Pakistan Occupied Kashmir vs Indian Kashmir

Pakistan occupied Kashmir is part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and hence is an integral part of India. It was under the illegitimate control of Pakistan since October 22, 1947, when tribal lashkars supported by Pakistan invaded the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir. India referred the matter to the United Nations in the hope of a fair and legitimate solution that would end external aggression and armed confrontation between the two states. Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), a disputed territory between India and Pakistan, administered by Islamabad as the Northern Areas of Pakistan. 

Kashmir issue

Kashmir is a mountainous region located in the middle of Asia, which has a very important geopolitical and strategic location. It is surrounded by Pakistan in the west and China in the east, while the Indian provinces of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab are located in the south and north. The northern part touches the borders of Afghanistan too. Presently, the northern parts are controlled by Pakistan, while the Indian Union controls the southern and eastern parts. Over six decades, the region has been devastated by confrontations between India and Pakistan. Both India and Pakistan are nuclear powers, and in case of another shooting war, the entire subcontinent, including Kashmir, may be destroyed. Presently it is at the hyper diplomatic point of relationships between India and Pakistan.

The history behind the issue

After World War II, when Britain finally decided to bring its rule over the Indian subcontinent to an end, the fate of hundreds of princely states was brought under scrutiny. The Princely States were now supposed to join either India or Pakistan after the British left. Jyoti Trehan remarks on their evolution into independent states, “The process of integration of the princely states was not without its highs and lows”.

In 1947, after India gained control of the Indian half of Jammu and Kashmir as part of the partition, it followed a democratic path as outlined by Article 370 of the Indian constitution in its portion of the territory. The Pakistani-occupied area broke off from the rest of India and formed Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). After a war between Pakistan and India in 1965, an agreement was signed between Pakistan and AJK, guaranteeing an independent legislative assembly for AJK. Concurrently, Gilgit-Baltistan came under Pakistan’s control when South Kashmir was ceded to that country. This agreement was later renamed the Karachi Agreement after the city in which it was signed.

Pakistan Occupied Kashmir

Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is rich in resources. It has vast deposits of precious and semi-precious stones, including the best rubies and high-quality marble. It also has abundant water resources. The Indus and its tributaries flowing through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir offer huge potential for hydroelectric power generation, with an identified capacity of around 15,000 megawatts in the hydropower generation sector alone.

Before the 1965 India-Pakistan war, Kashmir was abundant in resources. It produced 90 per cent of the world’s top-quality rubies and high-quality marble. It also had a substantial water supply, making it an ideal location for hydroelectric power plants. There was so much water that several potential hydroelectric power plants were identified, with a combined capacity of 15,000 megawatts. However, following the 1965 India-Pakistan war, India rerouted some rivers to prevent Pakistani access to drinking water.

The economy of Pakistan occupied Kashmir

The per capita income of Azad Kashmir is comparatively underrated because many men in Azad Kashmir have been recruited into the Pakistani Armed Forces. Azad Kashmir’s economy relies heavily on agriculture and remittances sent each year by members of the large Kashmiri diaspora. The Kashmiris in the United Kingdom and other countries have contributed greatly to the development of Azad Kashmir through their in-flow of remittances. Many men have been recruited into the Pakistani Armed Forces in the southern districts, and as of 2021, Gross Domestic Product was estimated at $6.5 billion.

The current state of affairs 

Over the past few decades, Pakistan occupied Kashmir has sometimes turned to military rule and, at other times to autocratic leaders. India has accused Pakistan of repeatedly sponsoring terrorist organizations in Indian-controlled Kashmir. On the other hand, Pakistan maintains that it does not sponsor terrorists but is only “moral support” to Kashmiri separatists. In such a state of affairs, the common Kashmiris suffer the most due to the Kashmir issue.

Conclusion

The Kashmir conflict has been the primary cause of animosity between India and Pakistan. However, in recent years, both sides have shown interest in resolving their differences. Farah Ibrahim argues that the solution to the Kashmir issue lies in psychological intervention (289). She contends that the military, political, and diplomatic aspects of the dispute are not as significant as resolving interpersonal conflicts. Ibrahim proposes “a planned conflict resolution” (Ibrahim 289) because she realizes that a “sharp rise in Hindu nationalism” is not the answer (Wirsing 163). Funding should be provided to eradicate terrorist groups operating in Kashmir and peace negotiations between India and Pakistan.