Light of Peace

Kashmir, a land locked hilly state, with a predominant Muslim population, is a disputed territory between India and Pakistan. The unification of the territory either with India or Pakistan is yet to be decided through a plebiscite in the light of UN Security Council Resolutions of 1948. The Kashmir dispute has been a major cause of three wars fought between India and Pakistan since the creation of both the countries in 1947. As both the countries are now nuclear powers, this unresolved dispute is a potential flash point and a serious threat to the global peace.

The Kashmir dispute has to resolved by the mutual consent of India , Pakistan and the people of Kashmir. So far no serious progress has been made in this direction. Despite the claim of Indian government that Kashmir is an integral part of India and that there is no problem in Kashmir and that the problems in Kashmir like insurgency were due to the cross-border terrorism from Pakistan side, the situation in Kashmir has never calmed down and is still volatile. On behest of the US, a large number of organizations suspected by India for their involvement in insurgent attacks like Lashkar e Tueba etc have been banned by Pakistan since long. India is keeping more than half million troops in Kashmir which comprise about 50 % of the total Indian army strength. The border ( line of control) with Pakistan has been sealed effectively by India and the Indian authorities have admitted that there has been a sharp decline in the ‘terrorist attacks’ inside Kashmir over the past many years. Despite all this the people of Kashmir are not willing to accept the Indian rule. The stone-pelting youth, the women and the children have effectively attracted the attention of international media. The world community has now correctly recognized that Kashmir's movement for freedom is purely indigenous and is gaining impetus without any foreign provocation support.

The government of India now seems to be taking the situation in Kashmir seriously which is a very rare phenomenon. However the efforts to maintain peace in Kashmir will be fruitful only if the stock of the situation is taken in its true perspective. The right of self determination cannot be denied to the people of Kashmir for long. India is expected to play its role in a constructive and positive manner, so that a long outstanding dispute can be resolved peacefully and regional / global peace is not kept hostage to the whims of a few politicians.