Preface

The Kashmir story is the story of few interconnected stories viz.

  1. The Kashmir conflict has become a ‘family business’ run by set of families, and like a family business is passed on from one generation to the next generation.
  2. The way the conflict is designed, it has generated growing number of stakeholders from set of families to the Gora politicians to the Pakistani establishment in a manner, that it would be useful for them to keep the conflict in the perpetual flux.
  3. The Kashmir narrative is a globally sponsored narrative, where every so-called human-rights ‘concern’ on Kashmir is at the end connected with a nexus, put in place by the Pak establishment.
  4. Kashmir has become everyone’s concern except of Kashmiris. There are virtually no Kashmiris with any worthwhile connection with Kashmir involved in the discussion of Kashmir. If there were, they have been side-lined.
  5. The centre of gravity for Kashmir narrative has gradually shifted from the Middle East (Saudi Arabia) to Thrace & Asia Minor (Turkey)

This change in 2016 has salient ramifications for the conflict narrative in South Asia. However, the story traces its origin back to key players when the seeds of conflict were sown in Kashmir by Jamaat-e-Islami players; and it has continued to be played by the same set of people through their next generation.

Introduction

A star is born on the horizon of Kashmir.

Growing up in London, and having rarely visited Kashmir, this young star is groomed to become the face of Kashmir resistance in the next phase – when terrorism, which was espoused as an instrument by his father, is now being replaced by Psy-war.

He is supposed to lead that war.

He has been a low profile all his life and has been talking about Kashmir only as a token, if at all. His knowledge of Kashmir and Kashmiris is shallower than the Yamuna in Delhi summers. And yet, come the year 2016, he springs into action, establishing not one or two but several companies/ organizations – all in the name of Kashmir.

His love for Kashmir seems to have been rekindled by two important events – his marriage to a Pakistani Khatoon and the patronage of a former ISI Chief. Once the love is rekindled, resources start flooding on their own, at least that’s how miracles happen.

All of this since around 2015 – 2016. 

Table of Contents

Conclusion

(If there could be one..)

Conflict theaters world over tend to create vested interests – and Kashmir is no different. What we have seen over the decades is that only the tools and techniques change, the underlying agenda remains same.  

And for those benefitting from the conflict it would make perfect sense. In the garb of Kashmir alone Pakistan is able to fulfill a range of its strategic objectives:

  1. It has engaged US lobby firms, who in turn are medium to reach out to US politicians, who have played a critical part in ensuring supply of ‘aid’ and other largesse from the US, despite the fact that Pakistan has consistently worked at the cross purpose of US interest in the region.
  2. In the name of Kashmir, it has also targeted every Indian-origin US politician who may not be inclined to serve their agenda, and/or seen closer to India.
  3. While at the same time, it has kept all the focus away from its own dismal track records of human rights and minorities issues. Some of the most gruesome atrocities inflicted upon Pak minorities doesn’t even raise a whimper of protest from all the human rights cavaliers put together.
  4. Kashmir has also become a money-making machine – as seen from numerous fund-raising campaigns being run on Launch Good and other fund-raising platforms. As explained in the DisInfo Lab reports on Covid Aid Scam, these organizations not only do not provide any details about their funds utilizations but are also connected with radical Islamists and terrorist groups.
  5. Above all, it is a survival strategy of Pakistani establishment, particularly for the Army to keep selling the Kashmir opium to its domestic population to remain relevant and grab resources. It also doesn’t harm that whenever the population demands accountability on domestic/development issue, Kashmir slogan comes handy for distraction.

Kashmir conflict has also created an eco-system from which a set of families derive their livelihood and relevance. The Fais, the Thakurs, the Kanjwals, the Ashais, the Fazilis, the Safis,  and the Dars among others have not only been living their dream lives, they have also come to acquire an aura of ‘experts’ and ‘human rights’ activists, an aura that is very useful, particularly in these woke time.

The only things that are missing in this Pakistani orchestrated theater is Kashmiris themselves. Their role has been reduced to mere objects, in whose name the mercenaries would live a life full of ‘activism fun’.

Hence, it would be criminally naïve for not only Indians but particularly for Kashmiris to assume that Pakistan and the net cast by its establishment would have any interest in resolving Kashmir issue. For the Pak establishment, Kashmir conflict has become a Goose that lays golden eggs, and unlike the stupid old lady, it has no intention of killing the goose.

Source — @DisinfoLab : https://thedisinfolab.org/kashmir-inc-a-conflict-industry/

Full report: https://thedisinfolab.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/The-Un-Ending-War-III-KASHMIR-INC.pdf

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