The state of Kashmir, located between northwestern India and northeastern Pakistan, is a Muslim majority area of the Indian subcontinent. Prior to 1947, the region comprising Pakistan, India, and Kashmir was known as British India, and was a colony of the British Empire consisting of hundreds of small states, each of which was controlled by a local leader know as a maharajah.
When the British left the region in 1947, it was up to the individual states to determine which of the two new independent countries they wished to join. Those countries with Muslim majorities opted to become part of Pakistan, while those with Hindu majorities chose to become part of the new India. Kashmir was a Muslim-majority area and decided to align with Pakistan but its owner Raja Hari Singh sold this state to Nehru family.
Kashmir, termed as the jugular vein of Pakistan by the founder of Pakistan, remains an inevitable to-be-resolved issue for the normalisation of bilateral relations between India and Pakistan. India’s approach to Kashmir has become burdensome because the state is the testing ground of the new idea, to run the affairs of state, projected by BJP. This new idea is based on the philosophy of ‘Hindutva’ or ‘Hinduness’ which is an ideology seeking to establish the hegemony of Hindus and the Hindu way of life. Kashmir has its own ethos built on the foundation of the Islamic faith of a unique strand of tolerance. It would be a great tragedy if this unique inheritance were to be submerged to BJP’s resolve to propagate its idea of India.
The struggle for Kashmir and the Indian government’s brutality, like fuel and fire, are increasing and propelling side by side. It would not be an exaggeration to associate South East Asia’s peace with the peaceful resolution of Kashmir Issue. The rules of Partition also define Kashmir as part of Pakistan. But an ill-intentioned ruler preferred to sow a seed of contention by selling it to Hindus.
The chapters from history reflect that in 1948, Indian forces took charge of Kashmir and on orders of M.A Jinnah army was sent to free the territory occupied by the Indian Army. This was the very first war, attributable to Indian misadventures, between Indian and Pakistan. In this war Pakistan liberated half of the Kashmiri state while the other half remained in Indian occupation and is still under it.
The Kashmir issue was raised in United Nations but no international force ever tried to solve this issue honestly. The Kashmir issue is one of the oldest unresolved issues in the United Nations but every time this issue is raised at an international forum, India successfully pulls a fancy maneuver to kill the move.
Pakistan is privileged to have multiple routes to Siachin, the highest battlefield in the world, where as India has only one route through Kashmir. The present strategic position of Indian military on the Himalayas could not have been possible without Kashmir. Hydro-importance of Kashmir cannot be ignored either. Major rivers of Pakistan, for example Jhelum, originate from Kashmir. Pakistan has an agrarian economy whose lifeline is the canal system. India, misusing its position, is constructing dams to hold water in order the destroy Pakistan’s agriculture.
Militarily speaking, Kashmir carries a tremendous amount of strategic importance as it provides a convenient attacking position, to Pakistan and its eastern neighbour, to attack each other. That is why there is a heavy deployment of forces on both sides.
Burhan-ud-din Wani, who has been recently martyred by the Indian forces, has set a new paradigm for the entire movement of Kashmir. Wani was very active on social media and he properly marketed the case of Kashmir to remove the communication gap and ambiguities, if any, between the point of view of Kashmiris and the rest of the world.
The Kashmir movement has changed as flared youths, in terms of public appeal and acceptability, have replaced the old leadership. Kashmir movement is now much more charged than ever and the global support-level for this movement is at it its highest level
It is about time that India should redefine its relationship with Pakistan. Foreign policy, especially with immediate neighbours, requires a different level of tolerance and adaptability especially when issues of hostility have emerged in the past. India, presently, is stuck with the unpleasant incidents of the past, such as the Mumbai attacks in 2008, and does not want to move forward. Whereas Indian spy agency’s active involvement in terror-fueling and planning in Pakistan has not stopped Pakistan from engaging in a dialogue to settle the outstanding issues, Kashmir being top of the list.
Pakistan’s position has remained unchanged towards Kashmir and all the rulers of Pakistan have supported the indigenous movement of Kashmiris to defend their rights. The Prime Minister of Pakistan in his recent address at Muzaffarabad has reiterated his stance, which is the state-stance as well, that restless efforts will be made towards the freedom of Indian-held Kashmir. Nawaz Sharif’s statement was well-accepted and welcomed by the individuals and leaders of the occupied Kashmir valley. Individuals belonging to a particular quarter have, however, misconstrued the statement of the premier and have termed it as a political gimmick to emotionally charge the people for political support. At this critical juncture when the streets of Indian held Kashmir are stained with blood of young Kashmiri freedom fighters, such negative remarks are tantamount to sabotaging the determined and uncompromising efforts of the Pakistan Army and support the Indian cause.
