Kashmir Issue with Facts and Figures

Kashmir is a beautiful region in the Himalayas known for its diverse culture, lakes, meadows, and snow-capped mountains. The area has been a source of conflict even before India and Pakistan gained independence from Britain in 1947. According to the Indian Independence Act, Kashmir was given the option to join either India or Pakistan. The local leader, Maharaja Hari Singh, initially wanted Kashmir to be independent but later chose to join India in October 1947 to get help against an attack by Pakistani tribesmen. 

India asked the United Nations to intervene in the conflict over Kashmir, but the two countries could not agree to a deal to demilitarize the region, and in 1949, India and Pakistan signed an agreement establishing a ceasefire line that divided the region.

For 30 years, an armed revolt has been ongoing in Indian-administered Kashmir, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths. India blames Pakistan for backing separatist militants, which Pakistan denies. Recently, a change to Kashmir's status revoked Article 370, which granted the region significant autonomy within India.

 

Geography of Kashmir 

• The geography of Kashmir is strategically important because it is situated in a region that is surrounded by powerful countries like China, Pakistan, and India.
• The area's high altitude and rugged terrain make it a natural barrier against invading forces.
• Kashmir also holds significant water resources that are important for the region's agriculture, power generation, and other industries.
• The region's border with Pakistan, known as the Line of Control, is heavily militarized and has seen frequent conflicts between Indian and Pakistani forces.
• The Siachen Glacier, located in the region, is the highest battlefield in the world and has been the site of numerous clashes between Indian and Pakistani troops.
• The region's location also makes it an important transit route for trade and commerce between Central and South Asia.

Why Kashmir is Important?

• For India, Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and it considers any challenge to its sovereignty over the region as an internal matter. India also sees Kashmir as a symbol of its secular and democratic values, as it is the only Muslim-majority state in India.
• Pakistan claims that Kashmir should have been a part of its territory after the partition of India in 1947. It supports the separatist movement in Kashmir and provides material and moral support to militants who seek independence or accession to Pakistan.
• China claims a portion of the eastern part of Ladakh, which India controls. China's claim is based on historical and ethnic ties with the region, as well as its strategic interests in securing its western borders.
• Some Kashmiri separatist groups seek independence or a merger with Pakistan, based on the argument that India has suppressed their political and cultural rights and violated human rights in the region.

What Happened on 5 Aug 2019

In August 2019, India's ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), revoked Article 370, which had given Kashmir significant autonomy. The BJP had promised to do this in its 2019 election campaign, as it has long been opposed to the article. Prior to the announcement, phone and internet services were shut down, public gatherings were banned, and tens of thousands of troops were deployed. Tourists were asked to leave due to a potential terror threat.

 

Pakistan strongly disagreed with India's decision to revoke Article 370, calling it illegal, and said they will take action against it. India responded by saying it was an internal matter that didn't change the territory's boundaries.

Kashmir's people have different opinions on who should govern the area. Many don't want India to rule it and instead want independence or to join Pakistan. Religion is one factor, as most people in Kashmir are Muslim, unlike other states in India.

Critics of India's ruling party worry that this move will change the population of Kashmir by letting non-Kashmiris settle there and buy property. This could make the Muslim-majority state less Muslim and disempower its people.

One of them, Mehbooba Mufti, said the move would "make India an occupational force in Jammu and Kashmir," and that "today marks the darkest day in Indian democracy".

Since 1989, there have been times when people in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir have had strong feelings against India. After a 22-year-old militant leader named Burhan Wani was killed in a fight with Indian security forces in July 2016, there was a new period of violence in the area. Many people were very upset about Wani's death and there were large protests across the region.

Burhan Muzaffar Wani Shaheed 

Short introduction or fast facts about Burhan Wani. I will write a separate article on the great lion of Kashmir for now just to increase your knowledge.

• Burhan Wani was a militant leader in Jammu and Kashmir.
• He was born in 1994 in Dadsara village in the Anantnag district.
• He became a member of the Hizbul Mujahideen, a militant organization, at the age of 15.
• Wani was known for his social media presence and was popular among young people.
• He was involved in several attacks on Indian security forces.
• Wani was killed in a gunfight with security forces on July 8, 2016.
• His death led to widespread protests and violence in the region.

 

After Burhan Wani's death, thousands of people attended his funeral in his hometown of Tral. However, clashes with security forces broke out during and after the funeral. This led to a cycle of violence that lasted for several days, resulting in the deaths of over 30 civilians and injuries to many others.

Since then, violence has continued in the state, with militants carrying out attacks and security forces responding with operations to catch militants. The violence has affected both civilians and security personnel and has caused a lot of suffering in the region.

In 2020, almost daily clashes between the two militaries were recorded. In Jammu and Kashmir, approximately 75,000–100,000 people are temporarily displaced each year because of conflict.

Major Incidents

 

Kashmir conflict escalates as India-Pakistan tensions rise

In June 2018, India's ruling party, the BJP, withdrew from a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, which led to direct rule from Delhi. This decision angered many in the region.

In February 2019, more than 40 Indian soldiers were killed in a suicide attack, and India accused Pakistan-based militant groups of being responsible for it. India responded by launching air strikes in Pakistani territory, which it said targeted militant bases.

This attack ended any hope of a peaceful resolution in the near future, and India vowed to take diplomatic steps to isolate Pakistan from the international community.

Operation Swift Retort

How we can forget this operation let's have a sneak peek at it.

• "Operation Swift Retort" was the code name given by Pakistan to its retaliatory airstrikes against India in February 2019.
• The strikes were in response to India's earlier air strikes on Pakistani territory, which had targeted militant bases in the aftermath of a deadly suicide attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.
• Pakistan's air strikes targeted Indian military installations across the Line of Control (LOC) that divides the disputed region of Kashmir.
• India claimed that it had shot down one of Pakistan's fighter jets during the operation, but Pakistan disputed this and said that it had captured an Indian pilot, who was later released as a "peace gesture."
• The operation escalated tensions between the two countries and raised fears of a wider conflict, but both sides eventually stepped back from the brink of war.
• The incident underscored the long-standing Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan, which has been a major source of tension and conflict in the region for decades.

Active Insurgent Groups

• People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF)
• Lashkar-e-Omar (LeO)
• Al Barq
• Al Badr
• All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC)
• Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF)
• Lashkar-e-Jabbar (LeJ)
• Mutahida Jehad Council [(MJC), aka United Jehad Council (UJC)]
• Tehrik-ul-Mujahideen (TuM)
• Muslim Mujahideen
• Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind

 "O Allah, support and grant victory to those who are standing up for justice and resisting oppression. Protect them from harm and bless them with strength and perseverance. Grant them success in their efforts to establish peace, freedom, and dignity for themselves and their communities. Ameen."