Kashmir's unending siege

Seventy-eight years after the partition of British India, Kashmir remains an unresolved dispute that continues to strain regional relations. It is not simply a territorial dispute between two nuclear-armed neighbours; it is a tragedy of human suffering and political failure. What began in 1947 as a dispute over accession has evolved into an unending ordeal of siege and ethnic cleansing, depriving generations of Kashmiris of normalcy, dignity and the hope of a peaceful life.

In August 2019, India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) revoked Articles 370 and 35A of its constitution, effectively dismantling the semi-autonomous status that Jammu and Kashmir had enjoyed since independence. The move was celebrated by India's Hindu nationalists as an act of "integration" and a triumph of unity. In reality, it was a constitutional sleight of hand that turned a political problem into a military one. Today, the region is among the most heavily militarised places on the planet, and its residents are living under an architecture of surveillance, suspicion and fear.

To be fair, New Delhi has long argued that its actions in Kashmir are meant to curb separatism and terrorism. But the means have been self-defeating. You cannot claim to win hearts and minds by placing an entire population under lockdown or by turning schools and hospitals into an occupation. Pellet guns, arbitrary detentions and media blackouts have only caused alienation.

Pakistan's stance on Kashmir has always been tied to its moral and humanitarian concern for the Kashmiri people. The region's decades-long turmoil, however, has inflicted immense pain and displacement on countless lives. In this context, Pakistan's continued diplomatic and moral support must remain anchored in the principles of justice and humanity. While Pakistan continues to champion the cause of self-determination, the complexity of the conflict also calls for introspection.

The greatest losers in this long saga are the ordinary Kashmiris - men, women and children who have lived their entire lives under curfew, checkpoints and occupation. Their access to education, healthcare and employment remains abysmal. Their voices are drowned out by the nationalist narratives on both sides of the border. India falsely claims that Kashmir is an "integral part" of its union, while Pakistan insists it remains the "unfinished agenda" of the partition. Both are correct in their own limited sense - and both are tragically wrong in ignoring that Kashmir is, above all, about Kashmiris.

The international community, too, bears its share of responsibility. Having passed multiple UN resolutions affirming Kashmir's right to self-determination, it has largely retreated into indifference. The world's concern resurfaces briefly after each episode of violence, only to fade again into silence. The United Nations has been unable to enforce its own resolutions; major powers prefer profitable partnerships with India over uncomfortable questions of human rights.

What measures should be taken to resolve the issue? The first step is to restore political agency to the people of Kashmir. The suspension of local democracy and the continued detention of political leaders are untenable in any society that claims to be democratic. Secondly, India must allow independent observers and journalists to operate freely in the region; the truth should not fear inspection. Thirdly, Pakistan should balance its stance on the Kashmir issue with equal attention to domestic reform and internal development. The future of Kashmir cannot be forged through unruly rhetoric, nor by the guns of either side.

Ultimately, peace in South Asia hinges on acknowledging uncomfortable truths. Kashmir is not a prize to be claimed; it is a problem to be solved. And it will not be solved through patriotic posturing or religious passion, but through recognition of basic human dignity and political fairness. The people of Kashmir deserve more than sympathy; they deserve sovereignty over their own lives.

Until that happens, both India and Pakistan will continue to pay the price in wariness, in military spending, and in the moral deterioration that comes from denying justice to millions. The world may look away, but history will not.