The Kashmir conflict is currently the oldest unresolved international conflict in existence. Pakistan views Kashmir as the source of its main political disagreement with India. The world community, with the exception of India, agrees. Pakistan commemorates Kashmir Solidarity Day on February 5 every year in order to show its unending political, moral, and diplomatic support for the just struggle of Kashmiri brethren for their right to self-determination, as guaranteed by the UN Charter and pertinent UN resolutions. It emphasizes Pakistan’s support and sympathy for the people of Indian-occupied Kashmir, their ongoing struggle for freedom, and paying tribute to Kashmiri martyrs who gave their lives in the hardships of achieving independence for Kashmir.
Despite the fact that the Kashmir issue has been an international concern since January 1948, when it was first brought before the UN, the current cycle of Kashmiris’ extreme struggles to practice their right to self-determination began in late 1989. Since then, the conflict in Kashmir has developed a close relationship with the broader issue of conflict and peace in South Asia. A serious crisis developed between New Delhi and Islamabad as a result of a virtual uprising among Kashmiri Muslims in the Valley and Srinagar.
On August 5, 2019, India unilaterally repealed Articles 370 and 35-A of the Indian Constitution and annexed Kashmir, making the situation even worse. Pakistan is persistently advocating for the people of Kashmir and working to alleviate their suffering. Naturally, this was something that was inevitable as soon as the BJP secured a commanding majority in the most recent Lok Sabha election. For the BJP’s fascist Hindu government, it was a promise made in its election platform. However, Kashmiris have actually ended up with less than the majority of Indian citizens because they have lost both statehood and their limited autonomy, which has been greatly eroded.
Today, it appears that the internal issue and India’s anti-democratic practises in Kashmir are more important than Indo-Pak relations or the outside world. The whole Kashmir region has become one of the world’s most militarised conflict zones. Since security personnel are primarily responsible for the issue, stationing Indian military and paramilitary forces in the area has only made matters worse. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act of India; grants these security forces immense power, which they frequently abuse. These forces don’t really comprehend the local way of life or share their genuine empathy for their religious beliefs. Among the main characteristics of this conflict are poverty, corruption, incompetence in government, excessive use of force, racial politics, and violations of human rights.
More than half of the population in Jammu and Kashmir saw violent government crackdowns, public explosions, and cross-firing between military personnel and armed rebels during the years that followed the insurgency as a result. The strong military presence seriously endangered the safety and freedom of the Kashmiri population, which had already suffered greatly from the worst effects of conflict and violence on physical and mental health. Human rights abuses, murders, economic ruin, and social strangulation of the Kashmiri people are the results. The strategic stability of South Asia has been severely compromised by the abrogation of these two articles. The aggressive annexation of Indian-held Jammu and Kashmir by India has harmed Kashmir’s unity and sovereignty.
Pakistan is adamantly fighting for the people of Kashmir and doing everything it can to solve their problems. Moreover, Pakistan has always demonstrated a strong commitment to defending the freedom and self-determination of the people of Kashmir on bilateral and multilateral levels. It continued to express its support for the protections of the Kashmiri people unequivocally and clearly and has drawn attention to Indian military activities and violations of human rights at all regional and international fora.
Pakistan cannot ignore Kashmir because it is its jugular vein. Pakistan must take different actions because the security and stability of the South Asian region depend on the peace and stability of Kashmir. It is necessary to adopt a well-considered and timely strategy. A thorough response that takes into account the problems Kashmir is currently facing in terms of politics, society, economy, and public health is urgently needed. The Indian government has a responsibility under international human rights law to safeguard the security and well-being of Kashmiris, preventing them from going through the same ordeal that they did as a result of the ongoing communications blackout in 2019. Pakistan and Kashmir must fight on until the UN Security Council intervenes and settles the conflict and it is recognised by the international community. In the interim, let’s wish for the best while preparing for the worst.
