Stapled visa row adds to the deleterious fallout of Kashmir dispute
The 'de-recognition' of the stapled Chinese visa by Government of India practically singles out the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh for its punitive implications. The diplomatic hot war over this issue virtually bars the affected students, businessmen and tourists from these two border states from travelling to China. A good number of them are known to be suffering losses on this account. Obviously, the aggrieved persons are destined to suffer until the row is sorted out or one of the two parties chooses to give in which, however, does not seem to be probable at this moment. China does not recognise Indian sovereignty over J&K and AP. This issue, in fact, is not new. But its effective manifestation is quite a new development. China had been issuing stapled visa, on detachable loose sheets of paper, to Indian passport holders from J&K and AP for more than a year. Visa holders, including students, research scholars and businessmen from Kashmir were travelling to and fro on these very visas. Why Indian retaliation took so unusually long coming has not been explained. That apart, there are quite a few more anomalies that defy common sense and make mockery of constitutional propriety. For instance, the citizens of Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PAK) are recognised as full fledged citizens of J&K and, by virtue of that, citizens of India. The property left behind by those who had to migrate from this side to that is being held in the name of its original owners and managed by the custodian department on their behalf. Yet when any of those 'citizens' of India comes here and seeks restoration of his property or wants to re-settle here he is practically treated as 'enemy agent' and thrown out. Even the highest judicial authority of this country has sought to evade a clear cut verdict on the validity of the two contesting claims. The notional 25-seat quota in the state legislative assembly left vacant for representatives of the PAK area, meanwhile, continues to linger.
Coincidentally, the Indian government's action to de-recognise the Chinese 'invalid' visa synchronised with the first-ever 'legislative' elections held on Thursday in Gilgit-Baltistan area across the Line of Control. These areas, claimed by India as being an integral part of the undivided state of Jammu and Kashmir (till 1947) have so far been administered directly from the Pakistan capital (Karachi and Islamabad) with a mere geographical designation of 'Northern Areas'. About four decades ago, a large chunk of the Northern Area territory touching Ladakh region of J&K was ceded by Pakistan to China on 'temporary' basis. The deal struck in the teeth of opposition from India was, however, declared to be subject to the final outcome of the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan. So it is not merely a question that China does not recognise Indian sovereignty 0ver AP and J&K. China is in physical possession of Indian territory across Ladakh and does not accept the validity of McMohan line in the east. Meanwhile, Pakistan's action in holding legislative elections in Gilgit-Baltistan effectively amounts to consolidation of its hold, notwithstanding India's objections. India continues to treat GB areas as belonging to J&K state which it claims to be its integral part. But the bus travellers (state subjects) from this side of the LoC to the other are not permitted by Pakistan to visit Gilgit-Baltistan areas. The bus travellers are not required to have visas. On the other hand, Kashmiris travelling to Pakistan with visa stamped on their Indian passports are allowed to visit Northern Areas after some simple procedural verification.
These are but a few of serious problems resulting from the lingering Kashmir dispute. A large number of families on both sides of the LoC have been the victims of periodic diplomatic flare-up between India and Pakistan and between India and China. Getting a passport is an uphill task by itself for Kashmiris in India. A huge number of applicants is denied the privilege while security clearance for others takes months and even years. This cruel discriminatory treatment has now one more addition: Virtual ban on travel to China. In the 21st Century such imposition looks totally anachronistic. India is big country, a growing regional and economic power. Its conduct on the international plane is expected to be above that of banana republics. By denying the right of PAK visitors to return and resettle here and reclaim their property, is not the state of India emulating China by refuting its own sovereignty over the entire territory of J&K?
[Editorial-Kashmir Times-Nov 14, 2009]
Posted on 14 Nov 2009 by
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