Kashmir War

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Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) was one of the 565 Indian princely states . The rulers of these princely states were given the option of joining either of the dominions - India or Pakistan. The ruler of J&K, Maharaja Hari Singh did not exercise the option to join either of the two dominions, and instead, wanted a standstill Agreement, pending the final decision regarding his state's accession.

In 1948, Pakistan sent Waziri and Mansud tribals from the North-West Frontier to free Kashmir from the Hindu Maharajah.This attack forced the Maharaja to flee to India. The Maharaja asked India to help his people who were being killed and looted by the Pakistani raiders. He also agreed to make Jammu & Kashmir part of India. The Indian ruler at that time was Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He accepted Jammu & Kashmir's accession to India and agreed to rescue his people from the Pakistani attackers.

India not only countered the attack militarily, Indian troops were flown into the Kashmir Valley and they managed to drive away most of the Pakistani raiders from the state.   India, also lodged a complaint with the United Nation's Secretary General on December 30, 1947, against the Pakistani invasion on Kashmir. This led to the appointment of a United Nation's Commission on India and Pakistan (UNCIP) which proposed ceasefire, demilitarisation and plebiscite by its resolutions of August 13, 1948, and January 5, 1949. Both sides agreed to the ceasefire line in 1949. This 700-km-long line running from Chammb in the south to Ladakh at NJ 9842 point after which there is glacier, provided the future battleground between the two countries in the glaciers. Through the war, Pakistan acquired approximately 84,000 sq. km of Jammu and Kashmir (5,000 square miles) and nearly one million people under its control.

Ever since, the state of Jammu and Kashmir has remained a bone of contention between India and Pakistan, with the two countries going to war over the issue in 1965 and 1971.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, and a Kashmiri rebel movement is aided by Pakistan. Intermittent clashes along the border nearly turned into full-scale war in the summer of 1999 (Kargil).

The State of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) remains among the most troubled areas in the South Asian region.

