Let Kashmir Breathe: A Citizen’s Cry for Truth and Peace

• Ajit Thapa

Since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, Kashmir has remained one of the most volatile and unresolved conflict zones on Earth. Caught in the crossfire of two nuclear-armed neighbors—India and Pakistan—the region has suffered the weight of political egoism and military posturing that have deeply mutilated the hearts and minds of the Kashmiri people. Instead of peace, they face a daily reality of fear, uncertainty, and repression, often blamed for crises they did not create.
India and Pakistan have fought three major wars and numerous low-intensity skirmishes over Kashmir, making it a flashpoint with global implications. Despite four days of ongoing military preparations and renewed diplomatic posturing, the issue remains buried beneath media spectacle and the theatrics of geopolitical fantasy—still far from any real or lasting resolution. As the African proverb says, "When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers"—and in this context, it is the Kashmiri people who continue to suffer. Denied the right to breathe freely under an open sky, they live in a land marked by barbed wires, surveillance, and unfulfilled promises.

For decades, Kashmir, a land of magnificent loveliness and divine deepness has been trapped in an overpowering series of conflict, denial, and unfairness. Segregated by political power, encircled by military dual uniform, political suppression, lost identity, denied self-determination and wounded by silence. The valley no longer echoes with its renowned Sufi music and poetry. Instead, it is inaudible by the boots on the ground, barbed wire fencing, and designed curfews. Furthermore, the Silent Suffering of Paradise now turned into a heavily armed and mentally scarred region. Four full-scale wars since independent both intended another four days conflict ended in mysterious way. Kashmiri people has suffered long-standing turmoil, repression, and unfulfilled aspirations it’s enough lashing up a paradise, so we should declare, what the world has hesitated to say: Kashmir deserves sovereignty. Kashmir deserves peace. Kashmir deserves to breathe.

Beyond the geopolitical complications, the unresolved nature of the conflict has left Kashmir’s population fragmented, disillusioned, and uncertain about their future. Without a just and inclusive resolution, the cycle of violence, mistrust, and alienation is likely to continue—posing a persistent threat not only to regional peace but to the conscience of the international community. "While India and Pakistan remain locked in their endless tug-of-war over Kashmir, they are not only denying the region its right to bloom into the heaven it was meant to be, but also turning a blind eye as the Dragon slowly casts its shadow over all of South Asia. It’s time to awaken—not just to reclaim peace for Kashmir, but to protect the soul of the entire region before it’s too late."

Kashmir has become always a conundrum between paradise to a global blind spot. A long-waited justice and a test case of selective morality the time has derived the ripened silent suffering. When international institutions, human rights, and both the party surrounded Kashmir, they often fall silent on Kashmir. The UN resolutions always remain deferred. Democratic states dramatically call for freedom but discarding Kashmir issues. The people of Kashmir—Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, and others, are not asking for privilege, they are only asking for impartiality to determine their future.

Truth has been the first casualty of this war cross-claiming of downing Rafale fighter jets. Half-truth, propaganda, and nationalist media have buried facts under layers of another story. The truth lies that the Kashmir is one of the most militarized regions in the world. Internet shutdowns, house raids, and collective punishments continue relentless. Disappearances, torture, censorship, and surveillance are usually systemic. Tens of thousands of lives—civilians, militants, soldiers have been lost for settling boot camps by both ends. Kashmiri identity has been lost and the hope is gradually weakening. The alternatives—continued militarization, insurgency, or apathy—only guarantee more violence, radicalism, and generational trauma. Ignored in high-level talks and manipulated by both capitals, Kashmiris have lived decades under suspicion, surveillance, and shattered autonomy. The void of justice continues to fester — fueling alienation, resistance, and humanitarian crisis.

History will not ask whether Kashmir was “ours” or “theirs.” It will ask whether we chose domination or dignity. Whether we allowed fear to dictate the future, or love to light the path. Let Kashmir breathe. Let truth rise. Let peace lead. Letting Kashmir breathe is not anti-India or anti-Pakistan. It is pro-humanity, pro-justice, and pro-peace. This is a chance to rewrite history — not with blood, but with ballots. The future will not belong to those who conquered, but to those who reconciled. Let Kashmir breathe. Let truth rise. Let peace lead. Thus, we offer a third path: A Free, Neutral, and Sovereign Kashmir — neither Indian nor Pakistani — demilitarized, self-governed, and safeguarded by international consensus and local will. This vision is not utopian. It is historically precedented, geopolitically stabilizing, and morally essential.

“Let Kashmir breathe independently” Kashmir becomes a Switzerland of South Asia — neutral, beautiful, and free. A sovereign Kashmir, envisioned as a neutral, demilitarized, and ecologically protected state, could become (a) A bridge between South Asia and Central Asia, not a battlefield (b) Defuse the India-Pakistan-China triangle (c) An independent Kashmir would serve as a buffer, reducing tensions between nuclear-armed neighbors(d) A peace sanctuary, promoting Buddhist, Sufi, and Hindu spiritual heritages.This vision is strategically stabilizing, economically liberating, and morally uniting. It would also open avenues for regional cooperation, trade, and cultural exchange. Peace is not just morally right — it’s nationally rational. Kashmiris, like any other people, seek freedom to choose, freedom to speak, and freedom to hope. They are not terrorists — they are tired citizens yearning for dignity.

After over seventy-five years of military occupation, failed diplomacy, and suffocated dreams, it is time to reimagine Kashmir — not as a hostage between nations, but as a people with the right to peace, dignity, and self-determination. This position paper is written from the neutral lens of a security reformer — one who has seen conflict zones firsthand and believes deeply that lasting peace is built not through hegemony, but through justice and reconciliation. The prolonged India-Pakistan rivalry has failed both countries — and even more so, it has failed the people of Kashmir. The region has become a symbol of post-colonial incompletion and military theatre, now entangled with China’s growing strategic posture. The world cannot allow another generation to be born into barbed wire and censorship.

The author is a former brigadier general, a PhD scholar, and a peacebuilding and security sector reform expert. General Secretary of the World Vegan Organization in Nepal. Steering Committee Board Member of the World Peace Chiran Milan Campus.