KASHMIR ISSUE

ESSAY FOR CSS/PMS

(3027 WORDS)
JULY 21, 2020
 ✓Introduction
✓1-Historical background of Kashmir dispute
✓Unjust demarcation by red cliff has caused Kashmir an
agitation of seven decades
✓Hari Singh played havoc with the fate of Kashmir and
OUTLINE Kashmiri’s
✓2- Claims of two countries on Kashmir issue
( 86 WORDS) ✓India’s invalid claim over Kashmir
✓Pakistan’s valid stance on Kashmir issue
✓3- The Peace of South Asian region since 1947
✓India waged three wars over Kashmir issue to ensure its
enforced rule
✓Kashmir issue started a nuclear race in South Asia, and now
it is a nuclear flashpoint
 ✓Freedom fighters fighting for Kashmir’s liberation are dealt
as terrorists
✓4- Human rights violation by India in occupied Kashmir
✓Right of self-determination has been suppressed
OUTLINE ✓Disappearances of young Kashmiris
✓Encouraging rapes to suppress the voices
( 66 WORDS) ✓State patronage to change demographics and commit heinous
acts
✓Genocide and ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Muslims
✓Use of pellet guns against the innocents
✓5- The recent illegal revocation of article 370
 ✓6-Remedies available to resolve the conflict
✓UN resolution 47 (1948)
✓Shimla agreement 1971
✓Lahore declaration 1999
✓7-The way forward to resolve the Kashmir issue
OUTLINE
✓Waging war against India is not an option
✓Dialogue is an option yet after seven decades no success is
( 74 WORDS) achieved
✓The realistic alternative to make dialogue possible
✓Sensitizing the issue until we reach the practical option
✓Engaging the international community to facilitate trilateral
talks
✓Convincing UNO to implement its Resolution
 OUTLINE ✓Demanding from OIC to support the right of oppressed
Muslims
✓Encouraging the USA to play its role in the unipolar world
( 22 WORDS)
✓CONCLUSION
 • Kashmir is located in the heart of Asia, with historical links to
both South and Central Asia, Kashmir shares borders with
India, Pakistan, China, Afghanistan and with a small stripe of
27 miles with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. It is the only nation
in the world that shares its borders with three nuclear powers
– India, Pakistan, and China. It has been a disputed territory
INTRODUCTION among India and Pakistan. From the sixteenth century, it has
been ruled by Mughals. Afghans. British, Sikhs & Hindu
Dogra’s. Since 1947. Pakistan administers One-third of the
( 156 WORDS) Kashmir valley known as Azad Kashmir whereas Indian
military forces occupy two-third of the Valley. The unjust
occupation of Kashmir by India has left the Kashmiris into
complete misery yet Pakistan has been playing its vital since
1947, and even now when the Indian government has revoked
the constitutional article 370 which provided the special
status to Kashmir, Pakistan is standing with Kashmir's cause
of liberation.
 • Both India and Pakistan were founded based on the Indian
PARA 01 Independence Act of 1947. There were 600 princely states
spread all over the sub-continent. They were left free to join
1-Historical India. Pakistan or maintain the status quo. However.
background of Independence could be maintained concerning geographic
Kashmir dispute realities. Hindus in Hyderabad and Junagarh were in the
majority, but they had Muslim rulers. They could not join
Pakistan for lack of common borders and wished to remain
Unjust demarcation by independent. India forcibly occupied them. Kashmir had
red cliff has caused about 80% Muslims, but its ruler was Hindu Dogra. It should
Kashmir an agitation of have joined Pakistan but it could not because of joint
seven decades conspiracy of the Hindus and the British. To provide common
borders to India with Kashmir, the Muslim majority district of
Gurdaspur was given to India by Mr Radcliff. He had
( 149 WORDS) appointed to demarcate the boundary between India and
Pakistan. This provided an opportunity for India to grab
Kashmir.
 • Maharajah Hari Singh, the then ruler of Kashmir, was
PARA 02 determined to avoid the merger of Kashmir with Pakistan.
Sensing the revolting mood of the people, he disarmed the
1-Historical background 3000 Muslim soldiers of the state's 9000 armies and increased
of Kashmir dispute the repression on the Muslim population. Tribal lashkars from
Pakistan entered the Valley to help the Kashmiris. This gave
an immediate excuse to the Maharajah to offer accession to
Hari Singh played havoc India. The government of India accepted the accession but
with the fate of Kashmir could not ignore the ground reality of the situation. In
and Kashmiri’s response to the offer of accession. It issued a letter dated 27
October 1947 which stated that the issue of accession was
temporary and shall to the people of the state. This was the
( 131 WORDS) first Indian admission that the Kashmir was not its integral
part.
 PARA 03
• India’s claim that Kashmir is its territory is based on nothing
2- Claims of two more than an Instrument of Accession that is said to be signed
countries on Kashmir by the Maharajah to obtain India’s military help against a
issue popular insurgency. This accession was conditional on a
reference to a popular vote (not yet held) under impartial
auspices. The people of Kashmir reject the Indian claim. The
India’s invalid claim United Nations have never accepted it, never legally
over Kashmir validated.

