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The Conflict Of Kashmir
Kashmir , disputed territory in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. Commonly known as Kashmir, the territory is bounded on the north by Afghanistan and China, on the east by China, on the south by the state of Himāchal Pradesh and the state of Punjab in India, and on the west by the North-West Frontier Province and the Punjab Province of Pakistan. Kashmir covers an area of 222,236 sq km (85,805 sq mi).

Kashmir the last of the defiant states, was reserve of Hyderabad. It had a Hindu Maharaja, Hari Singh, but his subjects were Muslims, accounting to 78 %. He was reluctant either to join India or Pakistan, but Lord Mountbatten urged hime to take decision to join either states before August 15, 1947.

The Maharaja asked for more time to consider his decision. In the meantime, he asked the Indian and the Pakistani government to sign a "Standstill agreement" with him. Pakistan consented, but India refused.

map of Kashmir

Kashmir valley

The local population of Poonch began to press the Maharaja to accede to Pakistan. In August, 1947 they held a massive demonstration to protest against the Maharaja's indecisiveness. The Maharaja panicked. He asked his Hidu Paratroops to shoot, within a matter of seconds several hundered Muslims were killed. Against this brutal action, a local barrister called Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim immediately set up Azad Kashmir government and began to wage guerrilla warfare against the Maharaja.
By October 1947, the war of Kashmir had began in earnest. The Pathans tribesman from the North Frontier Province wanted to avenge the deaths of their brothers. Thousands of Pathans warriors invaded the valley and on reaching the valley of Kashmir, they routed the Maharaja's troops and reached the gates of Srinagar, the Capital. Kashmir


The Maharaja sensing defeat took refuge in Jammu. From there, he appealed to India to send troops to hald the relentless onslaught of the tribesman. India agreed on the condition that Kashmir would accede to India. Lord Mountbatten accepted the acession on behalf of India.

On October 27, 1947 India began to air-lift her troops to Srinagar, and launched a full-scale attack on the tribesman. Pakistan was stunned. Despite her slender militry resources, she was prepared to send in its troops, but the British General, Gracey, Commander in Chief of the Pakistan Army advised against it. Jinnah also proposed an immediate case-fire and later that a plebiscite should be held.

In January, 1948 India took the dispute to the Security Council. There it accused Pakistan of aggression and demanded that Pakistan withdraw its tribesman, but Pakistan held that accession of Kasmire has been brought about by force and requested the Security Council to arrange a cease-fire and ask both the tribesman and the Indian troops to withdraw, so that a free and impartial plebiscite could be held to ascertain the wishes of the people of Kasmir.

While the Kashmir's issue was still at the table, the Indian troops launched a full scale attack and drove tribesman right back to the Pakistani border.

Pakistan, rushed its regular troops into Kashmir and had a full -scale war with India. It took control on Azad Kashmir. but the Security Council on August 13, 1948 called for an immediate cease-fire, the withdrawal of all Pakistani and Indian troops and holding of plebiscite under the UN supervision. Both the Indian and Pakistani government accepted the resolution.

In January, 1949, the resolution began to be implemented. In July, 1949 the cease-fire line was demarcated. Pakistan's side of Kashmir consisted of some parts of Jammu, Poonch, Some areas of Western Kashmir, Gilgit and in the North a great chunk of Ladakh territory near the chinease border. India kept the valley of Kashmir, Jammu and remainder of Ladakh territory near the Tibet border.

The cease-fire has remained in existence since 1949. No plebiscite has been held and thus the Kashmir issue remains unresolved to-date.


**!!!Important!!!**
Dear visitors,
The issue of Kashmir is not a new thing. Kashmiris are fighting from last 50 years to take back their homeland from the India.They are fighting against the wilderness of Indian Army, who is killing Kashmiris every year on the names of terrorists. According to official records, till January 1, 1997 over 16,898 people were kille by Indian Army in Kashmir on the name of terrorists, which included 7,727 civilians and 1,31 security personnel, while more than 12,000 were injured.Unofficial record is more terrible than this.Nearly 5,000 young ones are in jails without any reason and 3,00,000 Kashmiris are outside the valley as immigrants.


Kashmir Liberation KCC Kashmir Council
Kashmir watch Jammu & Kashmir Book on Kashmir
Kashmir information service Pak News Service Amnesty Kashmir









Note: All Graphics on this page are created by Sarah Qureshi

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Last modified July 12, 2001