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OPINION NOVEMBER 27, 2020 | The Indian Eye 14
THe FOrGOTTen FacT OF
“cHina-OccuPied KaSHmir”
Sujan r. cHinOy rial dispute in Jammu & Kash-
mir, it was naturally inclined
ollowing the abrogation towards settlement of the issue
of Article 370 and reor- in favour of Pakistan, in order
Fganisation of the State of to preserve its territorial gains
Jammu & Kashmir in August from the 1963 agreement.
2019, China strongly criticised Unfortunately, China’s en-
the Indian Home Minister’s tanglement in the Kashmir is-
statement in Parliament, in sue has not received adequate
which he had reiterated India’s attention of the strategic ana-
long-standing position that the lysts and commentators, both
state of Jammu & Kashmir in- in India and externally. China
cludes Pakistan Occupied Kash- has had a free run so far and
mir (POK) as well as Aksai Chin. feels comfortable raising the
issue precisely because its own
status as an occupier of territo-
the fact of the matter is ry in Jammu & Kashmir has not
that the map of india has indian Army maintains a good position at siachen which is located at a been adequately publicised.
That China is an interested
always included these ter- strategic position in Kashmir. (ANi) party to the dispute and has
ritories as part of Jammu obfuscated because the inter- China has usurped Kashmir’s played an opportunistic his-
& Kashmir, along with PoK, national narrative has been territory. This special feature torical role in adding to the
limited to the bilateral dispute provides a historical account complexity of the issue is a fact
including the trans-Kara- between India and Pakistan. of Chinese perfidy and unscru- which should be brought to light
koram tract of shaksgam Even in Kashmir, the Chinese pulous manoeuvres since the in scholarly writings as well as
subterfuge has largely gone colonial days, aimed at sur- in statements at the UN or any
which was illegally ceded unnoticed, under-reported reptitiously acquiring land that other international fora when-
by Pakistan to china. and under-analysed. Following rightfully belonged to the erst- ever the occasion presents itself
China’s interference in India’s while princely state of Jammu in response to Pakistan raking
China has become increas- internal affairs, some Kashmi- & Kashmir, and, following its up the issue of Jammu & Kash-
ri leaders have even welcomed accession on October 26, 1947, mir, singly or in tandem with
ingly assertive in backing Pa- China’s growing interest in the is a part of India. China. This would be consistent
kistan’s moves to agitate the Kashmir issue. Former Chief It is a historical fact that the with India’s position on Jammu
issue at the international level. Minister of Jammu & Kash- dispute in Kashmir goes beyond & Kashmir in terms of its car-
It has tried to trigger discus-
sions in the United Nations mir Farooq Abdullah has made the territory that is still under the tographic depictions as well as
Security Council (UNSC) on an outrageous statement that illegal occupation of Pakistan, statements and resolutions in
four occasions since then. Si- Kashmiris would much rather and includes both the territory the Parliament over the years.
measuring 5,180 square kilo-
be under Chinese rule!
multaneously, it has continued In order to understand the metres (sq kms) in the Shaks- Amb. Sujan R. Chinoy is Direc-
to designate the issue as a bi- Chinese game-plan and its op- gam Valley in the trans-Kara- tor General, Manohar Parrikar
lateral legacy dispute between
India and Pakistan. It has called portunistic involvement in the koram tract ceded by Pakistan Institute for Defence Studies and
upon “both India and Paki- Kashmir issue, one must revisit to China under their so-called Analyses, New Delhi
stan to peaacefully resolve the history to assess the full extent border agreement of March 02, Views expressed are of
of China’s insidious role as an 1963, as well as approximately
relevant disputes through di- illegal occupier of Kashmir’s 38,000 sq kms of the territory the author and do not necessarily
alogue and consultation and territory. There is a need to of the erstwhile state of Jam- reflect the views of the Manohar
safeguard peace and stability Parrikar IDSA or of the Govern-
in the region”. Despite being a widely disseminate the facts mu & Kashmir in Aksai Chin ment of India.
party to the territorial dispute about Chinese territorial grab illegally occupied by China.
in Kashmir, China has endeav- in the trans-Karakoram tract China’s actions in occupying This is the abridged version of
oured to play down the fact. in order to raise public aware- Aksai Chin, and subsequently, the article which appeared first
in the Comment section of the
ness of the issue, both in India in usurping the Shaksgam tract
China’s role as an interested and at the international level. in 1963, did have a direct bear- website (www.idsa.in) of Mano-
party and its status as a dispu- Above all, Kashmiris, including ing on the territory of Jammu & har Parrikar Institute for Defense
tant in the territorial issue of
Jammu & Kashmir has been those in POK, should be made Kashmir. Given that China had Studies and Analyses, New Delhi
aware of the manner in which become a party to the territo- on November 20, 2020
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