By Prof. G.M. Athar
-Looking from the short term perspective, it is very difficult, if not impossible to change the international borders of the countries guarded by the powerful national armies of the world. However, viewing the subject of political geography from the long term perspective, the creation, expansion and disintegration of empires and sovereign countries over the period of history has been a normal phenomenon. So for a visionary statesman or political thinker the existing geopolitical realities are only a temporary reality which can be changed over the course of history. Keeping in view existing distribution of human population in the world in general and the spatial pattern of site and situation of different world civilizations and nations, an effort has been made to situate Kashmiri nation in the hierarchical structure of the future world politiical geography. Different levels of spatial organisation and broad contours of the model for effective hierarchical governance have been very briefly discussed as under:
I.WORLD GOVERNMENT:-To ensure the world peace the allied powers in the World War I from 1914 to 1919, established the League of Nations to avoid any future war but it failed to stop the axis powers of the World War II from 1939 to 1944, namely Germany, Italy and Japan to initiate the war against the allied powers led by Britain, France and United States. Soon after the end of World War II the allied powers established the United Nations Organization in 1945 to avoid future wars and ensure the sanctity of the international borders in the world. Although, to a large extent the United Nations Security Council ensured the non-occurrence of the World War III, yet the United States being the most powerful country of the world invaded several countries in Central America, South East Asia, Middle East and North Africa to maintain its hegemony in the world. Keeping in view the aspirations of powerful nations to rule the world as well as to ensure world peace human security, environmental sustainability, removal of world hunger, poverty, disease, underdevelopment, inequity and inequality to establish an egalitarian society, it is very important to establish the democratically elected World Government in the decades ahead, if not in the years to come. The existing head quarters of the United Nations at New York can be the world capital where from the proposed World Government can function. Alternatively the world capital can be shifted to a geographical Heartland within Old World, equidistant from all parts of the inhabited world. Let the decision in this regard be left to the future elected World Parliament. In case it is scientifically established that Adam and Eve are the ancestors of the dominant majority of the people in the world, if not the all the place where these Great Parents are put to rest must be made capital of the World Government to give the emotional touch to the world politics.
II. SOLIDARITY OF THE ABRAHAMAN BLOC:- During the nineteenth century the world was dominated by the Europe, the twentieth century was the American century and it is widely believed that the twenty first century would be the Asian century. However, a through examination of the world politics reveals that from the 15th century onwards the world was politically and economically organised as the developed core and the underdeveloped periphery dominated by the imperial powers of the world.The process of decolonisation in the nineteenth century In the New World gave rise to the emergence of semi-Periphery in the North America. Similarly, the Communist Revolution in the first quarter of twentieth century and the decolonisation of the Old World after the World War II in mid-twentieth century gave rise to the emergence of the Russian core and the Chinese semi-periphery outside the West. During the Cold War period the world was dominated by the capitalist bloc led by the United States and the communist bloc led by former Soviet Union.The disintegration of former Soviet Union in 1991 has ended the Cold War but the emergence of China as the new economic and military power in the Asia Pacific region has given birth to New Cold War in the twenty first century. In order to save the world from terrorism, religious fundamentalism and authoritarianism the liberal democracies of the world must come forward to unitedly fight against the challenges to be world peace, liberalism and secular democracy.The Children of Ibrahim including the Jews, Christians and Muslims in general and the Western World in particular can play a lead role in defending the world against the challenges of twenty first century. The Muslim World must join the West in promotion of science and technology, secular democracy, liberal values, environmental conservation and sustainable development, so has to make the present conflict-ridden world a better place to live.The other blocs in response to the Abrahaman Bloc can be Confusion Bloc led by China, the Buddhist Bloc led by Japan, the Hindu Bloc led by India, African Bloc led by South Africa, the Latin American Bloc led Brazil, and the Slavic Bloc led by Russia.There can be mutual cooperation among various blocs on the pattern of BRICS, and Non-Aligned Movement Different countries belonging to a common civilisation can come together to form the civilizational cooperation organisations like European Union, African Union, Islamic Cooperation Organisation etc.To honour Father Ibrahim the Abrahaman Bloc must establish its headquarters either at Ur city in present Iraq where the great patriarch has taken birth in a cave or must be established at Masjid Al Aqsa in Palestine/ Israel where Hazrat Ibrahim along with his family are laid to rest. The decision in this regard can be taken by the heads of the state of the Abrahaman Bloc.