(70 WORDS)
 PARA 04 • Pakistan has sensible claims over Kashmir. Firstly it was an
unjust partition by Redcliff which facilitated India to land its
2- Claims of two military in the region. Secondly, the region is geographically
connected with Pakistan. Thirdly the religion, culture, and
countries on Kashmir ethnicity of Kashmiris are linked with Pakistan, fourthly all
issue administrative lines, i.e. communication system was
connected with Punjab of Pakistan before partition. And
Pakistan’s valid stance lastly, if India claims the region belongs to them then why is
on Kashmir issue it ruling it by force and brutality, why the plebiscite is not
conducted, why is there no document or available which
(104 WORDS) proves that India has either purchased, won, or has been
awarded this region.
 PARA 05 • Since 1947, India has waged three wars with Pakistan over
Kashmir and engaged Pakistan in many skirmishes.now an
3- The Peace of South army consisting of approximately 700,000 soldiers is
Asian region since 1947 stationed there. It is in a constant state of Oddness to meet the
threat of the freedom fighters and local uprisings. India has
India waged three wars experimented with different political systems and spent tons
of money on keeping Kashmiris in bondage but to no avail. If
over Kashmir issue to India has not been able to hold Kashmir constitutionally,
ensure its enforced rule politically, and emotionally how can it ever hope to make it
an integral part of its political and social life when there is
( 113 WORDS) nothing common, and they are ruled by force and not by
public will.
 PARA 06 • These wars made two neighbouring countries arch-rivals, and
3- The Peace of South they then started a nuclear race. By the year 1998, both
Asian region since 1947 countries equipped themselves with nuclear arsenals, and now
this territorial conflict is a nuclear flashpoint of south Asia.
The wars fought between Pakistan and India, and the daily
Kashmir issue started a skirmishes on the line of control (LoC) between the soldiers
nuclear race in South of the two nuclear states are evidence that Kashmir will
Asia, and now it is a always remain the hotspot between them especially In times
nuclear flashpoint when India is ruled by the extremist and nationalist Narendra
Modi of Bharatiya Janata Party, (BJP), whose favourite tools
( 104 WORDS) to secure the position of regional hegemon includes
warmongering.
 PARA 07 • No one in this world can deny the fact that liberation
3- The Peace of South movements have always been initiated in history when the
Asian region since 1947 citizens of a country are denied of their rights. America got
the liberation, and even India fought the war of independence
in 1857 against the British raj. Somehow the lens of judgment
Freedom fighters is yet centuries old. British raj then labelled the war of
fighting for Kashmir’s independence as mutiny, uprising, and rebellion and the
liberation are dealt as oppressed Indians claimed it as their right to liberate India
from foreign occupation. The same is the case with Kashmiris
terrorists they want freedom from this unjust occupation, and they
claim themselves to be freedom fighters. Yet, India labels
( 120 WORDS) them as terrorists and blame Pakistan as the epicentre of
terrorism.
 PARA 08
4- Human rights
violation by India in • Whatever world calls them, they have one mission ahead, and
that is acceptance of their right of self-determination
occupied Kashmir according to their own choice like others. Pakistan always has
and time and again raised its voice for Kashmiris on different
Right of self- platforms and will continue to do so. The need for the hour is
determination has been to convince India for dialogue. Before that, all such reports,
suppressed peace talks, or diplomatic measures are useless if India does
not stop its human rights violations in IOK.
( 80 WORDS)
 PARA 09

