Kashmir, article 370 and 35A
By “Hannan Sher.”
Kashmir, the “Paradise on Earth”, has a rich history of beauty, culture, and heritage. Despite its stunning scenery, it is surrounded by lots of controversies. That makes its beauty and geography a blessing in disguise. As an ancient kingdom from the 1st century CE, Kashmir has always been an important region for rulers. Kashmir is located north of the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 degrees N) and west of the Sino-Indian border or simply in the Northern Hemisphere.
REASON OF DISPUTE;
IN 1947, the partition of India and Pakistan took place. The basis of which is TWO-NATION THEORY. According to it, there were two major nations in the subcontinent: one Muslim and the other Hindu. The Muslim majority places belong to Pakistan and Hindu places to India. But Kashmiri raja Maharaja Hari Singh, under the influence/circumstances, decided to join India. As it is against the will of the Kashmiris. From there, this Paradise on Earth became a disputed area.
Article 370 and 35A;
Article 370 which was added to the Indian Constitution in 1950. In it there are 03 main points:
1-Stopage measures.
2-Special state.
3-less/limited powers for central government in terms of making laws for Kashmiri etc. On the other hand, article 35A also has some important points, like rights and privileges for permanent residents, property rights and scholarships. Article 35A was introduced in 1954.
Abrogation of Article 370 and 35A;
In Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir these articles were abrogated on August 5, 2019. As a result, the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked. Which led the regional organization into two separate Territories. Which were Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. After that, the black chapter of history was written. There are many critical issues surrounding it and are as follows:
Situation of unrest:
The abrogation of these articles was like a knife in the back. Against which they start protesting against the central government. As it was the war of peace for them. They started fighting for their rights. In reaction, the Indian government deployed the armed forces in IOK. Which further worsened the situation. Which results in unrest in the region.
Loss of Lives:
According to reports from August 2019 to December 2022,
-750 militants, including above 80 percent of local Kashmiri youth, were killed.
-215 security personnel, 60 from Kashmiri police were killed.
THERE ARE REPORTS showing 44, 38, 29 and 29 civilians were killed in 2019,2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively. Many reputed personalities were also killed by the Indian military. Some of them are as follows:
Saleem Shah, Shahid Mansoor, Muddasir Ahmad, Umar Khan, Zakir Musa, Rizwan Pandit and a cousin of Burhan Wani the legend of Kashmir.
Imprisonment of reputed personalities:
During the dispute, many Kashmiris were imprisoned, but the most important ones were Sir Omar Abdullah, respected Mohbooba Mufti, Farooq Abdullah, Shah Faesal, Ali Muhammad Sagar, Naeem Akhtar, Sajjad Lone, Hilal Lone and Fayaz Mir. This further pours oil on fire. In response, Kashmiris became more furious. The protests became aggressive. And the situation went out of control. This is only because of a bad decision from the Indian government.
Psychological stress:
Being in a war situation is always an irritating and stressful situation. Which hits the whole of the area. Especially for children and women, it was full of trauma. Every time, the fear of being killed or imprisoned is an unbearable situation. There was an awful and anxious state for children taking away their childhood and ruining their peace. In the age of play and learning, they are facing a crisis. In short, it was a blunder from the Indian government.
Economic crisis:
Because of the lockdown situation, the economy of the region suffered a lot. According to reports, within four months there was a loss of 17,878 crore. WHICH Indicates THE SEVERITY of the critical situation. The industries like agriculture, horticulture, tourism and handicrafts were affected the most. And from 2019 to 2022, billions of dollars were lost. Which is a lot. Small businesses were closed. PEOPLE were living their worst phase of life. Having difficulties obtaining food. Which leads them to becoming ill. Because of lockdown, they aren’t able to avail the proper medical facilities. A number of challenges simultaneously hit them.
Educational Loss:
The crisis hit the education sector badly. The shutdown of schools, colleges and universities contributed a lot to educational loss. Other than that, the infrastructure of the buildings was affected, which further worsened the situation. The exams and admissions were delayed, keeping the educational system stuck to a point.
Internet Shutdown:
In the 21st century, the internet is the most important need. To be updated on the situation, what is going on in the world, educational resources etc. all depend upon the internet. But the Modi government took this service from Kashmiris. Thus, forcing them to live life in darkness. With it the mobile phone service was also down. As a result, there is a social cut-off for Kashmiris. Making Kashmir jail the Indian government became the symbol of cruelty. All they were doing was against the humanitarian laws.
Tourism is badly affected:
Kashmir is the land of beauty. It Has mountains, greenery, scenery and beautiful weather. For tourists, it is heavenly. As of 2019, Kashmir earns approx. 1-2 billion dollars from tourism. Which, after 2019, it dropped 70-80 percent. Which was a huge loss.
International Role:
The United NATION expressed concerns about the situation and also held a closed-door meeting about the unrest. For the first time, an international body, China, called a private meeting to discuss the Kashmir issue.
STATEMENT from the European Union:
“The European Union is closely following the situation in Kashmir. We call on India and Pakistan to engage in dialogue and find a peaceful solution.”
Pakistan’s steps:
Prime Minister Imran Khan downgraded diplomatic relations with India, suspended trade from India and expelled the Indian High Commissioner. Many human rights organizations have also spoken to stop cruelty against Kashmiris.
Conclusion:
In the 21st century, particularly, war is not the solution. The Indian government, Kashmiri and Pakistani governments have to sit and find a solution. Otherwise, this region will remain in a struggle. For me, voting is the only solution which will be fair. This voting will assure peace in the region. Stabilizing the issues will help build friendly relations.
Title Image by www.freepik.com
My name is Hannan Sher, and I am a 4th-year MBBS student from Chiniot. Alongside my medical studies, I am deeply passionate about writing, both in Urdu and English. Writing, for me, is not just a creative outlet but a means to raise awareness about the often-overlooked aspects of our surroundings.
