WikiLeaks: Mirwaiz wanted LoC as border, CMs on rotation

A US secret diplomatic cable has revealed that Hurriyat moderate leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq wanted LoC to be converted into a permanent border and three separate legislative assemblies for Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir regions with Chief Minister and Governor from each region on rotation basis. The cable says the Mirwaiz wanted this “because he was concerned about his own political future”. 

 “Prior to his recent meeting with Musharraf, the Mirwaiz discussed with PolOff and PolFSN his effort to build support within the Kashmiri and Pakistani public for his solution. On the Indian side the Governor and the CM posts would rotate to allow representatives from Jammu, Ladakh and Srinagar an equal chance to fill each position,” reads the diplomatic cable.

 “The Mirwaiz is no doubt concerned about his own political future in this proposal and that of the rest of the APHC (All Parties Hurriyat Conference). With Srinagar having its own state Assembly, the Mirwaiz and his APHC colleagues would only have to win in the Valley to serve at least part of the time in the Governor and CM positions — rather than relying on minor Muslim voters in Jammu and Ladakh or having to worry about building a coalition with mainstream parties who may be reluctant to ally with the former separatists,” the cable says.

 It adds that the Mirwaiz's proposal — ‘United States of Kashmir’ — included turning the LoC into a permanent border between India and Pakistan. “First, the LoC would become border, but every effort would be made by parties on both sides to make it irrelevant similar to the soft barriers that define many of the borders in Europe. Second, both Kashmiri regions of India and Pakistan would be given semi-autonomous status. The proposal would set three separate state assemblies on the Indian side.. and two on the Pakistani side including Azad Kashmir and northern areas,” it says.


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