Forgotten Kashmir: The Other Side of the Line of Control

Forgotten Kashmir examines the evolution of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) over the past seven decades. It includes major milestones like the tribal invasion in 1947-48, the Sudhan revolt in the 1950s, the Ayub era, the Simla Agreement, the adoption of an Interim Constitution of 1974 and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). It is not simply an historical account but one that analyses the events in PoK against the background of developments in Pakistan’s polity and the situation within PoK to better understand Pakistan’s motivations for its policies in the region. The book delves into contentious issues, such as the right of self-determination (distinct from the concept of plebiscite) that is central to the debate on Jammu and Kashmir at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). For a fuller understanding, the issue is examined considering positions of principal actors, particularly the United Kingdom up to the 1950s. More recently, Chinese presence in the region has grown with the development of the CPEC that runs through the Northern Areas, now renamed Gilgit-Baltistan . The author, a seasoned diplomat, provides a wealth of information that comes from his involvement in the Jammu and Kashmir issue at India’s Ministry of External Affairs and discussions at the United Nations, his stint in Karachi, and as a member of bilateral working groups to counter terrorism with the US, EU, UK and Canada.＂