4- Human rights
violation by India in • There is also almost total impunity for enforced or
involuntary disappearances, with little movement towards
occupied Kashmir credibly investigating complaints, including into alleged sites
of mass graves in the Kashmir Valley and Jammu region.
Disappearances of Kashmiris are hopeful that one day their freedom struggle
young Kashmiris will be fruitful as they are not militants or terrorists, but they
are struggling for their just and right demand of freedom.

( 63 WORDS)
 PARA 10

• Rape was used as an instrument of state policy in former

4- Human rights Yugoslavia by the Serbian forces against Bosnian Muslim
violation by India in women during the 1990s; by the military of Myanmar against
occupied Kashmir Rohingya Muslim women in 2017; and now by the Indian
military against Kashmiri Muslim women. “The Indian Troll
Army’s Obsession with Rape” by C J Werleman published
Encouraging rapes to in TRT World, “The Indian military has already demonstrated
suppress the voices its willingness to use rape, sodomy, and torture as an
‘instrument of control’ in Kashmir.
( 80 WORDS)
 PARA 11
4- Human rights
violation by India in
• The most dangerous aspect of the policy of genocide through
occupied Kashmir ethnic cleansing and mass rapes by the Indian military is the
patronage it gets from the government and ultra-Hindu
State patronage to nationalists. They are desperate to change the demographic
change demographics complexion of the Valley by allowing mass rape of Kashmiri
and commit heinous acts Muslim women under state patronage.

(52 WORDS)
 PARA 12

4- Human rights • The Indian state has failed to learn lessons from the policy of
violation by India in genocide and ethnic cleansing, which was pursued in the past
occupied Kashmir by militaries in different parts of the world. India must
understand the lesson of the history that despite its 800,000-
Genocide and ethnic strong armed force, it will not be able to crush the nine
cleansing of Kashmiri million Kashmiri Muslims. They are facing the worst
Muslims humanitarian crisis in the form of curfews, communication
lockdown and shortage of essential commodities, including
medicines.
( 77 WORDS)
 • The atrocities, along with fatal casualties are mere
PARA 13 manifestations of the seeds of hatred that were sown back in
1947 and re-cultivated year after year. One of the most
4- Human rights dangerous weapons which Indian forces have used is the
violation by India in pellet-firing shotgun, which they started using on innocent
occupied Kashmir Kashmiris after the martyrdom of Burhan Wani in 2016.
According to official figures, 17 people were killed by
shotgun pellets between July 2016 and August 2017, and
Use of pellet guns 6,221 people were injured by the metal pellets between 2016
against the innocents and March 2017. Civil society organizations believe that
many of them have been partially or completely blinded, but
( 115 WORDS) Indian security forces find pellet guns firing an easy way out
to control protestors.
 • Under Articles 370 and 35A, the state of Jammu and Kashmir
was allowed to have its constitution and flag; its demographic
makeup was assured by disallowing the purchase of property
PARA 14 in the state by people from other parts of India. The special
status thus granted to the Muslim-majority state by India’s
founding Prime Minister seven decades ago has now been
5- The recent illegal revoked The special constitutional provisions for Jammu and
revocation of article Kashmir could only be amended through the recommendation
370 of the state assembly. In the event, the BJP systematically
prepared grounds for its action by first dismissing the state
government, of which it was itself a coalition partner, and
( 163 WORDS) then dismissing the state assembly and imposing Governor’s
rule. All of those actions were carried out over the past year
or so. Then, at the beginning of August 2019, making use of
the political vacuum in the state, the government secured a
presidential decree to revoke Articles 370 and 35A, ostensibly
on the recommendations of the Governor.
 PARA 15 & 16
6-Remedies available
to resolve the conflict
• Plebiscite
UN resolution 47 (1948) • Bilateral talks

