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Kashmir Problem
 
By Hina Sheikh ~ LL.B III
The Kashmir problem continues to exist with all its tragic possibilities. India still holds the valley and the major parts of Kashmir at gunpoint against the will of the Kashmirees. Muslim rulers had governed Kashmir since the 14th century. Ramjit Singh conquered it in 1819 from the Afghan rulers.


The British conquered it in 1846, but later they sold it to Gulab Singh for only 75 Lac rupees.

India sent its forces to Kashmir in 1947 to occupy it against the will of the people who desired to join Pakistan. Pakistan readily reacted and joined the “Mujahideen” (freedom fighters) in their fight against the Indian force. In 1947 India had to approach the United Nations Organization for a cease fire (bringing the fight to an end). Both Pakistan and India stopped fighting providing that and there would be a free plebiscite in Kashmir and the choice of joining India or Pakistan would be left to the people of Kashmir.


India continued to refuse to with draw her armed forces while Pakistan agreed to do so, for the holding of free and impartial referendum in Kashmir under the guidance of UNO. This refusal of India and the cruelties of the India forces in Kashmir caused two more wars between Pakistan and India in 1965 and 1971.

In 1999 the Mujahideen took control of the Kargil heights across the line of control the (loc) to stop Indian supplies to its Laddakh and Siachen forces. This could have been start of a border war between the two countries and the resultant total or massive destruction made Pakistan agreed to ask the Mujahideen to stop fighting and to withdraw from across the loc.

The problem of Kashmir has caused a very dangerous and suicidal arms race between India and Pakistan. Beside a tremendous increase in the armed forces, it has forced them to develop their nuclear capacities. Now that both the countries have their nuclear weapons, they can use them in case of a war and, ironically Kashmir can not be won now without a war or holy war (Jehad) the test of time or history is perhaps the best to judge the positions of two countries with regard to their disputes or quarrels. Time has shown or proved India to be a violator of agreement. The violated or acted against the UNO resolution of 1949, for the plebiscite in Kashmir, against the Tashkand Agreement of 1966 for a solution of the Kashmir problem through talks and against the Simla Agreement of 1972, that again sanctioned takes between the two countries. Against in1998, under the Lahore Declaration, the two countries agreed to resolve the Kashmir dispute through mutual talks. The Kargil battle was in fact the result of India’s refusal to solve the Kashmir problem thought mutual talks. Now India is trying to have the LOC (line of control) recognized by the world as international border between the two countries.

Pakistan should strengthen and develop itself economically, agriculturally and industrially as much as militarily in the best ways. Only after rapid industrialization & fast progress we can hope to help the Kashmirees really and substantially.

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