to JKLF’s ideology of creating an Independent country, therefore, Pakistan had to bring Jamaat (Jamaat-e-Islami) in to counter JKLF.
Dulat passionately spoke about the sufferings of people living across the Line of control (LoC) in Jammu Kashmir. “Let there be peace on the LoC, where life is tough because of constant shelling”.
Durrani during the whole conversation blamed India, for not willing to come out of status quo and stalemate, not only on Kashmir issue but on other bilateral issues too. At the same time, he fears that if conflict in Kashmir is resolved peacefully, it might trigger other dynamics. He refers to Indus Water Treaty and other impediments and complications that would arise after settlement of Kashmir dispute. He mentions that “the price for peace is at times higher than the price of conflict”.
While talking about the role of Hurriyat and others Dulat categorically labelled hurriyat as Pakistani team and claimed that India has its own team too and those who favor real independence are in between. Both preferred to make Jammu Kashmir a bridge of peace between India and Pakistan and offered their volunteer services to negotiate and materialize the concept, if both India and Pakistan allow them to go ahead. Both Durrani and Dulat talked about the current legal situation of Jammu Kashmir that Indian Kashmir has a special status under article 370 of Indian constitution, while on the other hand they have prime minister and a president, thus admitting that it is a disputed territory and needs to be negotiated and settled. Musharraf’s four point agenda for empowering both parts of Kashmir is also discussed in the book and both admired it as a window to tackle the stalemate in Kashmir.
Out of mainstream politicians of Kashmir, both Durrani and Dulat admired Farooq Abdullah as the man who is wise enough to convert conflict into co-operation but both doubted Delhi and Islamabad to accept Farooq Abdullah as interlocutor. As a whole the book offers a hope from both the spy chiefs that if the serious deliberations could kick start, somewhere the cycle of stalemate could break and people in Kashmir, India and Pakistan focus on going ahead without fears of another bloody war. I personally got an impression that both the spy chiefs have laid a foundation to resolve Kashmir dispute and let the people free for the betterment of entire sub-continent. Therefore, they even dared to discuss the idea of united India as it existed before 1947 by using the typical terminology of “Akhand Bharat”.
Should we hope that a day will come when policymakers at Delhi and Islamabad also think like Durrani and Dulat? Let’s keep the hopes alive for a better future of sub-continent.
Nayyar N Khan is a US-based political analyst, human rights activist and a freelance journalist of Kashmiri origin. He regularly writes on peace and conflict resolution. He can be reached at globalpeace2002@hotmail.com