Pakistan is a paradigm example of a failed state that has undergone an extremely dangerous form of radical Islamisation.
Jammu and Kashmir
Tradition has it that Kashmir was originally the great Lake Satisar, which
was drained by Kashyapa and inhabited by the Brahmins. It was under the Hindu
Rule but later came under the Mughal rule under Akbar. After a period of Afghan
rule, it annexed to the Sikh kingdom of Punjab. It came into being as a single
political and entity following the treaty of Amritsar between the British
government and Gulab Singh in 1864. This treaty handed over the state to the
Dogra ruler of Jammu who had earlier annexed Ladakh.
The autocratic movement came down heavily on the people’s freedom movement.
However, the people laid down their lives to uphold their freedom and to uphold
the ideals of secularism, equality, democracy and brotherhood.
The high point of this freedom movement came in the year 1931 when around 20
protestors were martyred. This strengthened the movement and contrary to what
the rulers of that time thought, the people emerged with more determination to
seek an end to this autocratic rule.
By the time the ruler realized the futility of breaking the will of the
people, with the strength of the National Conference and the determination of
the whole state, the mass became a force to reckon with. The people broke all
barriers of region and religion to fight this cause and soon emerged victorious
Fundamentalist militancy in the region has not spared Jammu and Kashmir. The
resultant military interventions have created suspicion and distrust as a
military run infrastructure can only have limited civil obligations. The recent
developments in Afghanistan have provided welcome relief as the terrorist
infrastructure has to operate much more discreetly and has suffered significant
damage. The region has been hit by earthquakes recently and help has arrived
from all over the world.
