The Genesis Of The Kashmir Issue: A Conflict Rooted In History – OpEd
By Sadaf Nadeem
The Kashmir issue, which has played a defining role in shaping South Asia, is one of the longest-running and oldest political disputes, with its ripples still affecting millions to this day. This conflict, which has its origin back in 1846 and has been deepened with the partition of British India in 1947 is no mere territorial dispute, but rather a complex struggle encompassing political, social and humanitarian aspects. (To comprehend the Kashmir conflict, its essential to explore the historical and socio-political roots, which date back to the 19th century)
The Kashmir dispute can be historically traced back to Britain handing the territory over to the Dogra rulers via a treaty in 1846 as Britain then allowed Hindu ruling elites, who held no real representation from the Muslim-majority population, to maintain power over Kashmiris. Through the Treaty of Amritsar, the British extinguished the rights of ownership in Kashmir and empowered Dogras to implement discriminatory laws that barred Muslims from holding national level as well as administrative positions. These events left long-lasting feelings of displeasure, which gave rise to underlying resentment that would explode into further insurrections.
Yet even amidst state control, late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the rise of political associations through transformative struggles. In this instance, two important organizations that were established in the period for the representation in political field also parented the unity of Muslin population; Anjuman-e-Islamiyya (1888) together with Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir (1905) The establishment of the All – India Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference in 1932 allowed for direct participation against ongoing discrimination in a way that had not been possible before.
Partition in 1947 — when the British divided India into two parts — was transformative for everyone involved. At that time Jammu and Kashmir was a Muslim-inhabited princely state, ruled by a Hindu ruler Maharaja Hari Singh. Kashmir was one of the handful of states which remained independent instead of going towards either India or Pakistan. As the situation in Kashmir deteriorated over the course of October 1947, tribal forces from Pakistan crossed into the state to support Muslim Kashmiris fighting the Maharaja’s rule. The Maharaja felt emboldened by this development to seek military assistance from India. this decision of the king, to sign the Instrument of Accession without seeking the consent of Kashmiris made India, Kashmir’s formal landlord. The lopsided step made the base for the continuous Kashmir debate between the two nations.
The first war between India and Pakistan in 1947–48 which caught global attention began with a border incident. Potential international interference by way of proposed plebiscites found its way blocked as a result of political conflict on the ground. After this decision, the two pieces of Kashmir were divided by the Line of Control (LoC) and Azad Kashmir came under Pakistani control and Jammu and Kashmir remained in Indian control.
In 1950, the Indian government initiated Article 370, which effectively granted autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir, complete with its very own constitution, which allowed the region primary decision powers and an opportunity to retain an identity independent of the Indian state. Pakistan realized that India was trying to consolidate its territorial claim through this development, even while tensions were escalating. The article How the Indian government stripping Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir appeared first on Northeast Now. It continued disturbing the diplomatic relations with Pakistan and stirred severe political turmoil which questioned the democracy. During the second half of the 20th century Kashmir saw the first hints at an insurgency. By 1989, Kashmir handover to Indian rule deteriorated into shooting war. Founded along the lines of independence and Pakistan affiliation, clusters took to the field. It has also emphasized that the state-sponsored heavy persecution of Kashmiri movements too along with human rights abuses made Kashmiri emotions away from their people and turned their youth into actual extremists.
Leaders like Sheikh Abdullah were repeatedly incarcerated, and the growing ethnic and political schism stretched the estrangement between Kashmiris and the government in New Delhi. Political repression had already increased after the revocation of Article 370 in 2019, with the Indian state expanding its crackdown on political voices demanding self-rule and independence.
As of now, the Kashmir matter continues to be unresolved, as both India and Pakistan lay claim to the whole territory. Although international mediation and United Nations linkages have come and gone, peace is still a distant vision. Even more than three decades after the beginning of the armed conflict in Kashmir, the Kashmiri public continues to be plagued by commercial hardship, political discord and human rights violations, with elusive prospects for conference as the situation, possibly, leads to another Kashmir War. This crisis has been sustained by ongoing violence and militarization, which only serves to reinforce a toxic cycle of mistrust and repression.
Kashmir is not really just a regional issue; it is an account of historical wrongs, political oppression and a fight for self-determination. The Kashmir conflict depicts the history of this tough peoples struggle from repression under the Dogra rule to the political turmoil faced by the region after 1947.
Simply holding regional dialogues among various stakeholders will not suffice; a resolution to the Kashmir issue requires satisfying the age-old concerns of the Kashmiri people, respecting their political goals and ensuring they are part of the conversations surrounding their future. Durable peace will not come from making the conflict invisible nor through lack of trust, but through negotiation — in which there cannot be compromise on justice for the sake of moving things forward.
As global citizens, let us work for the day Kashmir will be beautiful, guided by lasting peace. Only that can bring peace to the citizens of Kashmir, who deserve to determine their own fate without fear.
