16 June 2008: Kashmir's so-called, 'line of control', has been a source of continuous contention since the disintegration of the British Raj in 1947 and the subsequent partitioning of the subcontinent into the two sovereign states of India and Pakistan. There are few places on earth as volatile as the border region separating the Pakistani controlled territory of Kashmir from the Indian controlled territory. Both countries have laid claim to the whole of Kashmir, citing its integrality to the psychologies of their national identities. Their opposing interpretations of the Kashmir issue have led to a number of military confrontations, which have intensified in recent years by their acquisition of nuclear weapons technology.

Relations between India and Pakistan have warmed since their last serious standoff in 2001 following violent insurrections in Kashmir and an attack on the Indian parliament in Delhi, presumably carried out by Pakistan backed militants. Amidst pressure from the international community, the two powers have since reconciled to normalize relations and have enjoyed a period of cordiality not experienced since the mid-nineties. This has only been accomplished, however, by ignoring the elephant in the room. The many problems that exist concerning the disputed territories of Kashmir have not disappeared; they are simply not being addressed by either government at this time as to not disturb the air of calm that has been so appreciated by those with a stake in the peaceful coexistence of the two countries and their cooperation in regional extremism and terrorist activities. Yet, Kashmiris continue to live in an atmosphere of perpetual war, kept prisoners by the stalemate and stalled talks concerning their future.

The British crown officially held sway over its South Asian empire for nearly a century, from 1858 until 1947, following the events of a world war that had shifted global perceptions concerning colonialism and which had left an anemic British administrative body and military force weary of attempts to suppress India's persistent agitation for independence.

In the wake of the Indian nationalist movement, a distinct Muslim cultural and political identity also emerged, calling for the predominately Muslim northwestern provinces of India to be formed into a separate autonomous state, further defining the subcontinent’s religious fault lines. It was agreed upon that British India would be partitioned into two countries, the predominantly Hindu Republic of India and the predominantly Muslim Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

The rulers of India's 565 princely states where all left the choice as to which country their territories would belong to. Predictably, most aligned themselves in regards to the religious traditions of their populations. The northwestern Muslim states became Pakistan; the rest became the modern state of India. The partition was followed by extreme violence along religious lines and one of the largest mass migrations in history.

Maharaja Hari Singh, the prince of Jammu and Kashmir, a state that bordered the newly established boundaries of both India and Pakistan, was hesitant to choose either side in the partition prompting Pakistani-backed forces to infiltrate Kashmir's borders on the precedence that its predominantly Muslim population should be absorbed into Pakistan. Singh, himself a Hindu, appealed to the remaining British authorities overseeing the final stages of their relinquishment of power for assistance on the issue. After signing the Instrument of Accession, theoretically making Kashmir a part of India, Indian forces were allowed to enter the state in order to prevent Pakistan's militias from advancing further into the province. Most of the details leading to Singh's signing of the Instrument of Accession are disputed by Pakistani accounts, making the formality of the event illegal and irrelevant.

Kashmir has remained geographically, psychologically, and politically split ever since. Pakistan retains the one-third of the territory that it gained in its initial push into the province. The largest portion belongs to India, and China now controls a sizable northern portion. Both Pakistan and India maintain their legitimate rights to the entire state. Constant invasion into enemy territory has prompted three major armed conflicts between the two resulting in one of the most distrustful relationships in world politics.

Kashmir has for decades been a pawn in this strategic chess match for power in South Asia with little say given to its own people concerning their aspirations for independence or their preferred allegiance to either side of the conflict. It has been a source of, and a staging ground for, hostilities that go beyond its own border.

There is little of much in Kashmir. A place considered to be one of the most beautiful on earth is almost uninhabitable due to the abundance of mined fields and constant guerilla patrols. In places where Kashmiris do live, there is little semblance of society; they are badly in need of infrastructure, trade, and modes of transportation. The bus system that runs people from one side to the other and into India and Pakistan is complex and corrupted by bureaucracy and bribery and people to people contact across the line of control is negligible.

Recent studies have concluded that an ideal solution to the problem for either India or Pakistan is not realistic. There have to be concessions made in order to bring peace to the region. Independence, championed by many Kashmiri's tired of having their voices muted, is all but out of the question considering the stakes involved and the history and nature of the conflict.

There are those who say that the line of control will never change and there are those who advocate that the line of control should be ignored. A new idea put forth in a study sponsored by the U.S. Institute of Peace and authored by PR Chari of India and Hasan Askari Rizvi of Pakistan is that the line of control, the Kashmiri border between India and Pakistan, should be irrelevant. Because the hostilities have cooled, now is the time to facilitate dialogue and cooperation in order to promote connectivity, trade, development, and public administration in Kashmir. The focus must shift from the bilateral relations of Pakistan and India to the needs of the Kashmiri people. The two countries have been involved in recent talks; however, the issue of Kashmir has once again been passed over. Hopefully current engagement and cooperation will bring about more enthusiasm in dealing with Kashmir in the future.