[Video] The Constitution, Crisis, & Tourism in Kashmir | A Conversation with Midhat Shahzad
Join us as we speak to Mrs. Midhat Shahzad, the former Secretary for Tourism, Information, and IT for the Govt. of Azad Jammu & Kashmir. We discuss the special status of Kashmir & GB, the constitution, the ongoing development work, and the increased focus on tourism in Kashmir.
The Relevance of Neorealism in Understanding the Kashmir Conflict
Neorealism views power as a tool for advancing the objectives of the state.
This paper reveals that, from a neorealist standpoint, the main objective of the Pakistan-India conflict regarding Kashmir is to advance national interests.
By incorporating Kashmir, the nation would gain enormous advantages in terms of social, political, and economic development due to the region’s abundance of resources and natural beauty.
Then & Now: The Human Rights Violations in IOJK
Under the ill-conceived move of August 05, 2019, the BJP-led government of India, which draws its ranks from Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), introduced a new domicile law in IOJK titled “Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificates (Procedure) Rules, 2020”.
Noman Waheed argues that the perennial conflicts about Kashmir go all the way back to the Radcliffe Award. He also charts a way forward for the policymakers in Islamabad.
Non-local Voting in J&K: Eradicating Kashmiri Identity
After depriving Jammu and Kashmir of its autonomy by revoking articles 370 and 35A, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has now taken another definitive step towards suppressing the people of Kashmir. The BJP has announced a new electoral process that allows non-locals to register as voters in Indian administrated J&K, thereby impacting the region’s political system and voter turnout. Maryam Ibrahim notes that this decision has garnered immense criticism from the Indian opposition parties and Kashmiri politicians, and raised concerns among the Kashmiri locals. Today, they fear whether they’ll have any rights left.
The Unbalanced Foreign Policy of Pakistan
Lacking a judicious and effective foreign policy, Pakistan has always struggled against an unprecedented combination of challenges related to external relations. M. Shaheer Khattak walks us through Pakistan’s foreign relations with Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, India, Afghanistan, and the United States.
Pakistan’s Foreign Policy: A Reappraisal by Shahid Amin
The book “Pakistan’s Foreign Policy: A Reappraisal” by Shahid Amin provides a comprehensive analysis of the state’s foreign policy throughout the years while keeping in mind the relations between Pakistan and India. The book explains, in great detail, how the perception of an “Indian threat” has influenced Pakistan’s decision-making. Apart from the India-Pakistan relations, Mr. Shahid Amin also elaborates on Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan after the 1979 Soviet invasion, and its relations with the Muslim countries and China.
The Unrelenting Indian Separatist Movements: From Khalistan to Nagaland
Today, India is facing several secessionist movements which represent the territorial, ethnic, and humanitarian issues within the state. The author, Muhammad Hamza Tanvir, notes that for decades, separatists in Nagaland, Manipur, Kashmir, Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh, and the Indian Punjab, have been demanding freedom from India. While some of these movements have been mitigated over the years, the mere existence of the secessionist element provides fault lines to China against the US ally. More often than not, India has used force to suppress these movements. In the case of Kashmir and Khalistan, in particular, India has committed grave human rights violations and killed thousands.
Syed Ali Shah Geelani – The Unyielding Hero of Kashmir
Syed Ali Shah Geelani is the man known for his resolute courage and resistance to India’s illegal occupation of Kashmir. Throughout his life, he was a symbol of hope for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
His death on 1st September, 2021, has left many saddened, but his lifelong struggle for the inclusion of Jammu and Kashmir into Pakistan will continue to live.
Jammu and Kashmir’s History: An Introduction to the Issue
The Kashmir issue remains elusive, and many, if not all, know of the current conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.
The author seeks to apprise the readers of the origins of the former princely state. It all began with the East India Company selling Jammu and Kashmir – the second-largest principality during British rule – to Gulab Singh.
Farmers’ Protests in India: Modi’s Predicament
The introduction of three farm laws, and the revocation of Article 370 by the Indian government has left India with quite a few challenges. While gathering allies abroad, the Modi regime has neglected the state’s minorities and gone as far as to commit human rights violations. The author notes that the regime’s nationalist Western policies have only created resentment within the minority groups, and they will eventually cause India’s downfall.
A Diplomatic Transformation for the Decades-old Kashmir Conflict
The conflict transformation model may prove to be efficacious in resolving the Kashmir conflict that has been fraught with hostilities and violence for decades.
Pakistan-Azerbaijan Relations: A Strategic Alliance
An alliance that is secured by mutual support and burgeoning trade relations, Azerbaijan and Pakistan relations have amplified remarkably since the past two decades. With a possibility of a full-scale war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, support from its allies, especially Turkey and Pakistan, just might embolden Azerbaijan to conclude the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.
Pakistan and India Will Go to War Again
The paper describes the major reasons why Pakistan and India will go to war again. It asserts that while Pakistan has reduced extremism in the country by vanquishing Islamist groups, India’s Hindutva agenda, spearheaded by the ruling BJP, will push both countries to another war.
Pakistan-India Trade: Potential and Pitfalls
Despite the massive potential, trade between Pakistan and India has historically been plagued by many problems – which have increased further in recent times. The article expounds the trade-related problems between both countries from high tariffs to sub-par infrastructure. It also discusses the potential and problems of the intra-LoC trade in Kashmir.