Kashmir and the Process of Conflict Resolution

Kashmir and The Process Of Conflict Resolution

Moonis Ahmar

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Introduction

Kashmir as a major source of conflict in Indo-Pak relations is now passing through a

process of transformation. From a bilateral issue the conflict of Kashmir is now

changing its shape and witnessing the gradual involvement of people of Jammu and

Kashmir (J&K) in a process of conflict management and resolution.

This paper attempts to examine the process of conflict resolution between India and

Pakistan in the light of the Kashmir conflict. For Pakistan, without the resolution of

the Kashmir conflict, there cannot be peace and stability in Islamabad-New Delhi

relations. Whereas for India, Kashmir may be a major issue negatively affecting IndoPakistan relations, but is certainly not the core issue as repeatedly stated by Pakistan.

The hard line positions taken by India and Pakistan on the Kashmir conflict resulted

into stalemate in their relations, heavy defence expenditures and infectiveness of

regional cooperation in South Asia. The holding of composite dialogue between India

and Pakistan to discuss various critical issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, is a

positive development as far as the process of conflict resolution in that troubled

region is concerned. The gradual softening of Line of Control (LoC) and the holding

of ceasefire between India and Pakistan along LoC since November 2003 account for

the step-by-step management of the Kashmir conflict. Four important themes, which

will be examined in this paper, are as follows:

1. Obstacles and pitfalls in the process of conflict resolution in Kashmir

2. Alternative architectures of peace and conflict resolution between India and

Pakistan on the Kashmir conflict

3. The relevance of alternate architectures of conflict resolution in resolving the

Kashmir conflict

4. Future prospects of conflict management and resolution of the Kashmir

conflict

Background