Academic Publication

Author Profile

Dr. Mohammad Monir Alam is former Director, Department of Strategic and Regional Studies, University of Jammu, Jammu. After completing his Doctorate from School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, he served as Fellow at Maulana Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Kolkata. After joining University of Jammu in 2002, he has been actively engaged in teaching and research. Besides co editing a book on Central Asia: Present Challenges and Future Prospects; he has authored four books namely: Russia and Tajikistan: Political and Security Relationship; Pakistan Occupied Kashmir: Constitutional Status and Political Reality; Revival of the Silk Route: Growing Role of India; and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir: Internal Dynamics and Externalities; and one monograph as Brig. Rajinder Singh Paper on "Origin, Evolution and Development of Security Studies". The author has published many research papers in journals and books of national and international repute on diverse themes like Geopolitics of Central Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Strategic and Security Studies and India's Energy Security. He is also Editor of biannual international refereed journal Security and Society as well as ACROSS LOC, a quarterly digest on developments in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

About The Book

The history of Jammu and Kashmir partition and Pakistan's occupation of one part that it calls "Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Northern Areas (NA) is fairly well recorded. A notional government of "Azad Kashmir" was set up on October 24, 1947, just two days before Maharaja Hari Singh acceded to India. Then under a proclamation of 28 April 1949 the entire Northern Areas of Jammu and Kashmir was separated from POK and placed directly under the administration of the Federal government under the name of Northern Areas of Pakistan. This was legitimized by a tripartite agreement signed between the government of Pakistan, the then President of "Azad Kashmir" and the President of All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference. But it was only with the enactment of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Interim Constitution Act of 1974, that POK got a parliamentary system of government with direct elections. But AJK is still independent only notionally and not sovereign with direct elections. Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Affairs based in Islamabad actually runs the government and enacts laws. In 1982, Gen ZiaulHaq had proclaimed that the NA was a part of Pakistan. However, there have been various demands from the people of NA ranging from being made the fifth province of Pakistan, to be merged with AJK to fleeting voices of independence. Despite the confused state of affairs over the political, legal and constitutional status, lack of social and economic development, growing sectarianism and an uncertain future, Pakistan has clearly been able to put a shroud over POK. This volume primarily intended to generate discourses on internal dynamics and externalities to map out the constitutional status and political developments; various resistance movements for autonomy and sectarian violence in Northern Areas; human right violations, Chinese presence and its involvement in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. It comprises of ten research papers presented at the seminar on March 2728, 2011, organized by the Department of Strategic and Regional Studies (DSRS), University of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements ChapterI: Introduction ChapterII: Inaugural Address ChapterIII: Pakistan Occupied Kashmir: An Introduction ChapterIV: Secterian Violence in GilgitBaltistan ChapterV: Democratic Process in GilgitBaltistan ChapterVI: Movements for Autonomy and Independence in GilgitBaltistan ChapterVII: The Base Camp Journalism: Press in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir ChapterVIII: Interpreting China’s ‘Forward Policy’ on Kashmir ChapterIX: Reexamining the Relationship between Borders and International Cooperation: A Case of Cross LOC Tourism ChapterX: Struggle and Survivals: Women in Conflict Situations in GilgitBaltistan ChapterXI: Geostrategic Importance of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir ChapterXII: ‘Azad’ Jammu and Kashmir: Constitutional Status Contributors Index