Apprising protracted Kashmir Quagmire

Laden with protracted violence and escalated hostility Kashmir remains bedewed in the blood of thousands of innocent Kashmiris for decades. The enduring crisis not vehemently wreaked unprecedented havoc on the generations of Kashmiris but it also becomes a devious drive for the regional security architecture. In retrospect, the dynamics of the Kashmir conflict hold persistent factors. First, ever since the beginning of the conflict the Indian coercive strategy – perpetrating violence has not been changed through this strategy has become a defect -practice. It has become an ultimate option for the policymakers sitting in Delhi to use violence as a tool of repression. Secondly, the Kashmir crisis has always been the vertex point of the clash between India and Pakistan and both parties have unable to develop consensus over this varied issue for the past seven and half decades. Thirdly, Pakistan remains a staunch advocate of supporting the Kashmir issue through extending its moral, political and diplomatic support at all the domestic and global forums. Kashmir issue has emerged as a hallmark of its diplomatic policy, irrespective of its preferential treatment to the other diplomatic affairs. Fourthly, the role of great powers and international stakeholders in particular the UN and other global bodies has been nominal and limited. They have been unable to push the contenting parties to mitigate the crisis or draw any possible solution based on the aspirations of Kashmir’s. Fifthly, the commitment and determination of the Kashmiris have not changed at any point or stage, they have not given up to the freedom cause notwithstanding the amount of belligerence they faced by the Indian armed forces or structural suppression by the Indian policies. Sixthly, so far none of the Indian policies have attained any kind of success due to the utmost commitments of the Kashmiris that kept alive through their sacrifices. Seventhly, the role of political leadership from the disputed territory has been the point of concern since the roots of conflict. The majority of parties have fallen into the political traps and deceitful polys set by the policymakers sitting in Delhi. The role of media is another dismaying factor that never projected the voices of Kashmiris. Being the mouthpieces of ruling elites sitting in Delhi it always propagated propaganda through prejudice and irrationalities. Eighthly, the Kashmir crisis has always been the key aspect of political mileage for the political leadership of India. It remains imperative to the political manifesto to cash the hardliner sentiments and opponents of the freedom of struggle. Ninthly, it is one of the most renowned global conflicts during the post-cold war era that resulted in various conventional and asymmetric warfares between India and Pakistan.

On the other hand, various changes occurred during the entire freedom of struggle. The freedom of struggle has different phases of violence. During the nineties, it experienced one of the most intensified phases of violence and unrest, however, in the first decade of the 21st century the Kashmir movement has transferred to the modern imperatives. The evolution of technology has played a key role in the global outreach of the Kashmiris through print, electronic and social media. The proponents of perpetual peace and enduring stability came to know the realities of the Indian malpractices. Kashmir movement has now twofold- both hard and soft power features attached to it. Indian tactics have also changed as it precludes the militant insurgency with the factor of terrorism. The false flag operations, enforced disappearances, detentions of the political leadership, promotion of the globally renowned terrorist actors such as Daish to curb the voices of Kashmiris and legitimize their draconian laws malpractices are new additions to the Indian strategic policy assertions vis-à-vis Kashmir conflict. It is pertinent to mention that over the period Pakistan has able to successfully highlight the Kashmir conflict and it managed to internationalize it all the global forums. Despite all those aforementioned points that real concern remains unaddressed. Kashmir seeks a solution aligned with the wishes and dreams of the Kashmiri people. The failure of Indian pitfalls and policy suggests that all those efforts are a wild goose chase in dark and it is going nowhere. Giving Kashmiris freedom as per their wishes is the ultimate option that Delhi left with.