The Kashmir conflict lies at the heart of the strained relationship between India and Pakistan. Since the partition of British India in 1947, both countries have fought multiple wars, and despite repeated military setbacks, Pakistan continues to claim Kashmir—particularly the Indian-administered region of Jammu and Kashmir.
This article dives deep into why Pakistan claims Kashmir even after losing wars, exploring the roots of the conflict, historical justifications, political narratives, religious dimensions, and strategic motives behind Pakistan’s persistent stance.
1. Historical Background: The Partition and Kashmir’s Accession
At the time of British India’s partition, princely states were given the choice to join either India or Pakistan. The Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Hari Singh, initially chose to stay independent. However, in October 1947, after Pakistani tribal militias invaded, Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession, merging Kashmir with India in return for military protection.
This sparked the First Indo-Pak war (1947-48), ending with a UN-mediated ceasefire. The region was divided:
- Pakistan controlled: Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir.
- India controlled: Jammu, Kashmir Valley, and Ladakh.
Despite the ceasefire, Pakistan has never recognized this accession and continues to claim the region.
2. Religious Basis for Pakistan’s Claim
One of Pakistan’s core arguments is based on religious identity.
- At the time of partition, Pakistan was formed as a homeland for Muslims.
- Jammu and Kashmir had a Muslim-majority population, which Pakistan argues should have naturally joined Pakistan.
- Pakistan asserts that Kashmir’s demographic alignment with its Islamic identity justifies its claim.
However, India maintains that:
- The accession was legal and final.
- India is a secular nation, and religion cannot be the basis of territorial claims.
- Kashmir’s people have democratic representation in Indian institutions.
3. The Role of Wars: 1947, 1965, 1971, and Kargil (1999)
First Indo-Pak War (1947-48)
- Pakistan attempted to forcibly annex Kashmir via tribal militias.
- Ended with a UN-brokered ceasefire, leading to the current Line of Control (LoC).
Second Indo-Pak War (1965)
- Pakistan launched Operation Gibraltar to incite insurgency in Kashmir.
- Ended in failure; Tashkent Agreement restored status quo.
Third War (1971)
- Mainly centered around Bangladesh.
- India’s decisive victory resulted in Pakistan’s loss of East Pakistan (Bangladesh).
- Kashmir was not a battlefield but remained a point of contention in post-war negotiations.
Kargil War (1999)
- Pakistani soldiers and militants crossed the LoC, occupying Indian positions.
- India regained control after intense military operations.
- Pakistan was internationally condemned for violating peacetime agreements.
Despite military defeats, Pakistan’s claim on Kashmir remained unchanged, and in many cases, even intensified.
4. Strategic Importance of Kashmir for Pakistan
Beyond religious and emotional arguments, Kashmir holds immense strategic value for Pakistan:
- Geopolitical location: Kashmir borders China, India, and Pakistan, making it a sensitive military zone.
- Water resources: Major rivers like the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab originate in Indian-administered Kashmir. Control over Kashmir directly affects Pakistan’s agriculture-dependent economy.
- Access to Central Asia: Kashmir provides potential corridors for energy pipelines and trade routes.
Maintaining a claim over Kashmir gives Pakistan geopolitical leverage, especially in negotiations with India.
5. Political Narrative and National Identity
In Pakistan, Kashmir is central to its national ideology.
- School textbooks, media, and political rhetoric promote the idea that Kashmir is an unfinished part of partition.
- Kashmir is often referred to as “Pakistan’s jugular vein”, a phrase popularized by Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
- Major political parties use the Kashmir issue to gain public support, portraying themselves as defenders of Muslim identity and national pride.
Backing off from its Kashmir claim would require a paradigm shift in national identity, which few leaders in Pakistan have dared to attempt.
6. Internationalizing the Kashmir Issue
Another reason Pakistan continues to claim Kashmir is its effort to internationalize the dispute.
- Pakistan believes persistent claims keep global pressure on India.
- At the United Nations, the Simla Agreement (1972) limits external involvement, but Pakistan continues to raise the issue in global forums like the OIC, UNGA, and Human Rights Council.
- By portraying India as a human rights violator, Pakistan tries to gain support from Muslim nations and international rights organizations.
Despite limited success, this international posturing ensures Kashmir remains a core element of Pakistan’s foreign policy.
7. Support for Militancy and Proxy Warfare
Since the 1980s and especially post-1989, Pakistan shifted from conventional wars to proxy warfare.
- Pakistan’s military and ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) have supported militant groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, operating in Kashmir.
- Militancy is used as a low-cost strategy to keep the Kashmir issue alive.
- However, this has backfired, with Pakistan gaining a reputation for harboring terrorists, leading to FATF greylisting and global isolation.
India’s stance has hardened post-Pulwama attack (2019) and abrogation of Article 370 (2019), increasing military readiness on the LoC.
8. Domestic Distraction from Internal Issues
Another reason Pakistan aggressively maintains its claim on Kashmir is to distract the public from domestic problems:
- Economic instability
- Political corruption
- Military-civilian power struggles
- Sectarian violence
The Kashmir narrative serves as a unifying issue across political and religious divides in Pakistan. It’s a tool to deflect criticism and maintain public unity in times of internal unrest.
9. Article 370 Abrogation: A Turning Point
India’s revocation of Article 370 in August 2019, which removed the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, was a major blow to Pakistan’s narrative.
- Pakistan responded by downgrading diplomatic ties and increasing anti-India propaganda.
- Yet, global support was limited, with most countries seeing the move as India’s internal matter.
Still, Pakistan continues to highlight this issue in international forums, keeping the Kashmir claim alive in diplomatic and media circles.
Conclusion: More Than Just a Territorial Claim
Pakistan’s continuous claim over Kashmir, despite losing wars and facing global pressure, is driven by a mix of historical, religious, political, and strategic motivations. For Pakistan, Kashmir is not just a territorial issue—it is tied to its national identity, military strategy, and internal politics.
While military efforts to capture Kashmir have failed, Pakistan persists in its diplomatic and propaganda efforts to claim legitimacy over the region. Until there’s a comprehensive and peaceful resolution, Kashmir will remain a flashpoint of Indo-Pak rivalry.