By Isma Zahid.
Once hailed as “paradise on earth” for its breathtaking landscapes and serene beauty, Kashmir today bears a far more tragic epithet—the “valley of death.” This transformation is not sudden. It is the outcome of decades of political neglect, military aggression, and the silencing of an entire people’s right to determine their own future. The tragedy of Kashmir dates back to 1947, when the partition of British India created India and Pakistan. While many princely states were integrated based on the will of their people, Kashmir’s fate was left unresolved. Like other princely states that sought independence, Kashmir too was denied the right to self-determination. What could have been a peaceful transition became one of the world’s longest-running and bloodiest territorial disputes.
Despite being internationally recognized as a disputed region; the Kashmir issue is neither treated with the seriousness it demands on global platforms nor adequately addressed at the regional level. Today, the region remains fragmented: Indian-Administered Jammu and Kashmir (often referred to as Indian Occupied Kashmir or IOK), Pakistan-Administered Azad Jammu and Kashmir (also called Pakistan Occupied Kashmir or POK), and a portion controlled by China. But amid these divisions, the most overlooked question remains: Do the people of Kashmir wish to live under the rule of either India or Pakistan? For the vast majority, the answer is no. The dream of an independent Kashmir is alive in the hearts of its people, a dream that has endured despite suppression from both sides of the divide.
The region’s population comprises a rich mosaic of ethnic groups—Kashurs, Paharis, Gujjars, and others—united not just by geography but by a shared history of suffering. The Line of Control (LOC) that separates Indian and Pakistani military forces has become a grim symbol of division, violence, and the cost of unresolved ambition. The heavy military presence on both sides has led to widespread human rights abuses: unlawful detentions, torture, civilian deaths, home demolitions, and a climate of constant fear. Yet, these atrocities remain largely invisible to the international community.
One such chilling account is captured in William N. Baker’s book Happy Valley – Valley of Death. In it, he tells the story of a 20-year-old Kashmiri student who was shot in broad daylight by Indian soldiers simply because he was “suspected” of resistance. Shot through the throat, the young man was left on the street until civilians carried him to a hospital. The bullet crushed his spine and tore through vital organs, rendering him unable to speak, eat, or move—awaiting only death. The author recounts how the young man’s eyes met his own, silently asking the same haunting question echoed by many Kashmiris: Why? Why are these acts of barbarism allowed to continue? Why does the West remain silent? Where is the United Nations and its pledge to uphold human rights?
These questions pierce through the politics and propaganda surrounding the conflict and reveal its human cost. The mother’s sorrow, the youth’s silent suffering, and the doctor’s grim prognosis— “He is going to die very, very soon”—represent the pain of an entire people. Advocates for Kashmir’s rights often pay a heavy price. Yasin Malik, a prominent voice for an independent Kashmir and once seen as a successor to the legendary Maqbool Bhat and Amanullah Khan, is now imprisoned by Indian authorities. Branded as a terrorist or a Pakistani agent, his real “crime” was daring to speak for Kashmir’s right to self-determination.
Movements like the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), founded by Amanullah Khan in 1977, have long championed the cause of independence. Unlike other factions that lean toward either Indian or Pakistani affiliation, the JKLF envisions a sovereign Kashmir. Volunteers from both sides of the LOC continue to join the movement, devoting their lives to a cause rooted not in hatred, but in freedom. Yet, Kashmir’s struggle is not only against foreign occupation but also internal sabotage. Proxy actors—on both sides—stir division and suspicion among Kashmiris, perpetuating conflict and undermining unity. These elements serve the interests of powerful states, not the people of Kashmir.
The path to peace and justice in Kashmir is neither easy nor immediate, but it is simple in principle. India and Pakistan must set aside their geopolitical agendas and recognize the fundamental right of Kashmiris to determine their future. Only full independence can bring an end to the decades of suffering. Anything less would be a continuation of the status quo—a status quo written in blood. Until that day, the people of Kashmir will not remain silent. They will continue their resistance, fueled by memory, loss, and an unyielding hope for freedom. The world may choose to look away, but as long as there is a Kashmiri heartbeat, the cry for justice will echo through the mountains and valleys of this tormented land.
The Writer is the Student of International Relations at the International Islamic University Islamabad, IIUI, Pakistan.