Kashmir issue from 1947 to 2022
The Kashmir issue or conflict refers to the territorial dispute between Pakistan and India, which claims the entire erstwhile Dogra Kingdom of Jammu and Kashmir, has control of approximately half the region including most of Jammu, Ladakh and Siachen Glacier. India's claim is contested by Pakistan which control a third of Kashmir. The addition, China also control is known as Aksai Chin. In Shaksam valley which was ceded to it by Pakistan in 1963. Pakistan has fought three wars with India in 1947, 1965 and 1999.
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Jammu and Kashmir |
Article 370 of Jammu and Kashmir conferred on it the power to have a separate constitution, a state flag, and autonomy of internal administration.
The other Article 35A of the Indian Constitution was an article that empowered the Jammu and Kashmir state for legislation and that permanent residents provide special rights and privileges to them. The special status of Jammu and Kashmir was effectively nullified in August 2019.
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Article 370 and 35A of Jammu and Kashmir nullified |
Partition Dispute and War
In 1935 British rulers compelled the Dogra king of Jammu and Kashmir to lease parts of his kingdom, which were to make up the new province of the North-West Frontier, for 60 years. This move was designed to strengthen the Northern boundaries, especially from Russia.
In 1947 the British dominion of India came to an end with the creation of two new nations, India and Pakistan. Each of the 565 Indian princely states had to decide which of the two new nations to join secular India or Islamic Pakistan. Jammu and Kashmir which had a predominantly Muslim population were one of these autonomous states ruled by the Dogra king or Maharaja Hari Singh preferred to remain independent and sought to avoid the stress placed on him by either India or Pakistan by playing each against other.
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Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir |
The indo-Pakistani war of 1947
The tribals of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (NWFP) made rapid advances into Kashmir (Baramulla sector) after the rumors that the Hindu Maharaja was going to decide on the union with India. Hindu Maharaja Hari Singh and Prime minister Sheikh Abdullah of Kashmir asked the Government of India to intervene. However the Government of India pointed out that India and Pakistan had signed an agreement of non-intervention in Jammu and Kashmir, there was until then no iron-clad legal evidence to unequivocally prove that the Government of Pakistan was officially involved. It would have been illegal for India to unilaterally intervene unless Jammu and Kashmir officially joined the union of India at which point it would be possible to send in its forces and occupy the remaining parts.
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Indo-Pakistan war 1947, 1965 and 1999 |
The Hindu Maharaja desperately needed the Indian military help when the Pakistani tribal invaders reached the outskirts of Srinagar. Before they arrived in Srinagar Maharaja Hari Singh and Prime minister, Sheikh Abdullah compelled negotiations for acceding Jammu and Kashmir to India in exchange for receiving military aid. The agreement which ceded Jammu and Kashmir to India was signed by the Hindu Maharaja and Lord Mountbatten.
Aftermath of war in Kashmir
The Treaty of accession signed by Sheikh Abdullah and Maharaja Hari Singh and his heir, the Sadar-e-Riyasat Karan Singh Dogra was ratified by the popular parliament of the kingdom, dominated by the popular political party of Kashmir, the National Conference led by Sheikh Abdullah under the leadership of Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad a constituent assembly of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir had ratified the State's accession to India and had adopted a constitution calling for the perpetual merger of the state with India. This constitution was promulgated on 26 January 1957 making Jammu and Kashmir as the only state of India to have a separate constitution.
Pakistan still asks for a plebiscite in Kashmir under the UN, however, India is no longer willing to allow a plebiscite as it claims that the situation has changed and that a large number of the Hindus who once lived in Kashmir were forced to move out due to threat from separatist activities.
The ceasefire line is known as the line of control (dotted line) and is the pseudo border between India and Pakistan in most of the Kashmir region.
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Indo-Pakistan war of1965 tribals fought along with an army |
Reasons Behind the Dispute
Ever since the Partition of India in 1947 both India and Pakistan have claimed Kashmir. These claims are centered on historical incidents and on the religious affiliations of the Kashmiri people.
Historically the Pakistani claim on Kashmir has been based on the fact that the majority of the Kashmiri population is Muslim and if given the option most Kashmiris would vote to join Pakistan or seek independence.
Efforts to End the Crisis
After intensive diplomatic efforts by other countries, India and Pakistan began to withdraw troops from the International border on June 10, 2002, and negotiations began again but the UN was not serious to resolve the Kashmir issue which may cause other wars between Pakistan and India. The freedom movement of Kashmiris is intensifying day by day and many freedom fighters martyred in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years.