Kashmir Cause
The History of the Kashmir Conflict: From 1947 to Today
The Kashmir conflict has lasted over 75 years. Here is a comprehensive history of how it began, why…
The Background
A Dispute 75+ Years in the Making
When British India was partitioned in 1947, the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir had a Muslim-majority population but a Hindu ruler — Maharaja Hari Singh. When Pakistani-backed tribal militias invaded, he signed an Instrument of Accession to India in exchange for military protection. This act of accession — contested by Pakistan — began a conflict that has never truly ended.
The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 47 in 1948, calling for a free and impartial plebiscite. That vote has never happened. The region remains divided by a Line of Control, with India, Pakistan, and China each controlling portions of what was once a unified land.
India and Pakistan have fought three full-scale wars over Kashmir — in 1947, 1965, and 1971. The 1972 Shimla Agreement shifted the dispute to bilateral negotiations, effectively sidelining the UN. Since 1989, an armed insurgency has claimed an estimated 70,000–100,000 lives. In 2019, India revoked Article 370, stripping J&K of its autonomous status under cover of a total communications blackout.
"The Kashmir question is not merely a territorial dispute. It is a human rights issue — a matter of whether 15 million people will ever determine their own future."
Kashmeeriyat believes the resolution must come through peace, dialogue, and respect for international law — with the Kashmiri people at the centre.
UN Resolutions on Kashmir
Resolution 47 · 1948
The Plebiscite Call
Called for a free and impartial plebiscite to determine whether Kashmir would join India or Pakistan. Still unimplemented after 75+ years.
Resolution 51 · 1948
Ceasefire Agreement
Established the UN-supervised ceasefire, creating the Line of Control that divides Kashmir to this day — a temporary line that became permanent.
Ongoing
An Unfinished Chapter
Over 75 years later, no resolution has been reached. The Kashmiri people continue to wait for a political settlement that respects their rights.
Key Facts About Kashmir
- The Kashmir conflict began in October 1947 during the partition of British India
- UN Security Council Resolution 47 (1948) called for a plebiscite — never held
- Three wars fought between India and Pakistan partly over Kashmir
- India controls ~55%, Pakistan ~30%, China ~15% of the original princely state
- Over 70,000 people have died in the conflict since 1989
- India revoked Jammu & Kashmir's special status in August 2019
- 552-day internet shutdown in IOK — longest ever in a democracy
- Kashmir is one of the world's most militarized zones
- 8,000+ enforced disappearances documented since 1989
- The Kashmiri people have never been given the UN-promised plebiscite