Kashmir Explained Simply: Why India and Pakistan Are Still Fighting

 

As someone with both Indian and Pakistani friends here in London, I’ve always admired how peacefully our communities live together. We share food, faith, culture, and friendship. But every time tensions rise back home, especially over Kashmir, I worry that people might lose sight of what we have here. That’s why I’ve written this piece: to explain clearly, simply, and without bias, what the Kashmir conflict is about, where it came from, and what we can all learn from it.

How It Started: A Broken Partition

In 1947, when the British left India, they divided it into two new nations:

• India: a secular country with a Hindu majority
• Pakistan: created as a homeland for Muslims

It was one of the most traumatic events in modern history. Millions were displaced. Over a million were killed in the chaos. But the division left behind unresolved questions, and Kashmir was one of them.

At the time, Kashmir was a princely state, ruled by a Hindu king (Maharaja Hari Singh) but with a majority-Muslim population. He didn’t want to join either India or Pakistan right away. But when armed tribesmen from Pakistan invaded, he asked India for help. India agreed, on the condition that Kashmir officially join India. The Maharaja signed the papers, Indian troops entered, and war broke out between India and Pakistan.

The Ceasefire That Solved Nothing

The United Nations intervened and brokered a ceasefire in 1949, dividing Kashmir along a line known as the Line of Control (LoC):

• India controlled two-thirds of the territory (including the Kashmir Valley, Jammu, and Ladakh)
• Pakistan controlled the rest (now called Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan)

But here’s the issue:

Both countries still claimed the entire region.

A promised referendum (called a plebiscite), where Kashmiris would choose their future, never happened. The result? A frozen conflict that continues to burn decades later.

This Isn’t Just About Kashmir, It’s Like Israel and Palestine

If this story sounds familiar, it’s because it shares striking parallels with Israel and Palestine:

• A colonial power (Britain) leaves suddenly
• Borders are unclear and rushed
• Two groups claim the same land
• Religious identity adds to the tension
• A promised vote or settlement never comes

Just like in Palestine, Kashmir’s people are caught in the middle, living under occupation, often voiceless, while politicians and armies decide their fate.

The House Analogy: Understanding Article 370

This next part confuses a lot of people, so let’s make it simple.

Imagine India is a big house, and every state is a room. Normally, the central government sets the rules, and every room follows them. But when Kashmir joined India, it said:

“Okay, I’ll move in, but I want my own room with my own rules. I’ll follow the house on defence and foreign policy, but I want to decide everything else myself.”

This agreement became Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. It gave Kashmir:

• Its own constitution
• The right to approve which Indian laws apply
• Protection from outsiders buying land or settling

It was designed to protect Kashmir’s unique identity and honour the original deal made when it joined India.

2019: When Everything Changed

In August 2019, the Indian government revoked Article 370, saying it was time for Kashmir to be fully integrated into India. The region was also split into two federally controlled territories:

• Jammu & Kashmir (with limited self-rule)
• Ladakh (without self-rule)

Supporters said this would bring equality, unity, and development. But critics, especially many Kashmiris, saw it as a betrayal. A decision made without consent, during a military lockdown, while local leaders were under house arrest.

Who Is Behind the Violence?

Most major attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir over the past 20 years have come from Pakistan-based terrorist groups, including:

• Lashkar-e-Taiba
• Jaish-e-Mohammed
• The Resistance Front (TRF)

These groups claim to fight for Kashmiri freedom, but their methods include suicide bombings, shootings, and targeting civilians. The Indian government often responds with military strikes, sometimes across the Line of Control.

So:

• Pakistan accuses India of war crimes.
• India accuses Pakistan of sponsoring terrorism.
• And meanwhile, Kashmiri civilians suffer.

Was India Right to Remove Article 370?

That depends on who you ask.

• If you believe in equal rules for all, you might say yes.
• If you believe in honouring historical agreements, you might say no.

Either way, what’s clear is that removing Article 370 without Kashmiri voices, during a lockdown, left many people feeling angry, betrayed, and powerless.

What Would Peace Look Like?

• Real dialogue, not military dominance
• Inclusion of Kashmiri voices, not just Indian and Pakistani leaders
• Ending terrorism and foreign interference
• A long-term process where people feel safe, heard, and free

A Personal Plea to My Friends in the UK

Here in the UK, I’ve seen what’s possible.

My Indian and Pakistani friends eat together, pray separately but respectfully, attend each other’s weddings, and support one another’s businesses. We don’t carry the baggage of borders. We carry shared humanity.

I remember when tensions flared between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, and yet, many in London chose peace and friendship over old rivalries. We can do the same.

Let’s not allow the noise of governments to drown out the quiet beauty of our friendships.

Let what we build here be an example to the world, that peace is not only possible, it’s already happening.

If you found this helpful, please share it, not to take sides, but to promote understanding.