III. SOLIDARITY OF THE MUSLIM WORLD:- The 1.9 billion Muslims of the world share a common Muslim identity.The compact Muslim World comprising of 56 sovereign countries from Kazakhstan in the north to Tanzania in the south and from the Atlantic Coast in the north-west Africa to Sinkiang in the east as well as Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Brunei and Maldives belong to one common Muslim Civilization.The Islamic Cooperation Organisation can assert their demographic and political strength to seek permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council in the present set up of International organisation.The Muslim World in cooperation with the Western World can asser for the peaceful resolution of Palestine conflict, Kashmir Question, Sinking problem, Rohangya problem, Chechnya conflict and other problems faced by the Muslim dominated states and Muslim minorities in different parts of the world. The Muslim World needs to focus the development of science and technology, liberal democracy, good governance, economic development, mutual cooperation and people to people interaction.The head quarters of the Muslim World must be established either at the birth place of Hazrat Muhammad in Mecca or the place of rest in Madina.
IV. CONFEDERATION OF GREATER KHURASAN:- Since the Muslim World is geographically very extensive, so within its different regions there is a serious need to have regional economic, political, social and cultural cooperation to achieve various national, supranational and international goals. The ten members of Economic Cooperation Organisation, namely, Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan can transform the ECO into the Confederation of Greater Khurasan to develop more formal regional institutional structure. The ECO member countries can have joint defence, uniform foreign policy, common currency, free trade, cross-border transport and communication links and visa free regime to facilitate free movement of the people within proposed Greater Khurasan Region.The permanent head quarters of Confederation of Greater Khurasan can be established at a geographically located central place within the proposed Confederation of Ajami nations.
V. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF URDISTAN:- Since there are inter-ethnic conflicts in Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Central Asian States, Afghanistan and elsewhere in the ECO region, the promotion of common Turkic, Persian and Urdu conscious among the people in different countries is very important. The Bloch, Sindhi, Pakhtoon, Punjabi, Dard, Balti, Pahari, Gujjar, Kashmiri and other ethnic groups living in Pakistan, proposed Kashmiristan and even Hindustan must try to preserve the Urdu language and its Persio-Arabic Nastaliq script to such an extent so that the people develop a secular Urd supranational consciousness.The geographical region in which the people develop their distinctive Urd consciousness over the period of time can be recognised as the Federal Republic of Urdistan.Such areas which are of common regional concern within the proposed Federal Republic of Urdistan can be put in the federal list of the constitution and for effective governance and decision making process the regional political structure can be established without diluting the power and authority of the regional governments. The capital of Urdistan can be established at a central location within the proposed Federal Republic.
VI. REPUBLIC OF KASHMIRISTAN:- Like other sovereign nation-states of the world, the state-less nation of Kashmir has also an inalienable group right to establish a sovereign nation-state. All those people who by virtue of their ethnic identity, primary language, residence in Kashmir or because of socialisation are conscious about their Kashmiri identity can assert for the establishment of sovereign, secular democratic and even federal Republic of Kashmiristan. Kashmiristan would be the be the basic unit of national identity and recognition at regional, supranational and international levels. At present the Kashmir Valley, Chenab Valley, Pirpanjal Region and Azad Kashmir qualify to establish the sovereign Republic of Kashmiristan. However, the regions adjoining Kashmir’ Valley should have the liberty to voluntarily join the proposed Republic of Kashmiristan.The administrative capital of Kashmiristan can be established at a central place within the proposed nation-state at Qazigund in Kulgam District. Srinagar can function as the commercial and cultural capital of Kashmir Valley.
VII. MARAZ DIVISION:- For the purpose of administrative decentralisation to have effective governance in the proposed Republic of Kashmiristan must be subivided into North Kashmir Division (Kamraz Division), Central Kashmir Division (Srinagar Metropolitan Division), South Kashmir Division (Maraz Division), Chenab Valley Division and Pirpanjal Division.In case Jammu Region and Kargil Region prefer to be part of the proposed Republic of Kashmiristan, these will also have the divisional status. Similarly, if Azad Kashmir becomes a part of the Republic of Kashmiristan, additional divisions can be established for decentralised administration for effective governance. The headquarters of Maraz Division must be established at a centrally located place within South Kashmir.
VIII. TRAL DISTRICT:-The Maraz Division will comprise of the existing districts of Pulwama, Shopian, Anantnag and Kulgam. Keeping in view the minimum population threshold and geographical size the large districts would be further subdivided to create more districts not only in the Maraz Division but everywhere within the proposed Republic of Kashmiristan. Since the Tral Sub-District on the basis of its population threshold and geographical size qualifies to be upgraded as a full-fledged district, so the upgradation of this Sub-District has been mentioned here to complete the hierarchical model structure of the World Vision-2200.The headquarters of Tral District must be established at the centrally located Bajwanian Karewa, where certain government offices of Tral Sub-District have been already established.
The author is a political geographer and can be reached at ghathar@yahoo.co.in
