Crisis fatigue

Listen to article

The longstanding Kashmir conflict seems to be fading from the global spotlight. Over the years, the region has symbolised unresolved territorial disputes, human rights violations and persistent regional tensions. However, in recent times, international advocacy for Kashmir has waned, a phenomenon described as "crisis fatigue". This shift is not random but is a result of a variety of geopolitical, economic and, to a lesser extent, narrative-based reasons.

One of the primary reasons for the diminishing attention is the reorientation of global geopolitical priorities. The rise of pressing international issues, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, escalating US-China tensions and security challenges in the Indo-Pacific, have overshadowed the Kashmir conflict. Meanwhile, the UNSC which once debated Kashmir has almost left the issue to the mercy of the grave, following India's revocation of Article 370 in 2019. However, the Ukraine crisis has been the primary focus of the UNSC since 2022, as the world has shifted its focus to conflicts considered to be of a more general nature.

India's growing economic and strategic significance has further contributed to this shift. As the world's fifth-largest economy and a major key player globally, India has successfully positioned itself as an indispensable partner for many nations. This has consecrated a culture in which no country is willing to offend India by voicing objection to its activities in the disputed region. Another factor that has helped India to manage this narrative is that it has been able to seal off this narrative from international influence. Such practices have not incurred external backlash for India because it has portrayed the issues as internal concerns related to counter-terrorism. Similarly, it has been using techniques like cutting down the internet and restrictions of journalists to help reduce the inflow of information coming from the region. These actions have limited the release of updates on the situation on human rights and hence the poor response from the international community.

The contrast with Palestine is particularly telling. Over decades, Palestine has remained a focal point of global diplomacy, thanks to consistent advocacy by Arab states, active international organisations and a mobilised diaspora. Movements like the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign have galvanised global support, keeping the issue alive in international forums and public discourse. By comparison, Pakistan's diplomatic efforts on Kashmir have often lacked consistency and innovation. Despite occasional successes, such as the release of UN reports on human rights abuses in Kashmir, these efforts have not translated into sustained international action.

For Pakistan, the way forward is adopting a multi-pronged strategy to counter this growing crisis fatigue. Diplomatic engagement with international organisations such as the UN, OIC and EU remains critical. However, this must be accompanied by leveraging the influence of the Kashmiri diaspora, particularly in key countries like the UK and the US. The diaspora's role in lobbying for international awareness has been underutilised, despite its potential to replicate the success of other movements i.e. the Armenian diaspora's efforts to keep the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the global spotlight. Additionally, Pakistan must capitalise on digital platforms and power of modern media to amplify voices from Kashmir.

The implications of allowing the Kashmir issue to fade from global discourse are grave. Failure to act prolongs the loss of autonomy in the region and intensifies the suffering of people. For the whole of South Asia, the conflict remains an open sore that sustains militarisation, economic insecurity and extremism which are anathema to sustainable peace and growth.

If Pakistan can take a more innovative approach to a sustained global movement, it can reignite the world's focus on the situation in Kashmir. As such, it can guarantee that its people's voice will not be drowned in the clamour of other crises happening around the world and their fight will continue to be recognised in the field of international justice.