Aar paar autonomy for Kashmir

Shahnawaz Gul

Advocates of Aar paar (both sides) autonomy will have to educate the groups from all sides that the concept is to accommodate and not alienate them. Aar paar autonomy needs to be presented and pitched as a win-win situation for all. It is also an imperative for the conflict resolution process.

Aar paar autonomy means autonomy given to both the parts of Kashmir. Autonomy, as a compromise solution, provides for the possibility to share sovereignty between the states and sub state regions with unique history and geographical proximity. Autonomy is a mechanism of safeguarding both aims: the preservation of the integrity of a state and its sovereign territory and self-government for the specific region.

The contemporary relevance of the autonomy issue has to be considered as an efficient means of conflict prevention and resolution through accommodation of the fundamental needs of groups within the existing state boundaries.

In the literature of peace and conflict studies various types of autonomies are discussed for the conflict resolution. Aar paar autonomy is a recent concept introduced by the National conference patron and former chief minister of Jammu Kashmir Dr Farooq Abdullah.

Usually autonomy is an intra-state phenomenon provided for the protection of group or minority rights that too within the specific territory. Jammu Kashmir is divided into two parts controlled by two sovereign states. As for as internal dimension of the Kashmir issue is concerned both the regions are in constant conflict with the central governments in Delhi and Islamabad respectively. Externally, India and Pakistan are contesting and claiming each other’s controlled regions.

Aar paar autonomy is a more challenging option for conflict resolution which accommodates something from everything. Aar paar is a mental construction referring to the geographical quantity of Jammu Kashmir which existed before 1947 partition of the subcontinent. Hence, it is one of the plausible compromise solution introduced. There are three popular positions on Kashmir issue—one represented by India and the mainstream regional political parties in Jammu Kashmir, second represented by resistance groups of Kashmir and the third position is held by Pakistan on Kashmir. The question which arises with respect to the concept of Aar paar autonomy is what it is? And what it has to offer for different parties involved?

Multi-party nature of the Kashmir conflict is the reason of its intractability and complexity. Different parties to the conflict hold different stands based on their ideology and historical legal roots. India maintains that there cannot be further redrawing of boundaries but at the same time it has never been serious in resolving the Kashmir issue within its constitutional parameters.

Aar paar autonomy does not entail fiddling with boundaries. So, India should not be afraid or move away from the concept rather it shall start a process of discourse on the concept. National Conference and other regional parties are almost on the same page as far as autonomy is concerned.  Previously, Omar Abdullah in his rule has used the term “Autonomy-plus”. Now the introduction of Aar Paar concept has explained that plus and will hold more acceptability and wisdom. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti in her “Hindustan Times Leadership Summit” lecture also cleared her party’s position which is in line with India’s national position on Kashmir.

Aar paar concept is possible in South Asian context. The political will to work out Aar paar autonomy is possible when both India and Pakistan are willing to engage in broader South Asian regional context. Besides political and ethnic issues Aar Paar Autonomy has also to accommodate economic aspects more specifically currency issues on European Union pattern. Pakistan’s position to negate the accession and get back Kashmir as part of partition plan is also satisfying in Aar paar model. With obvious limitations in this model Kashmir is acceding and seceding to both India and Pakistan.

For a common man in Kashmir, resistance means independence. Aar paar autonomy is an idea of building a state with obvious limitations. To some people this concept could be alien but that is not fully true—in idea, application process, innovations do take place—but aar paarconcept is already in practice. For that matter we can look into the Aland Islands Autonomy, South Tyrol Autonomy or Good Friday agreement of 1998. India and Pakistan should advance and deal with Kashmir conflict the way Finland and Sweden dealt with Aland Islands, the way Italy and Austria dealt with South Tyrol and the way Britain and Ireland dealt with Northern Ireland.

Parties need to look at this concept rising above their narrow political interests and rather should start discussing it to find out the pillars on which the edifice of aar paar autonomy could be built. The possible pillars of the aar paar autonomy concept could be regional institutional mechanisms like greater Jammu Kashmir parliament and regional assemblies.

The author is a Research Scholar in Department of Political Science, University of Kashmir and can be mailed at sgnengroo@gmail.com