Chronology of events in J&K

• 1947: Sheikh Abdullah is released from prison on 29 September. Pakistani tribesmen enter Kashmir on 22 October.
• 1947: Maharajah Hari Singh signs the Instrument of Accession, acceding Kashmir to the Indian Union, on 27 October. The Indian Army enters the state to repel Pakistani raiders. Sheikh Abdullah is appointed head of the emergency administration.
• 1948: India takes the Kashmir problem to the United Nations Security Council on 01 January and offers to hold a plebiscite, under UN supervision, after the raiders are moved back. On 13 August, a UN commission proposes that the state's future be decided in accordance with the will of the people.
• 1949: A ceasefire between Indian and Pakistan forces leaves 84,000 sq. km of Kashmir under Pakistani control. On 17 October, the Indian Constituent Assembly adopts Article 370 of the Constitution, ensuring a special status for Jammu and Kashmir.
• 1951: An interim constitution for the state comes into effect in November.
• 1952: An agreement is arrived at on 24 July between Sheikh Abdullah and the Government of India which provides for the state's autonomy within India.
• 1953: On 9 August, Sheikh Abdullah is dismissed and arrested. Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed becomes the state's prime minister. The governments of India and Pakistan agree to appoint a plebiscite administrator by the end of April 1954.
• 1956: The state Constituent Assembly adopts a constitution for the state which has a provision making it an integral part of the Indian Union.
• 1963: Violence and demonstrations across the Valley occur on 27 December when the holy relic is found missing form the Hazratbal shrine.
• 1964: The holy relic is recovered on 4 January. Sheikh Abdullah is released on 8 April. The conspiracy case against him is dropped. Talks take place on 29 April between him and the prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Sheikh Abdullah goes to Pakistan on 25 May, at Nehru's instance, for talks with Field Marshal Ayub Khan.
• 1965: India and Pakistan go to war. Armed Pakistani infiltrators cross the ceasefire line on 5 August and the international border near Chhamb in September. The war ends in a ceasefire on 23 September.
• 1971: Pakistan resorts to genocide in the erstwhile East Pakistan to suppress the large scale uprising by the people against West Pakistan authoritarianism. To divert public opinion all over the world Pakistan resorts to air strikes against India. Indo-Pakistan war begins on 3 December. Pakistani forces surrender in two weeks and East Pakistan is liberated to give birth to Bangladesh. Status quo is maintained on the western front between India and Pakistan.
• 1972: India and Pakistan sign the Shimla agreement on 2 July.
• 1974: The Kashmir accord is signed on 3 November by G. Parthasarthy, for Indira Gandhi, and Mirza Mohammed Afzal Beg for Sheikh Abdullah.
• 1975: Sheikh Abdullah is sworn is as chief minister on 25 February with the support of the Congress Legislature party.
• 1977: Sheikh Abdullah resigns after the Congress party withdraws support on 27 March. The Assembly is dissolved. On 30 June, the state has its first free and fair elections. The elections give the National Conference 47 out of 76 seats.
• 1982: Sheikh Abdullah dies on 8 September and Farooq becomes Chief Minister.
• 1983: Farooq Abdullah leads the National conference to a convincing victory in assembly elections in June.
• 1984: Jagmohan is appointed Governor in April and Farooq Abdullah's government is dismissed on 2 July. His brother-in-law, G.M. Shah is sworn in as Chief Minister.
• 1986: The Shah government is dismissed on 7 March. By November Farooq is back in power, after coming to an agreement with Rajiv Gandhi.
• 1988: Protests begin in the valley along with anti India demonstrations. At least ten people are killed in police firing, the protests continue and there is curfew in the Valley in August.
• 1989: The violence begins when two bombs are thrown at the police. The incident is followed by grenade attacks by militants. In July, General K V. Krishna Rao becomes governor.
• 1990: Jagmohan is appointed Governor for a second time on 19 January ; Farooq resigns. In March, a mass exodus of Kashmiri Pundits takes place. Massive protest marches continue in Srinagar. The security forces try to stop them with police firing and more people are killed. On 21 May, Jagmohan resigns as governor and Girish Chandra Saxena, a former head of India's foremost intelligence agency RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) is appointed Governor.
• 1991: The violence continues, becoming endemic. A situation of virtual civil war now exists in the Valley.
• 1992: On 26 January, the BJP's Ekta Yatra (march for unity) is allowed to hoist the National Flag in Lal Chowk, under total curfew and massive security.
• 1993: In January, forty people are killed in Sopore by security forces who burn down a section of the town after two of their men are killed. In March, General K V Krishna Rao becomes Governor again.
• 1994: Prime Minister Narasimha Rao tries to start a political process in the Valley by releasing militant leaders like Yasin Malik and Shabir Shah.
• 1995: Jammu and Kashmir declared backward state under the new industrial policy, entrepreneurs exempted from income tax by 5 years. In May Chrar-e-Sharief town is set ablaze along with the 14th century Chrar-e-Sharief shrine by militants led by a foreign mercenary Mast Gul. In July, 5 foreign tourists are abducted from Pahalgam by a militant group (Al Faran).
• 1996: In March during an encounter with security forces at Hazratbal, 33 top militants are killed, virtually annihilating JKLF (Aman) Group. In April elections for 6 parliamentary seats are held successfully. In September election to the State Assembly are conducted successfully.
• 1997: In Jan, Govt announced setting up of a State Human Rights Commission. In Feb, Rs 7200 crore ( US $ 1714.28 million ) economic package is announced for J&K. In Mar, elections to the Legislative Council were held with National Conference winning all but one seat which went to BJP.
• 1999: Lahore agreement: In Feb, Indian and Pakistan Prime Ministers meet at Lahore and sign a Joint Declaration expressing resolve to settle all contentious issues between the two countries including Kashmir problem, through bilateral dialogue. In May Pakistan soldiers accompanied with some Afghan /Pushto speaking men infiltrate across the Indian side of Line of Control in the Kargil sector and precipitate a crisis with the aim of internationalizing the Kashmir issue. Indian troops commence flushing out operations.

                                                                        Choronology Courtesy : Hindustan Times