A fierce gun battle erupted in the Chak Tapar Kreeri area of Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir between armed opposition and Indian army.

Images of the local press for an ongoing militancy in 

Jammu and Kashmir between the armed opposition and Indian army 

from last Friday to Sunday, today courtesy, the Daily Greater Kashmir Srinagar

A fierce gun battle erupted in the Chak Tapar Kreeri area of Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir on 14th Sep 2024, between the armed opposition and Indian security forces. 

The exchange of fire lasted for several hours, resulting in 3 members of the armed opposition had lost their lives but no loss of life on the army side. The exact number of casualties is still being ascertained. Security forces have cordoned off the area and are conducting search operations.

On Friday, two Indian army soldiers were killed and two injured in a gun battle with armed opposition fighters in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district in the upper reaches of Naidgham village..

Indian Army claims that in the general area of Lam, Nowshera in a gunbattle, two members of the armed opposition had lost their lives while trying to cross the line of control, and a large quantity of war-like stores including Two AK-47s and one Pistol were recovered.

The local press reported that an encounter is currently underway in the Pathanateer area of the Mendhar sector of Poonch after rounds of fire were heard from armed opposition last night.

Why hasn't Jammu and Kashmir been allowed to elect its representatives?

The question of why Jammu and Kashmir has not been allowed to elect its representatives to formulate its future constitution is complex but was the only democratic path that both India and Pakistan must adopt from 1947 instead of going to war and promoting a policy of colonial traditions rather with modern facts.

To turn the region on the world stage as a disputed territory between two countries, India and Pakistan since the partition of the subcontinent and ignoring the people of the states on both sides of the forcibly divided state of Jammu and Kashmir was purely a colonial approach.

Both countries have laid claims and counterclaims and have fought multiple wars over it gaining nothing but deaths and destruction. The ongoing conflict has led to a humanitarian crisis, with thousands of civilians killed and displaced on both sides of the border.

The lack of a political solution to the Kashmir issue has also prevented the people of the region from exercising their democratic right to self-determination. The Indian government has argued that Kashmir is an integral part of India and that it has the right to govern the region. Pakistan, on the other hand, has supported the Kashmiri people's right to self-determination and has called for a plebiscite to be held in the region but never put forward any blueprint between India, China, and the people of Jammu and Kashmir on both sides.

In recent years, there have been calls for a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir conflict through dialogue and negotiation. However, the political situation in the region remains tense, and the prospects for a lasting solution remain uncertain.

 

Why not a constitutional process?

A constitutional process involving India, Pakistan, China, and representatives of the people of Jammu and Kashmir could provide a framework for resolving the conflict peacefully. Such a process would involve:

• Negotiation: The parties would need to negotiate a mutually acceptable framework for the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Elections: The people of Jammu and Kashmir would need to elect representatives to participate in the constitutional process.
• Constitution-making: The elected representatives from Lakhanpure to Hunza and from Aksi Chin to Mangla would need to formulate a draft constitution that reflects the aspirations of the people of the region.
• Referendum: The draft constitution after creating consensus between the elected representative, India, Pakistan, and China, the principle of sharing sovereignty, would need to be put to a referendum for the final approval of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

A constitutional process could provide a peaceful way to address the concerns of all parties involved and create a lasting solution to the Kashmir conflict. However, it would require a commitment to peace, dialogue, and compromise from all sides.

Longlasting peace in the region would be a dividend for all to benefit from it.