A CHRONOLOGY OF THE KASHMIR DISPUTE

by YesPakistan.com Staff

1846: British sold Kashmir to Hindu warlord
The British colonial rulers of India sold Kashmir, including its population, through a deed of sale to a Hindu warlord who had no roots in the area. This warlord began calling himself the Maharajah of Jammu and Kashmir. His was a particularly brutal regime, memories of which persist to this day. Several mosques were occupied and shut down by his forces. The slaughtering of a cow was declared a crime punishable by death.

1925 to 1947: discrimination against the Muslim majority:
Maharajah Hari Singh continued this policy of discrimination against the Kashmiri population, 94 percent of which is Muslim.

1931: Kashmir's first organized protest:
The people of Kashmir hold their first organized protest against Maharajah Hari Singh's cruelty. The 1931 protest led to the "Quit Kashmir" campaign against the Maharajah in 1946, and eventually to the Azad Kashmir movement which gained momentum a year later.

March 23, 1940: Pakistan Resolution passed:
The Pakistan Resolution is passed at Iqbal Park, Lahore. The resolution demands the establishment of an independent state comprised of all regions in which Muslims are the majority. The letter "K" in the word "Pakistan" represents Kashmir. (The name was formulated from: P for Punjab, A for the Afghanis of the north-west frontier, K for Kashmir, S for Sind and Tan denoting Baluchistan.)

July 26, 1946: Azad Kashmir comes into being:
The Muslim Conference adopts the Azad Kashmir Resolution on July 26 1946 calling for the end of autocratic rule in the region. The resolution also claims for Kashmiris the right to elect their own constituent assembly.

June 3, 1947: British accept Pakistan plan:
The British government announces its intention of accepting the demand of Muslims for the independent state of Pakistan. The new nation would be comprised of areas where Muslims are in the majority. All political parties, including the Muslim League (representing Muslims) and the Congress Party (representing Hindus), accept the plan.

August 1947: Kashmiri resistance encounters Maharajah's troops:
The first armed encounter between the Maharajah's troops and insurgent forces occurred in August 1947. At this time, Britain was liquidating its empire in the subcontinent.

August 14, 1947: Pakistan created:
State of Pakistan comes into being with Muhammad Ali Jinnah as Governor General

August 15, 1947: India gains independence:
State of India comes into being with Lord Mountbatten as Governor General

August 1947: Kashmir Ruler Did Not Join India
When the Indian subcontinent became independent from Britain, all the rulers of the 565 princely states had to decide which of the two new dominions to join, India or Pakistan. The ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, whose state was situated between the two new countries, could not decide which country to join. He was Hindu, his population was almost all Muslim. He therefore did nothing.

He signed a "standstill" agreement with Pakistan in order that services such as trade, travel and communication would be uninterrupted. India did not sign a similar agreement.

October 25, 1947: Popular Revolt Against Maharajah flees to Jammu:
Faced with a popular revolt against his rule, the Maharajah flees to Jammu on 25th October 1947. Once in Jammu, the Maharajah received a commitment of military assistance from the Indian government in exchange for his signing the "Instrument of Accession" document.

Lord Mountbatten conditionally accepts the document on behalf of the British Crown and proceeds to outline the conditions for official acceptance in a letter dated 27th October 1947.

"In consistence with their policy that in the case of any (native) state where the issue of accession has been subject of dispute, the question of accession should be decided in accordance with the wishes of the people of the state, it is my government's wish that as soon as law and order have been restored in Kashmir and her soil cleared of the invaders the question of state's accession should be settled by a reference to the people."

November 1, 1947: Kashmir's accession to India is not "bona fide": Jinnah:
Governor General of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah meets Governor General of India, Mountbatten. Jinnah tells Mountbatten that Kashmir's accession to India "was not a bona fide one since it rested on fraud and violence."

