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Nathaniel Fagelson

Mr. Tierney

AGS World History AP

9 December 2020

Write an essay that explains a global conflict, describes some possible consequences of it, and

offers a potential solution.

Kashmir: On The Disputed Border of Peril

With so much documentation occurring in the modern world, the 21st century will

undoubtedly be recorded thoroughly for generations to come. While life during peacetime will

certainly be studied, conflict will most likely be a main focus of future humans. There are many

current conflicts, one of which is a territorial dispute in the region of Kashmir between India and

Pakistan, which also involves China. The conflict in Kashmir has a storied history and could

have detrimental consequences, but also has possible solutions.

The dispute over Kashmir has evolved over the past seven decades. It began in 1947

when British India was split into two separate countries: Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan

(BBC, 2019a). Many regions including the state of Jammu and Kashmir were given the choice of

which country to join, however, Jammu and Kashmir decided to remain neutral due at first, but it

eventually joined India as a special autonomous region due to its Hindu maharaja (ruler)

(Blakemore). However, Kashmir was a majority-Muslim area so there continued to be conflict.

In 1948, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution that divided Kashmir between

India and Pakistan and encouraged a ceasefire (BBC, 2019b). The Line of Control from that
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resolution has continued to be the de-facto border to this date, although both India and Pakistan

claim some territory of the other. Additionally, China gained small amounts of territory from

both India and Pakistan in the 1960s (BBC, 2019a). However, the ceasefire was never followed

and conflict continued in the region. In recent years, the fighting has been characterized by the

presence of pro-Pakistani terrorist groups and the Indian army (BBC, 2019b). In 2019, India

revoked Kashmir’s status as a special autonomous region and cut off communication services in

hopes to prevent violence, but that just sent the region into further chaos (ibid). The conflict is

not only inconvenient for the local people but also has real consequences.

The conflict in Kashmir could have a profound global impact. First, much of the water

that flows into the Indus River, which provides areas of both Pakistan and India with water,

comes from Kashmir (Al Jazeera). A disruption of this could deprive millions of food and water.

Additionally, both India and Pakistan possess nuclear weapons (Malley). A nuclear conflict

could kill hundreds of millions and disrupt the earth’s climate for up to a decade, possibly

causing mass starvation (Bendix). However, not all hope is lost.

Despite what seems like a hopeless situation, there are possible solutions. One such

solution would be to hold a Kashmiri referendum on what the future of the region should be. In

fact, a referendum was supposed to be held around 70 years ago, but it never occurred (BBC,

2019a). Theoretically, a vote on the topic would pave the way for a solution which the majority

of Kashmiris favor. This solution would not be without its own challenges, as one country and its

proponents would not be pleased with the result. However, there is never a perfect solution, and

this is just one idea of many.

In conclusion, the region of Kashmir has a complicated conflict engrained in its blood.

This conflict could become disastrous, but there is also a glimmer of hope for peace moving
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forward. It is not only relevant for Kashmiris, Indians, and Pakistanis but for every citizen of the

world because global security and prosperity depend on avoiding the worst-case-scenario.

Hopefully, the people of a future world will tell the story of how Kashmir became a glowing

example of a peaceful resolution and not a humanitarian disaster.

Works Cited

Al Jazeera. “Kashmir and the Politics of Water.” Asia | Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 1 Aug. 2011,

www.aljazeera.com/news/2011/08/01/kashmir-and-the-politics-of-water/. Accessed 1

December 2020.

BBC. “Kashmir Profile - Timeline.” BBC News, BBC, 6 Aug. 2019,

www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-16069078. Accessed 1 December 2020.

BBC. “Kashmir: Why India and Pakistan Fight over It.” BBC News, BBC, 8 Aug. 2019,

www.bbc.com/news/10537286. Accessed 1 December 2020.

Bendix, Aria. “If India and Pakistan Have a Nuclear War, Scientists Say It Could Trigger

Ice-Age Temperatures, Cause Global Famine, and Kill 125 Million People.” Business

Insider, Business Insider, 3 Oct. 2019,

www.businessinsider.com/india-pakistan-nuclear-war-death-famine-2019-10. Accessed 1

December 2020.

Blakemore, Erin. “The Kashmir Conflict: How Did It Start?” National Geographic, National

Geographic, 02 Mar. 2019,

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www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/2019/03/kashmir-conflict-how-did-it-start/.

Accessed 1 December 2020.

Malley, Robert. “10 Conflicts to Watch in 2020.” International Crisis Group, International Crisis

Group, 27 Dec. 2019, www.crisisgroup.org/global/10-conflicts-watch-2020. Accessed 1

December 2020.