J&K has been a point of contention - infact the basic one - between India and Pakistan since 1947. Why is Pakistan so fixated with Kashmir ? Many theories have been propogated by countless experts. Some aspects are enumerated below.
# The two nation theory - To put it simply....it is a serious inferiority complex Pakistan has which makes it constantly speak and act against India in all fora. The Nation is based on a foundation of deceipt and untruth i.e. Jinnah, their Qaid-e-Azam himself. An extremely ambitious and wily man, it did not take much time for Jinnah to realise that the natural choice for the first prime-minister's chair of independent India would be Jawaharlal Nehru. The obvious way out was to use religion ( an age old technique used by politicians the world over) as a benchmark for creation of a seperate nation. Being the most educated and vociferous leader in the Muslim forum, he would be the natural choice there. Mahatam Gandhi's shock at such a suggestion resulted in an open offer of prime-ministership for Jinnah. However, it was too late by then since no amount of rhetoric could act as a face saver, as a veil over Jinnah's exhibition of naked ambition. Add to this the covert `Divide and Rule' policy of the Britishers...and Pakistan's creation was a natural fallout. What must be noted is that Jinnah, a modern man ( fond of his liquor and pork - both banned in islam) used religion as criterion - an islamic nation sought by a muslim who did not practise what he preached !! Indeed, on his death bed his last words were - " Creating Pakistan has been the biggest blunder of my life". The fact remains that India has more muslims than Pakistan itself ! A nation claiming to be the home for muslims did not get the support of Indian muslims....It is an unpalatable fact for Pakistan. The Lion of Kashmir - Sheikh Abdullah - had the complete support of the Kashmiri muslims and he had already refused to do anything with Pakistan. This is the main reason why Pakistan made an all out effort to invade the then independent state of J&K. The tales of massacres and rapes are all but forgotten by us, overshadowed in the daily false propoganda being fed by Pakistan TV into J&K. A youth of say 30 years, for instance, has grown up on this diet of anti-India propoganda. It is also pertinent to note that it was India who took the case of Kashmir to the UN and offered a Plebiscite - inspite of the fact that the ruler of J&K had made an "unconditional accession to India". The UN resolution was straight and clear cut - Both nation to withdraw their forces and after a period of peace, a plebiscite to be conducted to obtain the wishes of the people. Again, Pakistan defaulted here and refused to withdraw its troops. When the case was reveiwed by the UN's Jarring Commission a decade later - it was clearly brought out that conditions had changed and since Pakistan had not fulfilled its part of the obligation, the resolution was no longer applicable. Since then, Pakistan has tried to invade into Kashmir in 1965,and 1971, failing when, it has been the hand behind the proxy wars in Punjab and Kashmir.
# Control of the Fresh Water Sources - On partition, the sources of the six rivers which bring fresh water into Pakistan from the Himalayas namely Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi,Beas and Satluj came under Indian control. Pakistan's occupation of POK resulted in Indus going into its control. After many failed attempts to occupy Kashmir, Pakistan came on the negotiating tables and signed the Indus River Water Sharing Treaty vide which India was to let Jhelum and Chenab waters flow entirely into Pakistan while the balance three river waters were available for harnessing.There is no official recognition of this fact but it is an accepted belief in J&K that Pakistan's Kashmir fixation is also due to its insecurity over fresh water availability. The Indian intent to execute the Tulbul Navigation Project on Jhelum in 1986 was followed by Pakistan sponsored terrorism beginning in 1988 - no mere coincidence. During the Ceasefire negotiations with the Hizbul Mujahideen and Indian Government of 2000-2001, Pakistani media did propogate the solution of accepting the International Boundary along the Chenab R - a sure shot give away!!
# Cold War Enemies - While the US found a willing poor ally in Pakistan, India preferred an independent stand which had to be later moderated by cosying up to the erstwhile USSR. These opposite postures gave Pakistan enough economy and support to try its hand at invading India. Of course, the equation has now changed.
# More later............
