Kashmir and the Process of Conflict Resolution

Abstract

This paper attempts to examine the process of conflict resolution between India and Pakistan in the light of the Kashmir conflict. For Pakistan, without the resolution of the Kashmir conflict, there cannot be peace and stability in Islamabad-New Delhi relations. Whereas, for India, Kashmir may be a major issue negatively affecting Indo-Pakistan relations but is certainly not the core issue as repeatedly stated by Pakistan. The traditional position taken by India and Pakistan on the Kashmir conflict resulted into stalemate in their relations and heavy defence expenditures and ineffectiveness of regional cooperation in South Asia. The holding of composite dialogue between India and Pakistan to discuss various critical issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, is a positive development as far as the process of conflict resolution in that troubled region is concerned. Six important themes, which will be examined in this paper, are as follows:-