November 2, 1947: Kashmiris have a right to determine future: Nehru:
Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, in a speech aired on All-India Radio, reaffirmed the Indian Government's commitment to the right of the Kashmiri people to determine their own future through a plebiscite:

"We have declared that the fate of Kashmir is ultimately to be decided by the people. That pledge we have given, and the Maharajah has supported it, not only to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, but also to the world. We will not and cannot back out of it. We are prepared when peace and law have been established to have a referendum held under international auspices like the United Nations. We want it to be a fair and just reference to the people and we shall accept their verdict."

The Government of India accepted the "Instrument of accession" conditionally, promising the people of the state and the world at large that "accession" would be final only after the wishes of the people of the state were ascertained upon return of normalcy in the state.

Following this, India moved her forces into Srinagar and a drawn-out fight between Indian forces and the forces of liberation ensued. The forces of Azad Kashmir successfully resisted India's armed intervention and liberated one-third of the State.

January 1948: India brings Kashmir issue to UN Security Council:
Realizing it could not quell the resistance, India brought the issue to the United Nations Security Council in January 1948. The rebel forces had been joined by volunteers from Pakistan and India charged Pakistan with having sent "armed raiders" into the state. It demanded that Pakistan be declared an aggressor in Kashmir. Furthermore, India demanded that Pakistan stop aiding freedom fighters, and allowing the transit of tribesmen into the state.

After acceptance of these demands, coupled with the assurance that all "raiders" were withdrawn, India would allow a plebiscite to be held under impartial auspices to decide Kashmir's future status.

In reply, Pakistan charged India with maneuvering the Maharajah's accession through "fraud and violence" and colluding with a "discredited" ruler in the repression of his people. Pakistan's counter complaint was also coupled with the proposal of a plebiscite under the supervision and control of the United Nations to settle the dispute.

April 21, 1948: UN resolution envisages cease-fire, withdrawals:
The Security Council discussed the question from January until April of 1948. It came to the conclusion that it would be impossible to determine responsibility for the fighting and futile to blame either side. Since both parties desired that the question of accession should be decided through an impartial plebiscite, the council developed proposals based on the common ground between them.

These were embodied in the resolution of 21st April 1948, envisaging a cease-fire, the withdrawal of all outside forces from the state, and a plebiscite under the control of an administrator who would be nominated by the Secretary General. For negotiating the details of the plan, the council constituted a five-member commission known as "United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan," (UNCIP) to implement the resolution.

After the cease-fire, India began efforts to drag the issue down, and under various pretexts tried to stop the UN resolution from being implemented. To this day, India pursues the same plan, and the resolution of 1948 has yet to be realized.

1947 - 48: India, Pakistan at war over Kashmir:
India and Pakistan went to war over Kashmir from 1947-48. All early UN Security Council Resolutions admonished both countries, demanded an immediate cease-fire, which would be followed by a UN-directed plebiscite.

January 24, 1957: UN Security Council reaffirms 1948 resolution:
The Security Council, reaffirming its previous resolution, further declared that any action taken by the Constituent Assembly formed in Kashmir "would not constitute disposition of the state in accordance with the above principles."

February 5, 1964: India fails to keep her promise:
India reneges from her pledge. The Indian representative tells the Security Council, "I wish to make it clear on behalf of my government that in no circumstances we can agree to the holding of a plebiscite in Kashmir." Defense Minister, Kirshnan Menon, gives the reason: "Kashmir would vote to join Pakistan and no Indian Government responsible for agreeing to plebiscite would survive.

March 1965: India claims Kashmir:
The Indian Parliament passes a bill declaring Kashmir a province of India.

April 1965: Pakistan Defeats India in the Rann of Kutch
A clash between border patrols erupted into fighting in the Rann of Kutch, a region along the south-western Indo-Pakistani border. When the Indians retreated after intense fighting, Pakistan claimed victory.

August 1965: Pakistan accused of sending infiltrators:
India accuses Pakistan of sending infiltrators to Kashmir. Indian forces cross the cease-fire line in Kashmir.

