ISLAMABAD: Independent State should be added to the United Nations resolutions as part options in the right of self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, says Naureen Farooq Ibrahim, National Assembly member of ruling Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf (PTI), and daughter in law of late Kashmiri leader Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan.
“Kashmiris should be given options to join Pakistan, India or they want to remain independent. It is their right to decide what type of State they want for themselves”, Noreen said in an interview with TNT.
She said Kashmiri leaders who had decided to join Pakistan on July 19, 1947 even before creation of Pakistan had met at the residence of Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, her father in law.
She also believes that Kashmiris will ultimately decide to become part of Pakistan, but giving them the option of an independent state, along with two other options, is their right.
Naureen is member of Pakistan’s National Assembly from ruling PTI on women reserved seats. Her in -laws are in active politics of Kashmir before partition times.
Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan also known as Bani-e-Kashmir (“Father of Azad KashmirAzad Kashmir”) and Ghazi-e-Millat (“Hero of the Nation”), was the founder and first President of Azad Kashmir.
In 1946, he won the Jammu and Kashmir State Assembly election as a member of the Muslim Conference party and became a member of the Praja Sabha under Maharajah Hari Singh.
He was among the leading figures in the Kashmir liberation struggle and strong dialogue of joining Pakistan. Khan was appointed the first President of Azad Kashmir in 1948. He represented Kashmir in different capacities at the United Nations from 1948 to 1971.
After his death in 2003, his son Sardar Khalid Ibrahim led Jammu Kashmir People Party (JKPP), the party late Sardar Ibrahim Khan formed in 1992 after he developed differences with former PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto.
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Naureen’s husband Sardar Farooq Ibrahim has served in national airline Pakistan International Airlines.
After sudden demise of Sardar Khalid Ibrahim last year his son Hassan Khalid Ibrahim Khan, was elected MLA as JKPP candidate from his parent constituency tagged LA 19 – Poonch-3 of AJJK Legislative Assembly in December 2018.
His father, Sardar Khalid Ibrahim, was known as man principles in AJK politics had been elected from the seat record five times from this constituency.
Naureen said of the 11 UNSC, only three are valid now and the rest have been rendered null and void. She believes right of an independent State of Jammu and Kashmir should be part of options the Kashmiris should have under UN umbrella solution.
“If we really want to work for Kashmir, Pakistan government must try to re-include the option in the UN resolution. Right now they option either to join India or Pakistan. They should have three options.. they want to join India, Pakistan or they want to be independent. This is their basic right and it should be given to them” PTI lawmaker remarked.
When asked if Pakistan’s establishment would support her proposal, she said: “I believe they would have to give them (Kashmiris) this right”.
PTI MNA claimed her late father in law Sardar Ibrahim Khan, who led the armed struggle against Maharaja after partition also espoused the third option.
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After BJP-led Indian government abrogated article 370 and 25A, it is very much clear that people of occupied Kashmir will never agree to go for India, she said.
“They wrap the dead bodies of their martyrs in Pakistani flag which is a clear indication that Kashmiris want to become part of Pakistan” she added.
However, she believes that Kashmiris should be given all the three option. “They should have the option. It should not be an imposed decision” Noreen said.
When asked why Pakistan’s voice for Kashmiris is not heard by the international community including the Muslim countries, she had a logical and straightforward reply: “every country looks after its own interest. India being the fastest growing economy. Ours have no comparison with their economy… this is crystal clear”.
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“At the same time, it is also our diplomatic failure. It was failure of our foreign office. It has nothing to do with PTI. In one year PTI has taken Kashmir issue very effectively”, she added.
Praising Imran Khan’s efforts on Kashmir PTI lawmaker said, he offered India dialogue soon after assuming office of Prime Minister.
Naureen said though men of her family were active in politics, but she like other women of the family had never taken part in politics. It was Imran Khan’s vision which attracted her and she joined his party, despite her family had its own party.
She did not even tell her husband initially when she joined PTI 10 years back. “I was impressed by vision and personality of Imran Khan. I went to membership camp and I silently joined the party” she recalled.
She had fear that her husband might object joining PTI when they have their own party in Kashmir.
She part of women wing of the party in Islamabad, and later elevated as President of KPK chapter due to her native roots in the province.
She was elected to the National Assembly on a reserved seat for women from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018 in general election.
She is supporter in reforms in education and health sectors in her capacity as lawmaker. “Education is my passion. Whichever issue you take, be it violence against women, or any other issues it comes down to education”, she added.
She is typing to set up a community center and a women university in her native town Kohat. She is also working for improvement of schools in Islamabad, especially in the primary education. “We are looking how we can improve that as civil society. I am trying whatever role I can play as MNA”, Naureen said.
PTI lawmaker claimed the government brining reforms curriculum and same education will be provided in schools and seminaries. The seminaries will be imparting conventional education along with religious education and she wants that schools should have facility to memorise Quran for students who want to do so. She would be meeting Shafqat Mehmood, the education minister and put forward her proposals.
