Kashmir is a very complex problem in terms of its origin, dimensions and manifestations. It is rooted in the multiplicity of objective historical factors and there are different layers of its manifestations. Internally, it is a problem of its people and externally an international dispute between India and Pakistan. The internal conflict has many tangible political, psychological, economic and moral bases. Any realistic attempt at resolving it in the interest of promoting peace in the region should begin with developing a realistic appreciation of the dimensions of the dispute.

We must begin with an admission that all major conflicts are generally rooted in certain historical situation. Every conflict passes through different phases and may have divergent manifestations, but its underlying cause continues to be broadly the same. With the passage of time, the consciousness of such a conflict becomes an integral part of the collective subconscious of the society. This is true of the Kashmir conflict also. Therefore, in spite of the occasional-changing manifestation of the conflict in Kashmir, its underlying causes and the core concerns continue to persist.

In this connection, we also need to recognize the fact that the present problem in Kashmir is not the problem of militancy. It is the outcome of the Kashmir problem. Resort to violence is a result of the lack of normal and peaceful channels of expression of dissent and dissatisfaction with the existing political arrangement.

Security apparatus alone cannot sustain the political arrangement that is bereft of legitimacy and results in the alienation of the masses in Kashmir. The challenge is much greater today and cannot be met by simple patch works. The casualty figures of those who have lost their lives in the turmoil, range from forty to eighty thousand besides the tremendous economic, social, psychological and material losses that the people have to suffer in the process.

The problem is acute. External agencies have got engaged and entrenched in the State affairs as never before. State authority that had completely collapsed in the initial years of militancy has failed to recover in spite of some improvement in the situation. It is still dependent on coercive and repressive agencies which reflect its weakness rather than strength. Therefore the problem needs to be addressed more boldly and with greater sense of urgency. Dialogue at different levels involving all parties to the dispute must be carried out.

Recent developments at the international level constitute a serious setback to militancy. However let us note that militancy testifies the existence of a deeper malaise. We the people of Kashmir have undergone the traumas associated with violence. Therefore, it is the people of this place who realise the value of peace and have a deep yearning for the same. At the same time, the people here are also aware of the realistic contours of peace.

Peace will not be possible unless the issue is addressed both in its internal and external dimensions. At the face of it, the problem looks quite complex. However once dialogue picks up momentum, many physical and psychological barriers get broken. The world is moving towards that direction. Likewise, South Asia cannot escape it for long. Working out cordial relations between the two most important countries of the region would contribute to the greater effectiveness of SAARC as a framework for regional co-operation. The people of South Asia at large yearn for a better life and friendly neighbourhood. The peace and cordiality in the region is going to open the tremendous prospects of intra-regional co-operation within South Asia and across with other regions surrounding it.