Kashmir ; A lost paradise Essay

Kashmir is the northernmost geographical region of South Asia. It borders Pakistan and India in the Himalayan Mountains. This landscape is known for its raw natural beauty and has stood out in the history and folklore of the Indian subcontinent. At one point in time, Kashmir was aptly named "paradise on Earth". Kashmir excels at diversity. People from all over the world many different religious backgrounds and even more diverse dialects frequent the land. Today however, the Kashmir region is the center a multidimensional problem, with religious hostilities taking center stage.

There’s a beautiful quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero saying that “The pursuit, even of the best things, ought to be calm and tranquil.” Many people say that to get rid of your boring daily routine, it is important that you take some day off and visit a beautiful place. It will not only prove to be recreational but also you can get to know something interesting about the culture and heritage of that place. I’ve been on a vacation to many places but there’s one which no one can resist going to- Kashmir.

Afzal’s death further infuriated the Kashmiri people. Yet again not only were curfews put in place by the police, but violators executed. At this point, the Kasmiri people have been subjected to 20 years of military occupation. Strides had been made – in 2014 India was going to give Kashmir and Jammu back some of their rights by allowing elections. Executing Afzal Guru seemed to reverse all of their efforts.

The ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan has been the subject of speculation and study by political scientists and historians for a number of years. The ethnic conflict seems to have been sparked at the very beginning in 1947, when the British used Muslim and Hindu mercenaries against each other before the area finally split into today’s countries of India and Pakistan (Spiegel et al. 2015, 185). The timeline since then has been full of conflicts, both major and minor. Brutal tactics used by security forces and a high rate of unemployment have added to the issue (BBC News 2016).

The Indian Culture is a very interesting culture they have a lot of different ways of living, family relationships, foods, dress, and entertainment.

The British’s goal to separate the Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs was a total disaster. “The trouble was that Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs were an integrated population so that it was impossible to make a border without widespread dislocation.” This quote states that making a border was impossible because the groups aren’t meant to be spread apart. “By the end of 1947 there were virtually no Hindus or Sikhs living in west India - now part of Pakistan - and no Muslims in the Indian east.” This explains how the British made Pakistan because of the partition. “The British government and Mountbatten must bear a large part of the blame for this tragedy." Therefore, the British caused religious violence and disagreement against each

The years subsequent the war, Britain kept their promise to India. In return for military labor and free access to commodities throughout the war, Britain would relinquished their hold on the territory thus, allowing it its freedom. In 1947, British India was partitioned into ‘India and Pakistan’ and soon after, was given its independence as a solitary state apart from Pakistan. Although this was what the Indian Independence Movement aspired for, violence between Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus quickly arose (Pierce). The conflict sparked what became the determining factor in the separation of the two states, independently India, and Pakistan. India and its neighboring regions were flooded with mass exodus, people who believed that a Hindu India, and a Muslim/Sikh Pakistan was the best possible way to begin independence packed their things and left, seeking the land of their religious majority. Over 14.5 million people crossed borders. Nearby in Burma (what is modern day Myanmar), Japan had invaded with the assumption that they could easily take hold of the Burmese colony, which was incredibly blessed with

Indeed, the Partition of India and Pakistan, a decision made by lawmakers far from the front-lines, unleashed an episode of brutal depravity that might be unmatched in recent history. Growing tensions between Hindus and Muslims throughout the 1940s gave a ride for the desire for a Muslim state. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who is regarded as the father of Pakistan, believed that a unified nation would only lead to marginalization of Muslims and, eventually, violence and civil war. An independent state seemed a solution to this danger. However looking at the grave situation of Pakistan today, was this a good decision or not is a highly debatable point of discussion running past the minds of

