Kashmir's flag

Kashmir is a Muslim-majority disputed region between Pakistan and India and the roots of this issue can be traced back to 1800s when British defeated Sikhs and kicked them out of Kashmir. Sikhs in sheer desperation sold this area to the British Government who then sold it to their Loyal Gulab Singh.  Gulab Singh’s family kept on ruling this region until the last Maharaja Hari Singh who acceded it with the Indian Union (controversial).

Maharaja Hari Singh was a tyrant ruler who used to rule with an iron hand, in retaliation Kashmir rose up in the 1930s with an aim to liberate their area from that cruel ruler. Maharaja dealt with that rebellion with a firm hand with many Kashmiri Muslims laying down their lives for a true mission.

                                                        Post-partition

When partition plan was announced there were more than 600 princely states which were free to join any of the two states but keeping in mind the public will and geographical position. India annexed majority of the states by force including Junagadh and Hyderabad, raising fears that Indian forces would enter Kashmir too. Maharaja Hari Singh signed a standstill agreement with Pakistan but fears of Kashmir annexation with India against the popular will remained deep.

To counter any such move Kashmiri Mujahideen launched an armed struggle against Maharaja. Pakistan’s tribal volunteers also reached there to help their Kashmiri brothers. Maharaja fled Kashmir and signed an accession treaty with India under heavy pressure from Indian government thus providing India with a reason to attack Kashmiri Muslims. In response, Pakistan launched “OPERATION GULMARG” to counter Dogra and Indian army.

The conflict ended in a truce with India having 43% region under its belt including Hindu-majority Jammu and Muslim-majority Kashmir, Pakistan having 37% region including parts of Kashmir valley and Gilgit-Baltistan and China claiming that Ladakh and Aksai chin region belong to the Chinese Tibet (occupied by China during 1962 war with India).

In 1948, India took the matter to the United Nations Security Council which asked both countries to withdraw their respective armies so that a free and fair plebiscite could take place. However, India brushed the Security Council resolution under the carpet and started calling Kashmir as their integral part.

In 1965, Pakistan launched operation “Gibraltar” in collaboration with Mujahedeen giving rise to a full pledge war between the two states but that also ended in a truce with no side having a clear advantage or one some call it a loss of Ayub Khan on the table.

After that war, India started sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan in order to take revenge for the humiliating defeat they faced in 62 and 65. In 1971, with the Indian collaboration, “Mukhti Bakhni”, a terrorist organization, started spreading violence in Bengal (East Pakistan). This led to the dismemberment of Pakistan and the formation of a new country called “Bangladesh”.

Till 1987, Kashmir was more a peaceful region with pro-independence leadership raising voice peacefully but the election 1987 shut all the doors for peace with massive rigging in the state election by Shiekh Abdullah. This led to the formation of JKLF and Mujahideen factions who started an armed struggle against India occupation.

In 1999, another operation was launched by Mujahideen in collaboration with ISI that led to a limited battle in Kargil with Pakistan took Indian posts but under the pressure of Bill Clinton, Nawaz Sharif ordered the withdrawal of Mujahideen and Pak army. In 2001, an attack was launched on Kashmir legislative assembly and Indian parliament thus almost resulted in a full pledge nuclear war. In 2008, Mumbai attacks again dislodged the composite dialogue between the two states.

In 2016, after the killing of the prominent Kashmiri Mujahid “Burhan Wani”, the situation has taken a new turn with people protesting continuously against the Indian atrocities with India using brutal force to calm down the situation.A major hurdle is an Indian attitude towards Kashmir and Pakistan. Talks have been continuing for years but with no substantive results because India wants to focus on the trade instead of the core issue of Kashmir.