ROOTS OF THE CONFLICT

On midnight of August 15, 1947, when India gained Independence from British rule, Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir was undecided on the issue of accession of Kashmir to either Pakistan or India—or whether to remain independent.

Meanwhile, Pakistan, which had entered a Standstill Agreement with the Maharaja, started preventing essential supplies to the state. This was followed by infiltration by armed Pakistani tribesman into Kashmir. Threatened by these conditions Maharaja Hari Singh wrote to Lord Mountbatten, the Governor-General of India, on Oct 26, 1947, agreeing to accede to India. Soon Indian forces arrived in Kashmir to repulse the tribal invasion, resulting in a full-fledged war between the two newly independent countries.

India and Pakistan declared a ceasefire in January 1949 after a United Nations Commission proposed referendum for self-determination among Kashmiris, which both parties agreed to. However, the ceasefire left 84,000 sq km of Kashmir under Pakistan's control, which till date has remained occupied.

Failing to annex the Valley through UN mediation, Pakistan, on August 5, 1965, attacked India once again. The war ended in a fresh ceasefire on September 23, and the Tashkent Agreement was signed between Indian Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri, and Pakistan President, Ayub Khan, on January 10, 1966.

In 1971, Indo-Pak relations hit a new low following a civil war in erstwhile East Pakistan (Bangladesh) and subsequent mediation by India. On December 3 India officially declared war with Pakistan. Two weeks later, the war was called off, followed by the Simla Pact in 1972, concluded between Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Indira Gandhi. The two countries agreed to respect the Line of Control until the issue is finally resolved.

After repeated military defeats Pakistan seized upon the opportunity to exploit the situation emerging in the Valley in the wake of the controversial 1987 Assembly elections. It started promoting secessionist groups and aiding militancy in the Valley in the late '80s. After years of unsuccessful intrusion into the Valley, countered fiercely by the Indian Army, Pakistan launched an intrusion into Kargil in June 1999.

This came close on the heels of Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's famous bus ride to Lahore in February 1999 and the announcement of Lahore Declaration. After heavy casualties on both the sides Pakistan eventually pulled out in July.

In November 2000, Vajpayee announced a unilateral ceasefire in the Valley, which was extended till May 2001. Realising the urgency and importance of easing strained relations with Pakistan, he even invited Pakistani military ruler General Pervez Musharraf for talks on May 23. However, the Summit held at Agra failed to reach any agreement between the two leaders.

» KASHMIR TIMELINE