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Terrorist attack on Kashmir escalates Indo-Pak standoff

Published : Saturday, 26 April, 2025 at 12:00 AM  Count : 409
Athar Noor
India and Pakistan are two neighboring countries but two different cultures and two different realities. The relationship between the two countries after the partition of 1947 has never been peaceful. Although each is seen as the result of partition and independence in turn, this thread of history has still strained their relationship. Incidents like Kashmir, border clashes, and armed attacks constantly resurface this old resentment.

The terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir in April 2025 is a new chapter in that eternal saga. The loss of lives of 26 innocent tourists was not just a terrorist attack, but it was another huge manifestation of the old distrust and political instability between India and Pakistan. India's direct accusations are directed at Pakistan, which Pakistan has denied. The world is once again asking whether these two nuclear-powered neighbors are once again going back to the old ways? However, is the 'no-talk policy' the solution to this conflict? Will the series of attacks, border clashes, and diplomatic talks lead to an improvement in the situation, or will it only further divide us?

The answer to this question is not easy, but if we look back a little, we can see that the instability in India-Pakistan relations is nothing new. The conflict between the two countries has been ongoing since their inception, with Kashmir being the most sensitive and contentious issue of that conflict, which later gave rise to three wars and numerous border clashes. Kashmir was the main focus of the wars of 1947, 1965, and 1971. The Kargil conflict in 1999 once again showed how dangerous a lack of political will can be even after a peace agreement. In particular, in 2019, India revoked Article 370 of the Constitution, revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, which was a direct unilateral decision by Pakistan in the Kashmir dispute. As a result, Pakistan downgraded bilateral diplomatic relations and filed complaints against India in the international arena.

But is it possible to hope for peace in such a situation? The 'no-talk policy' does not just mean stopping talks, it is a new form of that old narrow view. Will this situation really lead to peace, or will it further strengthen the wall of mistrust between the two countries?

The terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir in April 2025 is a new chapter in that eternal saga. The loss of lives of 26 innocent tourists was not just a terrorist attack, but it was another huge manifestation of the old distrust and political instability between India and Pakistan. India's direct accusations are directed at Pakistan, which Pakistan has denied. The world is once again asking whether these two nuclear-powered neighbors are once again going back to the old ways? However, is the 'no-talk policy' the solution to this conflict? Will the series of attacks, border clashes, and diplomatic talks lead to an improvement in the situation, or will it only further divide us?

The root cause of the conflict between India and Pakistan is not only political. There is a strong human dimension here. Terrorist attacks or border clashes are a terrible reality not only for the state, but also for the common people.

However, in the atmosphere of conflict, many forget that the two countries are not just rivals; they are also interdependent in many ways. Even after 70 long years, some small steps between the two countries have given hope that talks will never stop completely. The historic agreement on the sharing of the waters of the Indus River, mutual understanding between the two countries, seminars, trade, humanitarian aid and especially the Kartarpur Corridor initiative that started in 2019 were a rare example of religious harmony between the two countries, which shows the potential of harnessing political will. But unfortunately, every good step fades after a few days in an atmosphere of conflict and suspicion.

The lack of diplomatic dialogue and the 'no-talk' policy have made even minor incidents between the two countries have a multiplier effect. The media in both countries also often play a provocative role, which further inflames the conflict among the common people. Therefore, the greatest need in the current situation is to launch a 'backchannel diplomacy' or secret negotiation process, which can create an opportunity to build trust without political responsibility. In the past, during 2003-2007, a lot of progress was made on Kashmir through secret negotiations between the two countries, although the visit did not take place due to the lack of goodwill of some leading political figures from both countries.

In addition, the extremist nationalist rhetoric in both countries and the propaganda of hatred in the media are constantly making the attitudes of these two countries difficult. In such situations, cold-blooded diplomacy, negotiations and the politics of tolerance are needed. If negotiations stop, if the path of revenge is taken, the problem will not be solved. At such a time, the role of the international community is important. The United States, China, the United Nations or the Middle Eastern countries cannot simply discharge their responsibilities by making statements, they have to actively mediate. Because the India-Pakistan conflict is not limited to the borders of the two countries, it is a crucial question for the stability of the entire South Asia.

Every common man dreams of a peaceful life, where borders are not barbed wire walls, but bridges of coexistence. We want our morning news to be not war, but peace, development and reconciliation. The leaders of India and Pakistan should learn from the mistakes of the past and adopt a new perspective beyond politics. If they move away from the 'no-talk policy' and follow the path of diplomacy, a new path can be created. A path where there will be peace instead of conflict, trust instead of mistrust, and unity instead of division.

The writer is a teacher & political analyst



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