The Kashmiri people have been engaged in a struggle for freedom and the right to self-determination for the past seventy-five years, but India tries to suppress their voice at every level. There are several reasons for this pressure and concern, including the possible autonomy of Kashmir, and mediation by a third world power such as the UN, OIC, China or the US, which are considered the biggest threats to India. The question is, why is New Delhi so afraid of these two issues?
Whenever “Kashmir” and “third-party mediation” are mentioned in the government chambers of Delhi, an unusual unease is felt. International diplomatic circles and analysts seem to agree that India’s claim of Kashmir as its “integral part” is a weak claim on historical, legal and moral grounds.
The UN resolutions clearly give the Kashmiri people the right to decide their own future, and India itself initially accepted these resolutions, but later reneged on its promises. Till date, the Kashmiris have not been given the opportunity to hold a plebiscite because India knows that the outcome could be a political, moral and ideological defeat for it.
Kashmir’s independence could be not just a geographical dispute but also a dangerous precedent, which would set an example for other separatist regions of India. The Sikh community in Punjab still seems mentally prepared for the establishment of Khalistan. Thousands of people have died in the Khalistan movement since 1984 and this movement is still alive in the hearts of Sikh nationalists. If Kashmir gets independence or the aspirations of Kashmiris are recognized at the international level, it could be an encouraging message for the Sikhs. Similarly, several states in northeastern India such as Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura consider themselves ethnically, culturally and religiously different from central India. Dozens of separatist groups are active in these regions who consider India a colonial power. They can present any political developments in Kashmir as an argument for their right to self-determination.
Another major fear of India is that if the UN, OIC or other world powers mobilize to mediate in Kashmir, the international community will see the true feelings of the Kashmiri people and the serious human rights violations committed by India in full force. India is afraid of this diplomatic pressure because the decision of an impartial international forum could refute its narrative that Kashmir is its internal matter.
Kashmir is the most militarized region in the world, with nearly nine hundred thousand Indian soldiers stationed there. This means that there is more than one soldier for every ten Kashmiris. Dozens of homes are raided daily in the valley, and more than 3,000 Kashmiri youth have been extrajudicially killed between 2019 and 2024. Such a situation should be a source of shame for any democratic state.
Kashmir is also in a serious economic and social crisis. According to the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce, the valley has suffered an economic loss of more than Rs 25 billion from 2019 to 2024 alone. Industries like tourism, carpet weaving, agriculture and handicrafts have reached the brink of collapse. Educational institutions remain closed for about 180 days a year and the education of children has been severely affected. According to a UNICEF report in 2021, 60 percent of children in the valley suffer from some form of mental stress or psychological distress.
Although there is verbal support at the international level, practical measures are insufficient. The United Nations issued two major reports on Kashmir in 2018 and 2019, in which the Indian army was found guilty of serious human rights violations. Organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly criticized Indian policies. The European Parliament also demanded in a resolution in 2020 that India restore the internet in Kashmir and release political prisoners. However, India has consistently violated the fundamental rights of Kashmiris by rejecting all these demands.
The Kashmiri people have not only been deprived of their political autonomy, but military force, media censorship and international diplomatic cunning are being used to suppress their voice. The Kashmir issue is no longer just a regional dispute, but has become a humanitarian, moral and global issue, which the international community must discuss openly and fearlessly.
Recently, after the increasing tension between Pakistan and India, the US President has once again offered to mediate on the Kashmir issue, and said that its solution is only through dialogue. This statement by the US President has further strengthened Pakistan's long-standing position on the global stage, as Pakistan has always said that Kashmir is a disputed region and its future should be determined by the will of the Kashmiris, and not through any military or geographical coercion. The Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Foreign Office welcomed this statement so that the path of lasting peace in South Asia can be paved.
In this context, it is necessary for the United Nations to create a strong mechanism for the implementation of its resolutions, and for other world powers, including the United States, to pressure India to grant the Kashmiris their democratic rights. Pakistan should also make its diplomatic narrative more effective and work with the international media, think tanks and human rights organizations to present the Kashmir case in a comprehensive manner. If the international community squanders this opportunity, South Asia could move towards another major humanitarian tragedy, the effects of which will not be limited to Pakistan and India alone, but will affect the entire world. If the global conscience continues to remain silent, Kashmir will become not just a human tragedy, but a metaphor for a moral failure.
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