Kashmir issue

 Kashmir issue

The question of Kashmir is one that has been debated by both sides of the political divide in recent times. Both countries claim to have had a territorial dispute over what they believe are the Indian occupied territory in Jammu & Kashmir. Pakistan claims the whole of South Asia, including Kashmir including all its surrounding areas, and a majority Muslim population. India is more concerned with how the region will shape its future and how it would affect relations with other nations.

For both parties it is important for the two sides to reach an amicable settlement of the issue. Although Prime Minister Imran Khan took steps this week to resolve the Kashmir issue by allowing talks to start, the two sides remain divided over the issues relating to the border. Pakistan wants the Modi government to give back to it the land it seized from J&K to prevent any further erosion of territories and its religious sites. India on its part does not want anything to do with any move.

The prime minister expressed his hope that ‘soon we can address these two issues: restoration of our territorial integrity’ but did not specify who should decide which of the two issues should be resolved first. Pakistani lawmakers said that while negotiations should begin as soon at possible, the government must wait for another month before deciding whether it should take up the issue with the Modi administration by asking them to respond within three weeks.

The diplomatic tussle began earlier this year with India sending a delegation to Islamabad, hoping to discuss ways to resume the bilateral ties that were put under severe strain after India carried out a sweeping crackdown on civil society and dissent in J&K. Pakistan’s Foreign Office claimed there was no sign of movement on this front. In retaliation, India sent thousands of soldiers and police. Since then the situation deteriorated and there are reports of clashes between troops and civilians, and clashes between soldiers and farmers who had gathered near disputed villages in J&K around protest against new agriculture laws passed in September. Thousands of people have died in violence since February 2019 when India scrapped J&K’s special status — effectively ending safeguards that guaranteed a separate identity to the city. A large number of former residents of J&K have sought refuge in the international community.

The diplomatic efforts have had little success and some sources say that the Pakistan government may push ahead with the demand for restoration of their independence by seeking a resolution at UN. The Prime Minister’s Office says a final call on resumption of contacts between the country and India has been scheduled for January 8.

India insists that although there are demands for peace, there should be no compromise. “Our stand is clear: Kashmiris will never accept this," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said recently. "We always have been ready to consider talks, but this is just the beginning." As he spoke, military helicopters flew above the J&K capital of Srinagar, where crowds have rallied close to homes belonging to Kashmiri Pandits. They had come together to demand the abrogation of Article 370, an assurance that the state is part of the union territory, and that the BJP-ruled central government will stop building on the site of Bab-ul-Jaleeem which houses several mosques. Another huge crowd, waving flags bearing the Tricolour, has gathered outside the residence where Kashmir’s Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah is spending time with family. On Tuesday morning Mr. Abdullah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan. He said his Cabinet is now open to discussing modalities of resuming the relationship between the two countries, including through direct dialogue and holding an inclusive meeting of political leaders and experts in the field of law at the earliest.

Mr. Mehta Rajinder Singh, chairman of the Opposition Congress Party (PCP), blamed the United Nations Security Council for being ineffective. “If the U.N. Security council was effective … the Modi Government could make a good case for why’s Kashmir remains so disputed,” he told reporters.

The two sides also hold conflicting views on the Kashmir issue itself. While Modi supports the idea of having discussions and consultations with the Palestinians on solutions to the problem of Palestine, Abbas says the solution lies with the Muslims themselves. According to him, this is the way forward. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan should get involved in the process. “I hope the world sees that Pakistan is moving forward in trying to address this issue. I think the ball is in Mr. Imran Khan’s court,” Mr. Abbas said last Friday.