What if? - A referendum in AJK

[FreePalestine]

If Pakistan held a referendum in AJK, I assume they will definitely vote to become part of Pakistan. So PK should have a referendum to destroy the false equivalency between AJK and IOC. What do you think? Just had this idea right now over breakfast and thought I woiuld share. Haha

I guess if you put ‘independence’ on the ballot, would get more complicated

 

[MenInG]

If Pakistan held a referendum in AJK, I assume they will definitely vote to become part of Pakistan. So PK should have a referendum to destroy the false equivalency between AJK and IOC. What do you think? Just had this idea right now over breakfast and thought I would share.

I guess if you put ‘independence’ on the ballot, would get more complicated

Why do you think India will accept the result? They will claim its rigged.

 

[Romali_rotti]

If Pakistan held a referendum in AJK, I assume they will definitely vote to become part of Pakistan. So PK should have a referendum to destroy the false equivalency between AJK and IOC. What do you think? Just had this idea right now over breakfast and thought I woiuld share. Haha

I guess if you put ‘independence’ on the ballot, would get more complicated

How will this work ? India will request for China to evacuate from the part of Kashmir which Pakistan exchanged/gave away to them...

 

[FreePalestine]

Actually, I see it more as a PR exercise to show the difference between how the sides are treated. Not to actually engineer any actual change on the ground. You could even have ‘self-governing’ on the ballot.

 

[FreePalestine]

How will this work ? India will request for China to evacuate from the part of Kashmir which Pakistan exchanged/gave away to them...

You could leave the Shaksgam tract out of it Like I said, not actually looking to change the status quo in AJK but show the world that we respect their right to self-determination

 

[FreePalestine]

I actually know very little about the details of the issue. So happy for others to educate me more. Just a funny idea that popped into my head this morning.

 

[big_gamer007]

Not going to work, both countries are not interested in losing any land. Pakistan will always claim that if they carry out a referendum and if they lose control of their side of Kashmir, India will occupy it. That gives them enough of an excuse not to carry out the referendum.

 

[FreePalestine]

I suppose, but I am 100% sure if asked to choose between India and Pakistan, people of AJK would pick Pakistan. That is almost fact. Actually it must be the background of India’s incursion into IOC and revocation of article 370 - demographic change in IOC, because if a referendum was held there, a similar result would ensue. Pak’s official position is they are happy to have a referendum for the contested region because they know who would win if it got to a legit democratic vote. But I think you are right, it is a risk and may provoke a response from a belligerent India under Modi.

 

[Romali_rotti]

You could leave the Shaksgam tract out of it Like I said, not actually looking to change the status quo in AJK but show the world that we respect their right to self-determination

See this is exactly the problem with Pakistanis, you guys think this is some video game, do whatever you want and its ok however when India questions you talk about the self determination of the Kashmiris. A referendum cannot take place legally without China giving up the land in Kashmir, there is no 2 ways about it. To the common people like you, I am sure you wish the best for Kashmiris but India and Pakistani leadership has other agendas and these Kashmiris are nothing but pawns on a chess board, its too bad they don't have the brains to figure this out and they keep going round and round.

 

[FreePalestine]

See this is exactly the problem with Pakistanis, you guys think this is some video game, do whatever you want and its ok however when India questions you talk about the self determination of the Kashmiris. A referendum cannot take place legally without China giving up the land in Kashmir, there is no 2 ways about it. To the common people like you, I am sure you wish the best for Kashmiris but India and Pakistani leadership has other agendas and these Kashmiris are nothing but pawns on a chess board, its too bad they don't have the brains to figure this out and they keep going round and round.

I don’t understand - when India questions what exactly? Why can a referendum not take place without China giving up their land? You don’t think politicians should talk about Kashmiris right to self-determination? Very confusing response from you here... actually seems more reductive than my idea! And vague enough to become nearly meaningless.. sorry, but willing to listen if you can actually spell out what you are saying and answer the three questions at the beginning of this paragraph....

Also, what do you mean ‘the problem with Pakistanis’ is we think you can do whatever you want? Did India not just abrogate article 370 and put 70,000 troops in Kashmir unilaterally?

 

[FreePalestine]

Actually, all I understand from your message is

1) A referendum cannot legally take place without China giving up the land in Kashmir... ok. Maybe so. But can you explain why?
2) Politicians have their own agenda in Kashmir. So what? This is super obvious and everyone knows this. The idea is that it could be in Pakistan’s favour to have a referendum because the results would definitely, definitely be in their favour. Actually the official policy, coming from our foreign secretary, is that we are in favour of a referendum. So... what is your broader point here?

Apologies, not meant to sound rude. It did annoy me a bit when you started talking about the ‘problem with Pakistanis’ but it is OK. Let’s continue in a more civilized way on this..? Happy to learn more about the situation as I know I don’t know much about the topic.