Unending Conflict in Kashmir: Historical Analysis

Abstract

The Kashmir region is the center of major disputes in South Asia. Peace and cooperation of the
entire region have been dependent on its resolution. Kashmir takes central importance because it
can be both the pulling and the pushing factor for peace, stability, and cooperation in South Asia. It
is a disputed land by all three countries but aggressively by Pakistan and India. It is also the subject
of perpetual struggle, pushing each country to spend billions of dollars on Kashmir-oriented issues.
The dispute over Kashmir has remained the bone of contention. This paper is based on primary
data and secondary data. The primary data was collected from legislatures, political activists,
people from academia and a contractor who worked on the Line of Control (LoC). This paper
highlights the history of the dispute over Kashmir, the contemporary issues and policies circling
Kashmir, development and human rights violations, the role of international organizations, and
economic costs of the conflict over Kashmir incurred by both countries.