September 6, 1965: India launches attack against Pakistan:
India attacks Pakistan across the international border and tries to capture Pakistan's second largest city, Lahore.

September 23, 1965: calls for an end to hostilities:
The United Nations Security Council arranges a cease-fire.

January 10, 1966: Tashkent agreement signed:
The Soviet Union arranges talks between Pakistan and India. The Tashkent Agreement is signed through the mediating efforts of the Soviet Prime Minister Alexi Kosygin. The agreement reaffirms that the dispute should be settled by peaceful means. The armies are to withdraw to their original positions.

November 1971: attack against East Pakistan:
Taking advantage of political strife and armed conflict between Pakistan army and East Pakistan's Awami League, Indian Army attacks East Pakistan.

December 16, 1971-Bangladesh is established:
Pakistan's 90,000 soldiers surrender East Pakistan to India. Bangladesh is declared.

July 2 1972: Simla Agreement signed:
The Simla Agreement between Pakistan and India is signed. Both agree to make efforts toward establishing durable peace by seeking a solution to existing problems, including "a final settlement of Jammu and Kashmir."

1987: a new Kashmiri resistance begins:
The current uprising of the people of Kashmir starts out as a protest against inefficiency, electoral fraud, corruption and religious discrimination.

January 19, 1990: Kashmir brought under Indian control:
The Indian government brings Kashmir under its direct control. The state legislature is suspended, the government is removed and the former Director General of the Indian Secret Service, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Mr. Jagmohan is appointed governor.

January 20, 1990: hostilities increase:
There are large-scale demonstrations and thirty people are killed by Indian security forces. A curfew is imposed in most cities.

February 25, 1990: support from civil servants:
Government employees join demonstrations.

February 27, 1990: United Nations not allowed in Kashmir:
India refuses to allow any United Nations official to visit Kashmir.

March 2, 1990: Kashmiris shot during Srinagar march:
Forty people are killed when police open fire at a march of more than one million Kashmiris through the streets of Srinagar. Police are ordered to shoot at sight.

March 28, 1990: Refugees flee to Pakistan:
Refugees start pouring into Pakistan from occupied Kashmir.

April 14, 1990: Indian military reinforcements in Kashmir reaches 700,000:
India sends reinforcements to Kashmir bringing the total number to 700,000 Indian military personnel.

July 1990: Jammu and Kashmir Disputed Areas Act passed:
Under this act, India's security forces personnel have extraordinary powers over anyone in Kashmir.

November 1992-Amnesty International is barred from entering Kashmir

January 1 - 3, 1994: Another failure over Kashmir:
Pakistan and India's foreign secretaries fail to narrow differences on Kashmir. Pakistan rules out more talks unless India ends alleged human rights violations in Kashmir.

January 9, 1995: India declares occupied Kashmir "backward":
India declares occupied Jammu and Kashmir territory a "backward" state. It offers tax breaks and concessions to businesses in an attempt to get rid of the Kashmiri freedom movement.

May 18, 1995: APHC rejects offer for talks on Kashmir with India:
The APHC rejects an offer for talks on Kashmir by New Delhi. The organization says it will not enter into any dialogue with New Delhi unless India admits Kashmir is a disputed territory.

July 20, 1995: Journalists' kidnapping in Kashmir a sign of media clampdown:
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) says the kidnapping of four journalists in Kashmir is only one current example of a complete clampdown on any independent journalism in the area. In its report, On the Razor's Edge, the CPJ also notes the Indian government harasses and intimidates reporters.

November 11, 1995: India launches anti-Pakistan propaganda campaign:
Upset about the media and human rights reports against its campaign of suppression and repression in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, India launches a multi-million dollar propaganda campaign against Pakistan. Pakistan is accused of aiding and abetting "terrorism" in Kashmir using money from the drug trade.

