“Jammu and Kashmir is more a part of Pakistan than it can ever be
with India, with all her eloquence and all her extravagance with words. Jammu and Kashmir is part of Pakistan, in blood, in flesh, in culture,
in history, in geography. In every way and in every form.”
–Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s speech at the United
Nations on the issue of Kashmir, 1965.

We celebrate Kashmir Day every year, chanting how it there is no other way than it being part of Pakistan. All the leaders before, especially Bhutto made it clear that they would not rest until they made Kashmir a part of Pakistan. It has been over 60 years and the Kashmir issue shows no signs of being settled. The area is claimed by both Pakistan and India because of its obvious strategic importance. There is no point in going into details of what caused the Kashmir conflict. It is a story built into our curriculum via the pro-Pakistan narrative fed to us by our historians, the same way a pro-India narrative on the issue has been built in India. If the Pakistani narrative is to be believed, Kashmir wants nothing more than becoming a part of Pakistan. Every Kashmiri is filled with perpetual love for Pakistan and hatred for India that knows no bounds. The Indian narrative will be the exact opposite of this.
Today, we have lost all sight of how the Kashmir conflict is for the people actually residing there. Kashmir is an integral part of the India and Pakistan dispute, and is essential to evolving a peaceful solution. Both countries have fought three wars, accused each other of terrorist attacks and continue to dispute the northern region of Kashmir. Both countries are at fault, where dialogue between us is meaningless.