Kashmir: A Nuclear Flashpoint Demanding Urgent Global Attention

The escalating tensions between India and Pakistan over Kashmir have once again highlighted the region’s fragile stability — pushing South Asia to the edge of nuclear catastrophe.

The vice chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), Ghulam Ahmad Gulzar, has raised fresh alarms over the worsening conflict between India and Pakistan. Speaking from Srinagar, Gulzar expressed deep concern that the ongoing hostility could erupt into a full-scale nuclear war if the Kashmir dispute remains unresolved.

Gulzar acknowledged the recent ceasefire agreement between the two countries as a positive step. However, he warned that India’s aggressive stance, rigid policies, and warmongering tendencies could lead to unimaginable destruction across the region. Such war-driven rhetoric, he said, not only fuels instability but also plunges millions into deeper poverty and hunger.

He stressed that Kashmir has long been a nuclear flashpoint, having sparked several wars between India and Pakistan in the past. The current tensions, he noted, should act as a wake-up call for the global community. If the international stakeholders continue to ignore the issue, the consequences could extend beyond South Asia.

Gulzar firmly stated that peace and progress in the region are impossible without a just and lasting resolution to the Kashmir issue. He clarified that the matter isn’t simply a territorial or border dispute — it’s about the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination. This right, he emphasized, has been recognized by numerous UN resolutions that call for a fair plebiscite under international supervision.

According to Gulzar, the best way forward lies in implementing these UN resolutions sincerely. He advocated for a tripartite dialogue that includes India, Pakistan, and the true representatives of the Kashmiri people. He argued that Kashmiris must be at the heart of any negotiations, as a solution without their involvement would be incomplete and ineffective.

He welcomed the United States’ offer to mediate and urged both India and Pakistan to initiate a meaningful, time-bound, and result-oriented dialogue. Gulzar also appealed to the United Nations, global powers, and especially the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to step in and facilitate a resolution based on international laws and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Meanwhile, APHC leader Abdul Samad Inqilabi condemned the killing of three young Kashmiris in Shopian, accusing Indian forces of staging a fake encounter. He alleged that the youths were first detained and then killed in a fabricated military operation in the Shukroo-Keller area, demanding justice for the victims.