ࡱ> ,.+3 xjbjb^^ !$h<h<(6lNNN8 $.."PPPPPP, NPPPPPNNPP.PvNPNPb,,,",NNPNN" ٸ.   Azad Kashmir: Pakistans Claim to Kashmir Leslie Austin South Asian Politics Professor Key Azad Kashmir is the territorial government that was set up by Pakistan in 1947. Azad can be literally translated as free, therefore, the government of Azad Kashmir was implemented and accepted by the citizens of Kashmir because the original intent was to make Kashmir an independent state. Azad Kashmir is roughly comprised of one third of the original territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the other two thirds existing under Indian rule. This area is comprised many of Muslims who identify with their Pakistani neighbors, and who wish to become a part of Pakistan. There is a Hindu minority that also lives within Kashmir who want the entire territory to fall under Indian control. In contrast to both of these groups, there is a group of mainly Muslim people who wish for Kashmir to be free from either country so that they may be recognized as their own state and implement their own government. The tension between these three factions is what has caused the political turmoil in this section of the world for the past century, pitting country against country and neighbor against neighbor. To truly understand the political situation in Kashmir, and specifically that of the Azad Kashmir government, one must be acquainted with the history of this region as well as the religious and cultural influences that shaped the diverse population. In 711 A.D., Kashmir was first introduced to Islam through a Syrian named Hamim. This man spread the religion, creating a Muslim majority throughout the region of Kashmir. From this point on into history, Kashmir falls into the hands of Afghans and then was annexed and ruled by Sikhs. In 1846, the British sell Kashmir to the Dogra Hindus, creating a situation in which the majority of the people were Muslim by tradition, but are now being ruled by Hindus. His nephew, Hari Singh, succeeded Pratab Singh as the Dogra Hindu leader of Kashmir in 1925. Hari Singh ruled as the Maharaja of Kashmir until the British Government in India decided to fix the problems between the Hindu and Muslim citizens by dividing the continent into two countries, India and the newly formed Islamic Pakistan. During the Partition of the subcontinent, each of the rulers of the multiple princely states of India were given the task of deciding whether to become part of India or Pakistan. This put the Maharaja of Kashmir into a difficult situation because Singh was part of the Hindu ruling class at this time, while the majority of the people living in Kashmir were Muslim. According to the regulations set forth by the British Government and Lord Mountbatten, the rulers would have to consider the religion and the traditions of the people of their territory in coming to a decision of whether to ally with India or Pakistan. Shortly after Partition, Hari Singh declared that Kashmir would remain independent from either country, and he could maintain his status as ruler over the Kashmiri people. This decision prompted Muslim uprisings all throughout Kashmir along with a British and Indian refusal to recognize Kashmir as an independent state. This complete abandonment of his former allies forced Singh to sign over the right to rule Kashmir to India. By signing over the right to rule Kashmir, Singh guaranteed that he would receive a pension from the Indian government as well as protection from the angered Muslim Kashmiris who had wanted to become a part of Pakistan who comprised the majority of Kashmiri citizens.  Rahman, Mustaqur, Divided Kashmir: Old Problems, New Opportunities for India, Pakistan, and for the Kashmiri People (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 1996) xiii  Rahman, Mustaqur, Divided Kashmir: Old Problems, New Opportunities for India, Pakistan, and for the Kashmiri People (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 1996) xiii PAGE  PAGE 4   ()<7^_efgijpqrstx0JmH0J j0JU>* j0JU>* 5CXfghijklmnopqrstuv$a$ 5CXfghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~   !"#$%&'(ituxPvwxyz{|}~  dd` !$a$ !"#$%&'(\]^g&`#$$a$ghituvwx$a$&`#$h]h 0/ =!"#$% i4@4NormalCJOJPJQJmH 0@0 Heading 1$@&>*<A@<Default Paragraph Font,@,Header  !&)@& Page NumberBC`BBody Text Indentd`.@". Footnote Text8&@18Footnote ReferenceH*x5858x $ !z!z z zs xq x vgx x !! 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