By Muhammad Uzair Niazi
The issue of Kashmir is a major bone of contention between the states of India and Pakistan since many decades. The issue in its depth is too wide and deep as it covers many aspects of a conflict that help in triggering a war. Both the countries have a divided opinion on this issue, and launch the blame game tactics so often. While analyzing the conflict in Kashmir, a single phenomenon never holds so much importance, but in reality one have to dissect phenomenon’s of different variation’s that fuel up this conflict. In one aspect the issue of Kashmir is political also, as India claims that the ruler of Kashmir signed the agreement of accession with India making it as a part of India. But on the other hand Pakistan claims that the accession done by Mahraja is of no value as he was not having the support of the Kashmiris people on one hand, and further he handed over the charge under pressure of India. Pakistan also claims that the present government in Kashmir is the puppet of India, and the so called champion of democracy and secular state India, always do rigged elections and detain the leaders of Kashmir independence movement. So in this regard it is a political issue. The issue of Kashmir also covers the dimension of security and military, as both India and Pakistan has fought three wars on this issue. The military might of both the countries is getting expanded day by day, and the basic reason behind this expansion is to show their military might in the region. Among nations the importance of military might holds importance as it helps in putting pressure on the opponent. Pakistan claims that India has deputed its 6 lac army in the region, in order to suppress the Kashmiri people and in result they have violated the human rights and killed more than 70,000 people and 8,000 missing with their brutal tactics. Pakistan also claims that India violated the standstill agreement and moved its army in Kashmir after British withdrawal.
The issue of Kashmir also has the economic importance, as the region is full of resources and whoever will control these resources will also increase their economic might in the region. All the three nuclear powers of region are well surrounded on the Kashmir issue, as every one of them wants to control it. But the main rivals in this regard are India and Pakistan. The Kashmir issue also has a religious blend too, as majority of the population in the region is Muslim. Pakistan claims that the majority of population in Kashmir is Muslim, so it must become the part of Pakistan. Religion is a main driving force in this conflict, and Pakistan suggests that the Kashmiri people must be given the right to vote so that they can decide that to whom they want to join, or want to become an independent state. The conflict also have a linkage with ethnicity as majority of population in Kashmir comprises of Kashmiris, Gojjars, Ladhakis, etc. so all of them have a close bond with their relatives living in Azad Kashmir of Pakistan. This ethnicity linkage helps us to come closer to this issue as people from Azad and Jammu Kashmir want to annex themselves together. At the end my recommendations are that the issue of Kashmir holds a great importance, and it has been unsolved for so many decades. Many military, political, tactics were used to solve this issue, but in vain. The human rights violations are getting worse, and generations after generations in Kashmir are suffering too badly. Both the countries are failed to come to any final decision, so it’s important that the people of Kashmir must be given the chance to decide their fate. India claims itself as a largest democracy of the world, and on the other hand Pakistan also functions on the democratic principles, so in democracy people are the only decision makers. They have the right to choose that what is good for them, and with their vote they have the power to decide their fate. So let the Kashmiris decide that to whom they want to join, or whether they want to enjoy an independent posture. After successfully solving the Kashmir issue, the arms race in both the countries can come to a halt, as the flow of attention and money will be spent on the welfare and prosperity of more than 1 billion people.