351. Memorandum From the Department of State Executive Secretary (Read) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)0
SUBJECT
- Kashmir Disturbances: The Affair of the Hair
Demonstrations in India-held Kashmir have brought a strong Pakistani reaction and are certain to further increase Indo-Pak tensions.
The Disturbances
A sacred relic of the Prophet Mohammed was stolen from a Muslim shrine near Srinagar on December 27. A mass protest meeting on December 28 went out of control and mobs set fire to two theatres, a hotel, a police station and several cars. The Kashmir police opened fire to maintain order. Two persons, one a Hindu, and the other a Muslim, reportedly were killed. Curfew was imposed but on December 29 two large processions of 140,000 persons were permitted. No additional disturbances have been reported since the 28th. Numerous arrests have been made, including certain political leaders suspected of pro-Pakistan sentiments. While the police function of maintaining law and order continues to be exercised by the local Kashmir Government, the Government of India has sent investigators to study the theft. Apparently the Indian Army is being used only to guard public buildings. Nehru has alleged that “miscreants” have been guilty of the theft to embarrass the Kashmir Government. While GOI officials have avoided speculation that Pakistan in any way caused the incident, the Indian press is implying that such may have been the case.
Pakistan Reactions
Pakistan has reacted strongly to the events in Kashmir. The theft of the sacred relic is being attributed to an Indian plot, possibly involving the Indian Government; the press has even hinted U.S. Government involvement. Indian measures to control the disturbances are being cited as evidence of a program to wipe out the rights of Muslims, if not the Muslim community itself.
In the first comment on the situation by a member of the Pakistan Cabinet, the Minister for Kashmir affairs said that the Government of India “cannot absolve itself from the terrible responsibility of genocide [Page 732] of the Muslim population in Kashmir and India.” On December 30, Foreign Minister Bhutto declared that the theft could not have taken place but for the climate created by “the Government of India’s evil policy of suppressing the human rights of the people of Kashmir.” He also implied that India has a “plan to reduce the Muslim majority of Jammu and Kashmir to a minority,” and expressed the conviction that recent events will hasten the Muslims’ “day of deliverance from Indian aggression.”
U.S. Action
On December 29 we instructed our Embassies in New Delhi and Karachi to inform the Governments of Pakistan and India of our strong view that the Kashmir disturbance should not be permitted to become a major new issue between India and Pakistan. We authorized our Embassies in their discretion to make additional approaches without further instructions.1
On December 29 we instructed USUN to suggest to the UN Secretariat that it send instructions to the UN Military Observer Group in Kashmir to be on special alert along the cease-fire line.2
Both of these instructions have been carried out.
On December 31 Embassy Karachi on its own initiative protested to the Government of Pakistan regarding Dawn’s suggestion of U.S. involvement.
Conclusions
- 1.
- The incident involves strong religious and communal feelings and has, therefore, the potentiality of being troublesome.
- 2.
- The Indians have taken a series of security measures and seem to have the situation in control.
- 3.
- Pakistan official and press reaction has followed the usual pattern of exploiting the incident to highlight unsatisfactory Pakistan-Indian relations. This serves the double purpose of strengthening the GOP’s political position internally and building the case against India for possible use whenever the GOP sees a suitable opportunity to further its cause.
- 4.
- The incident could provide an excuse for irregular Pakistan infiltrations into Indian-held Kashmir. Since personnel involved would probably be locals, winter weather would not be a great impediment. However, Pakistan has in the past been restrained from much activity in the field, apparently realizing that it could adversely affect Pakistan’s international position on Kashmir.
- 5.
- The possibility always exists that Pakistan can use incidents in Kashmir to charge that a threat to peace and security exists and to reopen the question in the Security Council, since this issue remains on the Council’s agenda. It is doubtful, however, that the GOP would do this under circumstances in which it would receive less support than in previous sessions. To obtain adequate support, it would have to seek U.S. assistance. At that time we should be able to exercise considerable influence over the Pak course of action.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 32-1 INDIA-PAK. Secret. Drafted by Schneider and Josif and cleared with INR/RNA/MEA and by Grant and Cleveland.↩
- Telegrams 1303 to New Delhi and 856 to Karachi. (Ibid., POL 25 INDIA)↩
- Telegram 1772 to USUN. (Ibid., POL 32-1 INDIA-PAK)↩
- Lubkeman signed for Read above Read’s typed signature.↩