ISLAMABAD: Kashmiri politicians on Monday opposed increased autonomy for Pakistan’s strategic Northern Areas, arguing it will undermine their case for independence from India.
Amanullah Khan, leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, rejected the package, saying it appeared to be aimed at merging the Northern Areas into Pakistan.
“We strongly condemn this package. It will harm the interests of Pakistan as well as Kashmiris,” he told Reuters.
“It looks like they are integrating these areas into Pakistan as done by India.”
Sardar Atiqque Ahmed Khan, a former Azad Jammu and Kashmir prime minister, also expressed reservations about the package.
“We support internal autonomy for these areas… but such moves to unilaterally alter the status of these areas and gradually give them the status of a province are suspicious and unacceptable,” he said.
The roughly 1.5 million people of Gilgit and Baltistan largely opposed integration into Kashmir and demand the territory be merged into Pakistan and declared a separate province. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\09\01\story_1-9-2009_pg7_14
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