The Kashmir conflict is a territorial conflict primarily between India and Pakistan, having started just after the partition of India in 1947. China has at times played a minor role.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars over Kashmir, including the Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1947 and 1965, as well as the Kargil War of 1999. The two countries have also been involved in several skirmishes over control of the Siachen Glacier.
PAKISTAN viewpoint
Official Pakistan Position on Kashmir as explained in Pakistan Embassy website is as follows:
- Kashmir is a disputed territory
1) An accession of Jammu and Kashmir(J&K) to India is disputed because Maharaja Hari Singh acceded to India under duress without consulting the wishes of the people.
2) Kashmir is a case of unfinished partition. The promised plebiscite was never held by India.
- Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan. 1) Kashmir is the core political dispute between India and Pakistan and it runs in our blood.
- Pakistan is only providing moral and diplomatic support for the freedom struggle in Kashmir. 1)The Mujahideen who fight for their suffering Muslim brethren in Kashmir may cross the LoC, we cannot guarantee an end to all infiltration.
- Implementation of UN resolutions: 1)The solution to the dispute requires a unitary plebiscite for the whole of J&K under international auspices. UN resolutions call for the holding of a plebiscite to determine the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
INDIA viewpoint
Official Indian Position on Kashmir as explained in Indian Embassy website is as follows:
- Kashmir is an integral part of India
1) An accession of Jammu and Kashmir(J&K) to India is final and legal and cannot be disputed J&K is not a disputed territory.
2) Sheikh Abdullah sought and endorsed the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India 3)POK: Pak should relinquish control of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. It is not Azad Kashmir. 4)What happens in Kashmir is an internal affair and the international community has no business in it.
- Elections are a substitute for plebiscite 1) The will of the people does not need to be ascertained only through a plebiscite. Democratic elections are a recognized means of ascertaining the wishes of the people and the people of the State of J&K have repeatedly participated in such elections. People of Kashmir are largely happy with India.
- All would be well in Kashmir but for cross-border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan. 1)The problem of Kashmir today is one of terrorism sponsored by Pakistan. People are happy with India. What happens in the Valley is not a freedom struggle but a terrorist movement stoked by Pakistan. Hence if Pak were to stop cross-border terrorism, normalcy would return to the Valley.
- Human Right Violations by the State are negligible. 1)Sufficient judicial mechanisms are in place to investigate such allegations.
Conditional Dialogues: 1) Any dialogues with Pak or Kashmiris will be conditioned on Kashmir being a part of India.
WHAT do You think! How can Pakistan and India resolve this conflict
- Rather fighting against each-other wasting billions of Dollars on weapons both countries should resolve this issue and make peace with each other because neighbor cannot be changed! 17.2% of the total population of Pakistan lived below the poverty line .on the other hand 22% of the total population of India lived below the poverty line.
Rather wasting so much money on weapons both government should spend money on education health and other sectors of life through which they can improve way of living of their people
