The conflict over Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) is not merely a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan. It is a tragedy that stretches back to the moment the British Empire partitioned the subcontinent in 1947, leaving behind a legacy of arbitrary borders, fractured identities, and unresolved questions about the right to self-determination. Nearly 30,000 days have passed since Indian forces entered Kashmir, and the region remains locked in a state of perpetual military occupation, with no clear path forward. But the question that haunts us all is not just why Kashmir remains unresolved—it is why such conflicts continue to perpetuate themselves, generation after generation.

The military occupation of Kashmir has created an "occupation economy" that is profoundly detrimental to the people who live there. Over 900,000 Indian soldiers are stationed in the region, turning a once-prosperous territory into a militarized zone where the needs of the occupying force dominate every facet of life. Tourism, once the lifeblood of IIOJK, has plummeted by 80%. Agriculture, once abundant, is now stifled by curfews, military operations, and the relentless appropriation of land. Over 300,000 artisans have lost their livelihoods, and poverty rates are rising. The economy has been strangled by an occupation whose purpose is not the welfare of the local population, but the continued control of the region.

The human cost of this occupation is staggering. In IIOJK, the consequences of India’s illegal military presence are not just economic; they are deeply human. Families are torn apart by enforced disappearances, and women endure the trauma of sexual violence. The term "half-widow" has entered the lexicon to describe women whose husbands have disappeared without a trace, leaving them trapped in a state of perpetual limbo. Human rights organizations have documented mass graves, extrajudicial killings, and arbitrary detentions. The international community, meanwhile, has been largely silent, content to pay lip service to human rights while turning a blind eye to the ongoing atrocities.

The tragedy of IIOJK is not just a tragedy of geography; it is a tragedy of history. It is the product of a world order that continues to be shaped by the remnants of colonialism, where imperial powers drew borders that have trapped people in conflicts that are centuries old. The people of IIOJK are caught in the grip of a system that denies them the very right to determine their own future.

If there is any hope for a resolution, it lies not in the hands of the occupying powers, but in the hands of the international community. The global community must recognize that IIOJK is not just a local conflict—it is a global issue. Until the people of Kashmir are allowed to decide their own future, the world will remain complicit in the suffering of millions, trapped in a cycle that shows no signs of breaking.

Maria Khalid
Email: [email protected]