India-Pakistani Relations For Asian Peace In The New Millennium.

ABSTRACT

The India-Pakistani perennial conflicts over the past six decades, in the struggle to

possess Kashmir, have been posing serious problems to the international community.

This anomaly in their relations has raised some crucial questions by this study such as:

Does the continuing dispute between India and Pakistan, over Kashmir, carry the risk of

nuclear war in Asia? Furthermore, would the resolution of the India-Pakistani dispute

create the opportunity for the settlement of other boundary problems in Asia? In this

context, this study was undertaken to determine whether the continuing dispute between

India and Pakistan, over Kashmir, carries the risk of nuclear war in Asia. It will also

establish if the resolution of the India-Pakistani dispute would create an opportunity for

the settlement of other boundary problems in Asia. A literature review of books and

articles in respect of the various wars were used to unveil the critical facts. To achieve

this, the qualitative method of data collection and analysis was used. Afterwards, the

study found out that religious fundamentalism had eroded peaceful relations between

India and Pakistan. In a bid to describe the tenets of the study, the balance of power

theory was employed as analytical framework. In line with these, it hypothetically held

that the continuing dispute between India and Pakistan, over Kashmir, carries the risk of

nuclear war in Asia. Again, that the resolution of the India-Pakistani dispute would create

an opportunity for the settlement of other boundary problems in Asia. Finally, the study

recommended that under a multilateral declaration, the withdrawn sovereignty and

independence of the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu be restored by the UN, forcing

India and Pakistan to withdraw their controls. Alternatively, the UN should permanently

station their peace-keeping forces in the Line of Control to check the incessant

infiltrations and resultant conflicts between them.