An almost century-old conflict between India and Pakistan

The long standing conflict between India and Pakistan on Kashmir had still not been
resolved due to India’s refusal to restore Article 370 of their constitution and the refusal of
Pakistani hordes to withdraw from Jammu, Kashmir and Baltisan despite the United Nation’s
order in 1948 as well as Pakistan’s funding of insurgents in the Indian-administered area.

Kashmir is a territory that’s long been the cause of conflict for the two nuclear-armed
neighbors India and Pakistan. Even before India and Pakistan gained independence from Britain,
the area was hotly contested. When a war erupted, India asked the United Nations’ intervention
which the latter obliged to by recommending to hold a plebiscite to settle whether Kashmir
would join India or Pakistan. However, before the referendum could even be held, the two
countries did not agree to demilitarize the region. The United Nations, yet again, recommended
to establish a ceasefire line to which the two countries obliged which led to Kashmir being
divided into two separate areas; the Indian-administered Kashmir and the Pakistan-administered
Kashmir. Several wars have been fought between India and Pakistan for the duration of its
conflict. The people of Kashmir especially in the Indian-administered area has been experiencing
so much unrest that led to revolutions when India decided to revoke the seven-decade long
privileged status of the area stipulated in Article 370 of their constitution which granted the
Indian-administered Kashmir its significant autonomy, except for foreign affairs, defense and
communications. Pakistan condemned India’s decision and branded it illegal and have vowed to
exercise all possible options against it.

Conflicts like this is not only experienced by India and Pakistan. Disputes over certain
territories are a common issue between countries. Issues like this require the United Nations’
intervention and both country’s – India and Pakistan – willingness to agree with the UN’s
recommendations. It would also be best if the region of Kashmir which is composed of a larger
area that includes Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit Baltisan, Aksai Chin, and the
Trans-Karakoram Tract will be separated from both India and Pakistan as well from China which
also controls some parts of it, to end the disputes concerning the region.