Kashmir Issue

Q: Kashmir issue, an internal affair or trigger of a potential of a nuclear

war?

Introduction :
Kashmir is a large region found in the northernmost region of the Indian
subcontinent which includes Indian-administered territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the
Pakistani-administered territories of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, and Chinese-
administered territories of Aksai Chin and the Trans-Karakoram Tract. The problem
concerning Kashmir surfaced during the partition of the subcontinent in 1947. After the
partition, Jammu and Kashmir being a princely state had the option to join India or
Pakistan or to remain as an independent state. The problem was that Kashmir had a
predominant Muslim majority ruled by a Hindu Maharaja. Initially, the maharaja decided
to remain Independent as joining India would upset the Muslim majority and joining
Pakistan would make the Hindus and Sikhs unhappy. However, This triggered the first
Indo-Pak war in which the Maharaja acceded Kashmir to India to ask for their help in
response to Pakistani troops invading Kashmir. Further two wars followed and the area
remains disputed with recent unrest because India revoked Kashmir’s constitutional
status by scrapping Article 370.

Recent lockdown:
In the first few days of August 2019, Tens of thousands of Indian
soldiers were deployed in Kashmir in addition to the 700,000 soldiers and police already
present there. The tourists was ordered to go back and a major Hindu pilgrimage was
cancelled, all schools and colleges closed, the internet and cable TV services were shut
down as well as mobile and landline telephones were also restricted. Regional political
leaders such as Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have been put under house arrest.
A complete curfew was put into place. Then the Indian government revoked almost all
of Article 370, which 35A is part of and which has been the basis of Kashmir's complex
relationship with India for some 70 years. The article allowed the state a certain amount
of autonomy - its constitution, a separate flag and freedom to make laws. Foreign
affairs, defence and communications remained the preserve of the central government.
As a result, Jammu and Kashmir could make its own rules relating to permanent
residency, ownership of property and fundamental rights. It could also bar Indians from
outside the state from purchasing property or settling there.
Violation of human rights:
During this recent lockdown Indian troops have been
accused of use of extreme violence against protestors and even civilians not involved in
the protests yet India completely denies of any such involvements even though the UN
human rights released a report regarding the situation of human right violation in
Kashmir and mentioned the serious concerns about abuses by Indian security forces. In
a report published by Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
(OHCHR), It is stated that “According to the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil
Society (JKCCS), around 160 civilians were killed in 2018, which is believed to be the
highest number in over one decade. Last year also registered the highest number of
conflict-related casualties since 2008 with 586 people killed including 267 members of
armed groups and 159 security forces personnel. According to JKCCS, 1,081 civilians
have been killed by security forces in extrajudicial killings between 2008 and 2018.”

India’s reply:
In response to the OHCHR report, India called it Output of 'Prejudiced
Mindset'.MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in Delhi that “it was a continuation of
the earlier false and motivated narrative on the situation in the Indian state of Jammu
and Kashmir”.He said that the situation created by years of cross border terrorist attacks
emanating from Pakistan has been “been ‘analysed’ without any reference to its
causality”,“The Update seems to be a contrived effort to create an artificial parity
between the world’s largest and the most vibrant democracy and a country that openly
practices state-sponsored terrorism,” Kumar stated. He also asserted that it was of
“deep concern that this Update seems to accord legitimacy to terrorism that is in
complete variance with UN Security Council positions”.Kumar noted that terrorist
leaders and organisations sanctioned by the UN are deliberately underplayed by the
report as “armed groups”.

Pakistan's stance:
On 27 September 2019, Imran Khan - Prime minister of Pakistan –
addressed the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly. In an intense 45
min long speech he openly criticised India for its heinous acts in Kashmir. He reportedly
said “My main reason for coming here was to meet world leaders at the UN and speak
about this. We are heading for a potential disaster of proportions that no one here
realises,” Khan said. “It is the only time since the Cuban crisis that two nuclear-armed
countries are coming face to face. We did come to face to face in February.” Imran
Khan made it clear to the UN and all nations that if forced to engage in a conventional
war with India, Pakistan will possible have to resort to nuclear weapons which will have
severe negative impacts on the whole world.
Consolation :
The Issue of Kashmir is complex and requires the meditation of the UN
and all nations as the situations need to be addressed in a manner that both countries
are appeased. The possibility of a nuclear war could trigger a World War as both
countries have strong ties with superpowers such as the USA, China. The situation is
very delicate and needs to be handled quickly.

Works cited:

Al Jazeera. “Kashmir Special Status Explained: What Are Articles 370 and 35A?” India
News | Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 5 Aug. 2019,
www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/08/kashmir-special-status-explained-articles-370-35a-
190805054643431.html.
Borger, Julian. “Imran Khan Warns UN of Potential Nuclear War in Kashmir.” The
Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 26 Sept. 2019,
www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/26/imran-khan-warns-un-of-potential-nuclear-
war-in-kashmir.
“Kashmir: Why India and Pakistan Fight over It.” BBC News, BBC, 8 Aug. 2019,
www.bbc.com/news/10537286.

Nations, United. “🇵🇰 Pakistan - Prime Minister Addresses General Debate, 74th
Session.” YouTube, YouTube, 27 Sept. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?
v=uyaQgnQCQ5k.
Roth, Richard. “UN Security Council Has Its First Meeting on Kashmir in Decades.”
CNN, Cable News Network, 16 Aug. 2019, edition.cnn.com/2019/08/16/asia/un-
security-council-kashmir-intl/index.html.
“UN Releases Second Critical Kashmir Report, India Calls It Output of 'Prejudiced
Mindset'.” The Wire, 8 July 2019, thewire.in/diplomacy/india-dismisses-second-critical-
unhrc-report-kashmir.
“Update Ofthe Situation of Human Rights in Indian-Administered Kashmir and Pakistan-
Administered KashmirfromMay 2018 to April 2019.” Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights, 8 July 2019,
www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/IN/KashmirUpdateReport_8July2019.pdf.