All about Kashmir

Kashmir has been a flashpoint and source of conflict between India and Pakistan ever since the partition of two countries, under British supervision, as Independent nations in 1947. J&K acquires strategic importance because it has been a traditional trade route of central and south asia, which connects countries like India, Pakistan, Afganistan and China.

The Kashmir Dispute and its cause: 

Though the entire region is undisputed part of India, it stands divided into three regions, each under control of separate nation- 1) The area acceded to India, or as Pakistan wrongly calls it "Indian administered Kashmir", 2) The one under illegal control of Pakistan, which is Pak occupied Kashmir (POK) for India and Azad Kashmir for Pakistan and 3) The Aksai China area, under the control of China (which China forcibly occupied in 1962).

The birth of Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan coincided with the birth of these two nations as Independent countries in 1947.

On 15th Aug'47, when India got the freedom and Pakistan was born, then like many other princely states , Kashmir was also a princely state, which planned to remain independent, by not joining the unions of above two nations. The state was ruled by a Hindu Raja ( Raja Hari Singh- father of congress stalwart Dr. Karan Singh), though majority of his subjects were muslims, but then it was a classic example of communal harmony and hindu-muslim amity! Pakistan wanted to claim the state on the premise that Kashmir Valley has majority of muslim population, so the area should have been made a part of that country. In this light, just few months after the formation of pakistan, in oct'47, the pashtun tribals from erstwhile north west frontier province , invaded the princely state of Kashmir. Raja Hari Singh, requested India to support his state and rescue them from the Pakistan's invasion. India agreed for the same but with a precondition that first Raja has to sign an "Instrument of accession" and become the part of Indian union. As Raja signed this Instrument, Kashmir became the integral part of India, however Pakistan rejects the legitimacy of the Instrument of accession, since then. Post merger, India sent its troops to purge the invaders out of state, however some part of state captured by them , is still under their control and is known as POK.

The last viceroy of the British crown in India, Lord Mountbatten, accepted the accession with a remark that as soon as law and order has been restored in Kashmir and its soil is cleared of invaders, the question of state's accession should be settled by the reference of people. Mountbatten's this remark or the idea of referendum, led to future dispute between India and Pakistan.

The Pakistani establishment considers the status quo in Kashmir is illegitimate , they consider the border drawn by Redcliffe commission was controversial and accession of Kashmir was fraudulent.

The issue was further complicated when India took the issue to UN, on advice of Mountbatten. By doing so, we inadvertently may have internationalized the issue. Ideally it should not have been done, because India's stand on the issue was that its a bilateral issue and there is no scope of third party intervention. Historical wrong tells that when Indian leadership took the matter to UN and agreed for the referendum, it contradicted its natural stand. However, what Pakistan conveniently chooses to ignore is that UN resolution clearly mentions that Pakistan should completely remove its force from Kashmir Valley before Plebiscite can be held. India has reminded the Pakistan of its failure to respect the UN resolution's precondition and also repeated human right violation in the areas which are under Pakistan's control (POK).

Rise of Kashmir Insurgency   

In 1980s, the islamiztion of Kashmir began into full force. The madarsas having covert support from Pakistan's intelligence agency (ISI) planted the seeds of Islamic fundamentalism , hatred and radicalization among the youth, to throw out their Kashmiri Pandit's counterparts from the state. This was totally against the ideals of Kashmiriyat- which in principle means the idea of plurality. Insurgency in Kahmir was also the fall out of Farookh Abdulla ( after the death of his father Sheikh Abdulla, who was a mass leader of Kashmir) forging an alliance with ruling congress party for the elections of 1987. The elections were allegedly rigged in favour of Farookh Abdulla, which led to rise of an armed insurgency partly by those who lost. Another twist to Kashmir's story comes in March 1993, when all party Hurriyat Confrence - an alliance of 26 political, social, religious organizations was formed. The prime agenda of Hurriyat has been to project a negative image of Indian security forces , in their counter terrorism operations in J&K and to moblize the public opinion against them and Indian state. It has an active support of Pakistan in terms of logistics, finances, arms and recruits, training etc. The alliance later split into 2 factions- The moderate faction , led by Mirwaiz Umar Farookh and the hardliner faction by Syyed Ali Shah Gilani.- which is also called as Tareekh-e-huriyaat Jammu and Kashmir.

Of late the Indian leadership seems to have shifted its defensive stance on the issue to an offensive stance by repealing Art-370 and 35A of Indian constitution and by dissolving the state and converting into two UTs, to direct administer the state. The Art-370 was an impediment for seamless integration of state with Indian Union and this led to menace in the state to a great extent.

To reach an all acceptable solution to the long standing problem , it would need a proper and clear understanding of the complexities of the issue on the both sides of borders, a strong political will, resolve, confidence and support of the people and above all the belief in the essence of these three words " Jamburiyat- Insaaniyat -Kashmiriyat" !