India had finally gained independence after 350 years of British presence. The plan for partition began when Britain ultimately handed over self-governance to India. After receiving its independence, India was further separated due to religious tensions between Muslims and Hindus living together. Because of these conflicts, Pakistan was formed the following day on August 15, 1947. Under the Mountbatten Plan, India was formed out of mostly Hindu regions and Pakistan was created out of the primarily Muslim regions. Pakistan was formed into two dominions: East Pakistan and West Pakistan. At the beginning of their independence, both countries dealt with both ruined lands and economies. The partition ended up leaving both Pakistan and India distraught. Riots erupted, looting broke out, women were raped, and over 15 million refugees were forced into unfamiliar regions. These refugees crossed borders into regions of the two new countries that were completely foreign to them. Women were raped and abused by both Muslims and Hindus, and each day trains filled with beaten women and children would arrive between the borders of Pakistan and India.

Less than 30 years after the war of Independence, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and West Pakistan (now Pakistan) had grown so further apart, even from the obvious geographical disconnect, that the liberation war of 1971 could be termed as inevitable. For some it was the war of liberation but for many who lost their friends, neighbors and other loved ones, it was a time of selfish loss.

Kashmir is conflict territory after the partition of India and Pakistan. Conflict is not only between India and Pakistan but also India and the religious militants. Religious Militants are conducting a jihad to govern by the religious law. Historically, Kashmir included Sufis Muslim not orthodox Muslim. Numerous international events had influenced in the growth of Islamic fundamentalism in Kashmir. Jihad is not originally from Kashmir but they are foreign militancy bought during the end of the Soviet –Afghanistan War. Additionally, they are trained in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pakistan Inter service Intelligence helped them to incorporate into organized militant groups. Pakistan helped Jihad group with full moral,

The Indo-Pakistani war of 1947 was the very first war fought between the two counties over Jammu and Kashmir. The war began when Pakistan sent troops from Waziristan into Kashmir in order to obtain their land. When the king of Kashmir, Hari Singh, realized what Pakistan was doing to Kashmir, he pleaded with India for help. “Tensions exploded in October 1947 when the Pathan Muslims of Poonch rebelled against the Hindu landowners of Kashmir. On October 22, Pakistan sent troops into the region, brutally taking Muzaffarabad and Uri, burning a swath of destruction wherever they marched, and killing Hindu civilians,”(“Indo-Pakistani War, 1947-1948,”, n.d.). Indian government made a legal document called the Instrument of Accession stating that they

“In 1974 it was predicted that it fall under Pakistan since most of the population was Muslim,” according to Borneman (2), this causes a fight over which religion is better. “It was decided that India will get Jammu-Kashmir, but Pakistan was waiting The Raja of Jammu and Kashmir to consider changing it to part of Pakistan” according to Suzane Martin (1),later on it was made official that India got Kashmir. Which later on caused war between India and Pakistan. This decision has had an impact on religion. Pakistan is wanting still Kashmir and it is clear that geography is impacting the religion and the conflict between India and Pakistan. Geography can also not impact religion but nature as

India thinks that Kashmir is not the issue for an international concern and India does not consider UN’s take on any political action over Kashmir. India’s apprehension of Kashmir is reasonable somehow because India has fought three times with Pakistan regarding Kashmir’s issue. On the contrary, resolution does not come through military action. According to India, if India is ready to establish Kashmir as a democratic province with all the privileges of an autonomous, there is no guarantee to Kashmir will be under the Indian union. Because there are lots of terrorist groups are fighting against India. Pakistan is supporting them by providing materials as well as financial backing (Schofield, V. 2000).

Pakistan displays some of Asia’s most magnificent landscapes as it stretches from the Arabian Sea, its southern border, to some of the world’s most spectacular mountain ranges in the north. Pakistan is also home to sites that date back to word’s earliest settlements rivaling those of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia . When Pakistan emerged on the map of the world as a sovereign and independent state in August 1947, it was like a baby in ICU with hardly any prospect of survival, on account of its extremely vulnerable defence and fragile economy. However, despite numerous setbacks, crises and turmoils of gigantic magnitude, it has so far been able to survive and make some progress due to several factors, perhaps the most important of which is