May 13, 1996: government employees boycott Indian elections:
Over 1.5 million government workers assigned to election duty by Indian authorities strike for 18 days to boycott the electoral process at the call of Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees Confederation.

June 8, 1996: APHC rejects greater autonomy:
The All Party Hurriat Conference (APHC), the representative alliance of all Kashmiris, rejects the Indian government's offer of greater autonomy for occupied Kashmir. The organization says the problem cannot be resolved by remaining in India.

September 14, 1996: APHC leadership arrested:
Prior to elections for the state assembly, Indian troops arrest the APHC's entire leadership.

September 16, 1996: Sham elections held in Kashmir:
Widespread coercion of voters by the Indian forces takes place during the second phase of the state assembly elections in occupied Kashmir.

A BBC correspondent, who saw many constituencies, said in some places the Indian army broadcast messages from mosques telling people to come out to vote. In other places, people complained they were coerced into voting. Journalists also reported seeing buses and trucks commanded by the region's paramilitary forces bringing out reluctant voters.

May 12, 1997: India and Pakistan meet:
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Indian Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral agree to establish joint working groups to resolve all outstanding issues between the two countries since 1947.

July 26, 1997: Indian Prime Minister Gujral warns army:
At the beginning of a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, India's Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, warns Indian soldiers in occupied Kashmir against committing human rights abuses. He offers to hold unconditional talks with Kashmiri groups to end seven long years of violence in the region.

July 27, 1997: Gujral does a turnaround:
In a turnaround from the previous day's statement, Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, says that Kashmir's freedom fighters would have to surrender their arms before peace talks with the government could begin.

October 12, 1997: rioting after Jami Mosque desecration:
Angry anti-India demonstrations are sparked by the desecration of the historic Jamia Mosque in Srinagar by Indian troops. They besieged the mosque, entered it wearing their boots and carried out an extensive search for three hours.

February 8, 1998: fear over "Kashaf commandos":
The APHC's executive committee expresses grave concern over the formation of a secret force, the "Kashaf commandos," by Indian forces. The newly formed force creates dissension among the Kashmiris and fans the flames of communal violence by killing members of the Hindu minority in Muslim majority areas and then blaming the Kashmiris for the actions.

March 19, 1998: Governor confesses India's human rights violations:
The governor of Jammu and Kashmir, KV Krishna Rao, confesses that Indian forces were responsible for massacre of Kashmiri people on several occasions and that he felt deeply for these human rights violations.

April 22, 1998: appointment of new Kashmir governor:
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government appoints Girsh Saxena as Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. The appointment is resented by human rights activists and intellectuals who demanded a senior politician close to Kashmir be sent as governor.

May 11, 1998: India explodes nuclear weapons

May 26, 1998: Indian troops and Kashmiris clash:
In Indian-occupied Kashmir, Kashmiri freedom fighters clash with Indian troops in the Keri, Rajauri area.

May 28, 1998: Pakistan becomes a nuclear power responding to Indian nuclear test

May 30, 1998: India responds to nuclear testing:
In response to Pakistan's nuclear testing, India warns Islamabad about Kashmir. Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee says while India was ready to talk to Pakistan it should harbor no ambitions towards capturing Kashmir. Pakistan says it is prepared to have a non-aggression pact with India on the basis of just settlement of the Kashmir issue.

August 1, 1998: "massive" joint operations against Kashmiris:
India's Home Minister, L.K. Advani, says more forces are being sent to Indian-occupied Kashmir for "massive" joint operations. He said this is due to the fact that the Kashmiris have intensified their efforts in the valley for the last many months.

August 26, 1998: India bans Britannica CD-ROM:
India bans importation of Encyclopedia Britannica on CD-ROM because it shows Kashmir as a disputed territory.

August 29, 1998: Nelson Mandela's involvement in Kashmir issue urged:
The Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) calls on South African President, Nelson Mandela, to persuade Pakistani and Indian teams attending a Non-Aligned Movement meeting to solve the Kashmir issue in a peaceful, democratic and permanent manner.