Shimla agreement 1971

 PARA 17
• Pakistan and India have agreed in the Lahore declaration
signed between the two countries in the year 1999 that their
6-Remedies available respective Governments, shall intensify their efforts to
to resolve the conflict resolve all issues, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
Both countries shall refrain from intervention and interference
in each other's internal affairs. · shall intensify their composite
Lahore declaration 1999 and integrated dialogue process for an early and positive
outcome of the agreed bilateral agenda. Somehow after 20
( 88 WORDS) years, the incumbent Indian government has breached all
negotiations and agreements by revoking article 370.
 PARA 18
• Pakistan has two options; the first is to wage war against
7-The way forward to India; this option is not an option. Why is a war, not an
option? No civilized nation ever fan the fire of fighting those
resolve the Kashmir who did pay the price. The two world wars and every other
issue single war of history have made it evident. We, as a civilized
nation, have denounced the aerial dogfight with India that
Waging war against took place last year. Our policymakers, as well as our civil
society, have also condemned it. By this act, we have sent a
India is not an option message to the world that we, as a nation, stand with the
cause of peace.
( 106 WORDS)
 PARA 19
• In such a case, Probably dialogue is the only option available
to settle the enmities. But is dialogue an option for Pakistan in
7-The way forward to the context of Kashmir? Seven decades have already
resolve the Kashmir completed with three major wars and several confrontations
with the neighbour. Pakistan believes this deadlock needs a
issue dialogue, whereas the Indian think tank has a view that
delaying, avoiding, and isolating Pakistan would suffice to
Dialogue is an option yet give Kashmir issue a natural death. This second and practical
after seven decades no option of dialogue has not worked even on the platform of the
United Nations. From the past seven decades, the hot debate
success is achieved of diplomats ended with a cup of cold coffee. Should this
dilemma roll over for seven more decades? No. Then what is
( 134 WORDS) the real option available to us when both options are not
resolving this issue?
 • The sense of realization among the policymakers and the citizens
PARA 20 of Pakistan that the pacts and pledges are honoured only when the
rivals are of equal strength. In this material world, power is the
economic prosperity that any country achieves. China, a nation
7-The way forward to that realized this truth and started a journey from a century of
humiliation to a century that could make it the world's leading
resolve the Kashmir economy, has set an example. The recent Chinese intrusion in
issue Indian territory and Indian defensive stance speaks volumes. The
leaders and the civil society must realize and strive to materialize
the economic growth of Pakistan. Economic growth is not a direct
The realistic alternative option to resolve the Kashmir issue, but it is that realistic option
to make dialogue that could facilitate the dialogue on the Kashmir issue. Pakistan,
by achieving such progress, would reach a position in world
possible politics where its voice would carry weight. Over the past two
decades, the economic progress that India has made has helped
( 188 WORDS) them to clinch the fifth position in the list of leading economies.
And unfortunately the world community sides with the nation
where their stakes and interests are fulfilled.
 PARA 21

