 |
| Kashmir Issue 2024 |
Areas Covered:
- Background/History
- UN Resolutions on Kashmir
- India - Pakistan Wars on Kashmir
- India - Pakistan agreements / pacts on Kashmir
- Post 5 August 2019 Scenario
- Indian Citizenship Act
- Kashmir Elections
The Kashmir issue is a
long-standing dispute between Pakistan, India and China. It started in October
1947, when Raja Hari Singh, the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, declared the
controversial accession of the princely state of Kashmir to India. The accession
was against the wishes of the people living in the vast territory of over two
hundred thousand square kilometres.
This forceful accession of Muslim-majority area to India was
immensely protested by the local people. India resorted to force to curb the
voices of three million people in Jammu and Kashmir, in the First Kashmir War
(1947-1949).
However, the UN intervened in the matter, after it was
approached by Pakistan and India. The UN Security Council issued Resolution
(47) in 1948 and asked India to appoint a plebiscite administrator, nominated
by the UN, who would conduct a free and impartial plebiscite.
Despite many promises made by the Indian government,
especially by Jawaharlal Nehru, during the 1950s, the right of
self-determination has been denied by them, until today.
The Indian government has continuously defied the UN charter,
Geneva Convention, and many bilateral arrangements, such as Karachi Agreement
(1949), Shimla Pact (1972) and Lahore Declaration (1999) by not conducting the
plebiscite; violating the human rights; violating the Line of Control (LOC) and
not agreeing to be a part of peaceful and meaningful dialogues.
The deep silence of the international community, on
seven-decades-long atrocities of Indian forces, in Kashmir, vociferates that the
matter has been politicised by them to serve their political interests in the
South Asian region
Recently, on August 5 this year, the Indian government,
through a presidential order, snatched the special status of Kashmir, granted
under article 370. The Lok Sabah, India’s lower house, overwhelmingly voted in
favor of the Jammu and Kashmir Re-organization Bill with 370 to 70.
Currently, the entire valley is under lockdown by around one
hundred thousand personnel. The fresh menace of violence and torture on women
and children has been reported by international media, Amnesty International
and the UN’s human rights wing.
The deep silence of the international community, on
seven-decades-long atrocities of Indian forces, in Kashmir, vociferates that
the matter has been politicized by them to serve their political interests in
the South Asian region.
On the other hand, Pakistan has already faced the violent
Indian aggression thrice in the shape of full-fledged wars. The limited-war by
India, across the LOC, is no time-bound.
Pakistan still believes in a peaceful solution of Kashmir
issue, as per the will of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and in the light of
more than a dozen resolutions of the UN on the matter.
But, the post-August 5 scenario is challenging for Pakistan
at political as well as diplomatic level. The words of Ashraf Jehangir Qazi,
taken from his article, “Whatever it takes,” published by DAWN, well defined
the current scenario. He wrote, “We can’t betray the Kashmir cause, especially
after the loss of the majority of Pakistan’s population in 1971. It will render
a country a failed state without meaning, purpose, a moral foundation and a
future worth having.”
There is a dire need to academically trace the causes and
consequences of historic and renewed Indian inhumane actions and motives of
Hindutva nationalism. India is now ready to spread this by the admission of
Kashmir in its union territory and introduction of illegal Citizenship
Amendment Act (CAA) in the country. This should, in turn, guide Pakistan’s
future course of action.
The same has published in Daily Times, Lahore Newspaper Click here to read