May 26, 1999: India launches air strikes against Kashmiri fighters in Kargil:
After three weeks of "intense skirmishes" between India and Pakistan, India launches air strikes to "flush out" Kashmiri fighters on its side of a Kashmir cease-fire line. India claims up to 680 "Afghan militants," backed by Pakistan, have invaded high ridges. Pakistan calls the air strikes "very, very serious" and puts its troops on high alert. Under pressure from the US, Pakistani Prime minister uses his influence to persuade Kashmiris to withdraw. India admits loosing 520 soldiers, although the journalists speculate the real numbers to be much higher.

June 1999: India bans watching of Pakistan TV

July 1999: Clinton urges India-Pakistan talks:
India announces it has taken the key Tiger Hill peak following an all-out assault. Kashmiri fighters are reported to be leaving the mountains of Indian-occupied Kashmir as both Pakistan and India claim victory in the two-month conflict. As fighting in the territory dies down, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appeals for a permanent settlement of the Kashmir dispute.

July 8, 1999: India lifts ban on Pakistani newspaper
The Indian government blocked access to the most liberal & forward looking Pakistani newpaper Dawn's Website [http://dawn.com] to Internet users in India.

February 2000: Clinton a willing mediator
President Bill Clinton says he would be happy to mediate between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir conflict - if asked.

November 2000: call for Muslim nations to cut ties with India:
A Kashmiri leader, Syed Salahuddin, calls on Muslim nations to cut diplomatic and economic ties with India. At the same time, Kashmiri leaders call on India to recognize the territory as disputed and to hold talks with Pakistan and Kashmiri leaders.

July 2001: Agra Summit a failure
Indian Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and Pakistani President, Pervez Musharraf, meet in Agra, India for a summit on relations between the two nations. The summit ends with no conclusive changes or progress. The talks fail to produce a joint statement on Kashmir.

October 29 2001: UN observer group calls for US mediation
The Chief of the United Nations Military Observers Group (UNMOGIP) in India and Pakistan, Major General Herman Loidolt, accuses both countries of playing ''political games'' on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and suggests the US might have to step in to resolve the issue. India responds, as it always has, by saying Kashmir is an "internal issue", with no need for third party intervention.

November 19 2001: Ceasefire offer
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee announces a unilateral ceasefire offer in Kashmir for the month of Ramadan.

November 28 2001: 16 Pakistani soldiers killed
At least 16 Pakistani soldiers killed and their 14 bunkers destroyed in shelling and firing by Indian troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector.

December 5 2001: India rejects talks
India rejects a demand from Pakistan for tripartite talks about Kashmir.

December 13 2001: Attack on Indian Parliament, Kashmiri fighters blamed

Fourteen people are killed in an attack on the Indian parliament in New Delhi. India blames Pakistani-backed Kashmiri fighters. A build up of troops from both sides along the Indo-Pakistan border follows.

December 27 2001: Thousands flee border areas in Kashmir
Following intermittent mortar shelling and heavy firing by Indian and Pakistani troops along the international border (IB), over 3000 people have migrated from different border villages in Samba and R S Pura areas of Jammu sector. Pakistani Army troops, who have taken over from Pakistan rangers, continued their offensive for the second day on Tuesday, the sources said.

May 4 2002: 490 killed in Indian occupied Kashmir
A senior Indian police officer said that 490 people had been killed in the first four months of this year in the Kashmir valley, a dramatic increase from 2001

May 14 2002: Attack on Indian army camp
Kashmiri fighters open fire on an army camp in Indian Kashmir, killing at least 30 people and wounding 40. Tension between India and Pakistan follows.

May 21 2002:Abdul Ghani Lone murdered
Gunmen open fire on a meeting of Kashmir's main separatist Hurriyat alliance. Separatist leader Abdul Gani Lone is killed.

Date/Time Last Modified: 6/18/2002 8:05:34 AM

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