The recent terror attack in Pahalgam, in which innocent tourists were gunned down, is not just another grim episode of violence in Kashmir ~ it is a direct consequence of the reckless rhetoric emanating from Pakistan’s military establishment. General Asim Munir, the present Pakistan Army Chief, has revived the poisonous language of the two-nation theory, portraying a civilisational divide between Hindus and Muslims, and implying a moral obligation for Pakistan to intervene in Kashmir. This is not merely an ideological throwback ~ it is a dangerous provocation, calculated to keep the region on the boil.

Recent efforts by Pakistan’s military establishment to cast Kashmiri discontent as a sign of allegiance to Pakistan are not only misleading but fundamentally disrespectful to the historical and lived experiences of Kashmiri Muslims. It is vital to recognise that Kashmiris did not accept Pakistan’s ideology at the time of partition, nor have they shown any........

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