POST-Pahalgam events have yet again proved that unless the Kashmir issue is resolved peacefully and justly, the dispute over the contested territory will remain a constant source of friction between Pakistan and India, fuelling instability in South Asia. And while there has been a welcome effort by foreign powers to de-escalate matters after India’s belligerent rhetoric linking Pakistan to the atrocity without proof, the fact is that while foreign friends can help, it is only Islamabad, New Delhi and the Kashmiris who can permanently resolve this conundrum. In this regard, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Rizwan Sheikh told Newsweek, with reference to Donald Trump, that for a president whose “pronounced objective” is “resolving … disputes … there is [no] higher or flashier flash point” than Kashmir. While the Trump administration, as well as other foreign powers, may play their part in bringing down the temperature in order to prevent a conflagration in a nuclear-armed neighbourhood, expecting them to take the lead in resolving the Kashmir question may seem overly optimistic. Kashmir does not appear very high on their list of priorities, and they will not be interested in wading into the subcontinental bog for long-term conflict resolution between Pakistan and India — that is something both states will have to do on their own.

On its part, Pakistan has frequently reiterated the need to resolve the Kashmir question through dialogue. Yet, the BJP-led regime in New Delhi slammed the door on a peaceful solution with its ill-advised move in 2019 of scrapping the held region’s already limited autonomy. Since then, India has intensified its colonial tactics in IHK. Moreover, after the Pulwama tragedy, it has unleashed a wave of brutality against Kashmiris in the occupied region as well as in India. Whether it is rogue militants, local fighters or others, as long as India keeps denying Kashmir its fundamental rights, people will continue to opt for violence when all avenues for a peaceful resolution are closed. There exist blueprints to resolve the imbroglio, such as the Tariq Aziz-Satinder Lambah formula, while other approaches can also be tried to untangle the Kashmir knot. But for this, New Delhi must acknowledge that there is a problem that can only be resolved through its engagement with Pakistan, as well as Kashmiri involvement. Denying this reality will further perpetuate the atmosphere of hostility in South Asia.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2025