7-The way forward to • Pakistan had taken a sensible step after the revocation of
article 370 when it brought Kashmir issue at the 73rd session
resolve the Kashmir of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Prime
issue minters of Pakistan Mr Imran khan spoke over the issue In
detail and expected the world community to listen to the
voice of innocent Kashmiris; however, the world once again
Sensitizing the issue paid no heed. Pakistan has had sensitized the issue yet no
until we reach the positive results are seen. And after few months Pakistan, its
practical option diplomats, and media have left the campaign of sensitizing
the issue. The government should realize that keeping this
issue alive and sensitized is important.
( 104 WORDS)
 PARA 22
7-The way forward to
resolve the Kashmir
• Since two nuclear states are involved in this conflict, the
issue international community must come forward to facilitate
bilateral and trilateral talks(including Kashmir). The
Engaging the international community would not help of its own, but the
campaigns of sensitization could encourage them to come
international community forward. Turkey, Malaysia, and china the allies of Pakistan
to facilitate trilateral has stood by Pakistan and Kashmir in this just cause yet other
talks nations and allies must be approached. This conflict is a grave
yet international community that can help resolve the issue.
( 82 WORDS)
 PARA 23

• Peacekeeping was the sole purpose of the formation of UNO.

7-The way forward to It has provided the resolutions which can facilitate the
resolve the Kashmir Resolution of Kashmir issue yet it has failed to implement the
issue Resolution and keep peace in the South Asian region. UNO
must realize that the impacts of any nuclear engagement
between the two states would lead to a complete disaster of
Convincing UNO to not only the region but of the world. Pakistan should not only
implement its Resolution sensitize the Kashmir issue on the UNO general assembly
platform but must also sensitize UNO to implement the
( 91 WORDS) resolutions.
 PARA 24

7-The way forward to

resolve the Kashmir • OIC, like UNO, has also failed to address and resolve the
issue grievances of the Muslim nations. Oic has occasionally
denounced the atrocities committed in Palestine by Israel and
in Kashmir by India yet it has never provided or worked for a
Demanding from OIC to practical solution. It is now time that oic should help Pakistan
support the right of and Kashmir in this regard by sensitizing the issue till it
oppressed Muslims reaches towards talks or implementation of UN resolution.

( 71 WORDS)
 PARA 25
• The ultimate responsibility, in this regard, lies with the
members of the Security Council and especially the United
7-The way forward to States of America, which is leading the unipolar world.
resolve the Kashmir Before the unipolarity in world order ceases to exist and
issue before it becomes a daunting task like the ever-worsening
Syrian civil war, the US needs to show some sincere efforts in
convincing and pressurizing India on giving up the illegal
Encouraging the USA to occupation of the Kashmir valley. The US has many a time
play its role in the asserted that a sustainable solution could be thought of if both
unipolar world states “sit down and have a conversation together”. However,
it seems that the US cannot remain impartial in the case of
India and Pakistan.
( 113 WORDS)
 • In conclusion, the Kashmir issue is the unfinished agenda of
the partition of the Subcontinent. Under the UN Resolution of
13 August 1948, the future of Kashmir is to be decided
CONCLUSION through a plebiscite to determine whether the people of
Kashmir wish to join India or Pakistan. The problem is as
simple as that. India has manoeuvred to complicate it's on the
( 118 WORDS) strength of physical occupation of a larger chunk of the State
of Jammu and Kashmir. A mythical Instrument of Accession
which the Maharaja of Kashmir is supposed to have signed
with India. In any case, the UN Resolution takes precedence
over any such document. Pakistan did its level best to
normalize relations with India on Kashmir.
 • UN did nothing passing the above Resolution. It could do
nothing because its executive authority comes into play only
subject to the pleasure of the big powers, particularly in the
US. Pakistan's greatest strength is its righteousness. Its case is
CONCLUSION morally and legally justified. The greatest weakness of India
is that it has no case on Kashmir. In this nuclear age, war is
( 105 WORDS) no longer an option. Both states are well aware Of it. Now its
time that Pakistan to ensure that it keeps this issue sensitized
on all international forums until the world helps on facilitates
either the talks or implements the un resolution.