Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts
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Since Indian independence in August 1947 and the creation of the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, there have been three major wars and one minor war between the two states, the casus belli in each case being the disputed Kashmir region, with the only exception of the war of 1971, where the dispute concerned East Pakistan.
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[edit] The Wars in chronological order
- Indo-Pakistani War of 1947: Kashmir which is a muslim-majority state officially joins India. Tribes of Waziristan invade Kashmir on their own accord. Pakistan forced into backing the invading tribes by Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Pakistan captures two-fifths of Kashmir. India captures three-fifths of Kashmir by airlifting 100,000 troops into Srinagar.
- Indo-Pakistani War of 1965: Pakistani troops attempt to infiltrate into Indian Kashmir hoping for an uprising by the people of Jammu and Kashmir. In response, India invades Pakistan through Pakistani Punjab and Sindh. War results in strategic stalemate with both countries holding on each other's territories.
- Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declares East Pakistan an independent state called Bangladesh. India joins the Bangladeshi Mukti Bahini and decisively defeats Pakistan resulting in the independence of Bangladesh and surrender by Pakistan in the eastern theatre.
- Indo-Pakistani War of 1999, also known as "Kargil War": Pakistani troops and some Kashmiri insurgents occupy Indian Army posts across the Line of Control. The Indian Army forces Pakistani units back across the border.
[edit] Origins of conflict
The root of most conflicts and the mutual antipathy lies in the Hindu-Muslim divide that led to the partition of India in 1947 and the creation of Pakistan. The partition was an ill-conceived idea, since many Muslim majority areas remained within India and could not possibly be united into a common geographic area. The political leaders of the newly created state of Pakistan nursed a hatred for India and propagated their feelings among their masses.In fact, in Pakistani schools, their history books begin with the independence of Pakistan and ignore the past history of the Indian subcontinent of which they are a part. Dispute over the mountainous region of Kashmir and in the manner in which its political alignment was decided by the two countries following partition in 1947. Kashmir was ruled by Maharaja Hari Singh, a Hindu, but following an invasion by Pakistani tribals he ceded his territory to India, though Pakistan argues that he did so under duress. This resulted in the breaking out of the First Kashmir War between Indian and Pakistani troops which lasted until 1948, when India moved the issue to the UN Security Council. The UN Security Council passed Resolution 47 on April 21, 1948. The resolution stated "that the final disposition of the State of Jammu and Kashmir will be made in accordance with the will of the people expressed through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite conducted under the auspices of the United Nations". The cease fire took place on December 31, 1948.
The Second Kashmir War began with Pakistan infiltrating into and starting a rebellion in Jammu and Kashmir. (See Operation Gibraltar) The plan was a non-starter and India retaliated by launching an attack on Pakistan thus igniting the war.
The third war was unique in that it did not involve the issue of Kashmir, but was rather precipitated by the crisis brewing in East Pakistan. After months of internal conflict, India decided to help the Bengalis in East Pakistan - much to the consternation of West Pakistan. Within just a fortnight the Indian Military had defeated Pakistan with the aid of the rebels and forced Pakistan to surrender. This war, despite lasting only a fortnight, saw the highest number of casualties in any of the India-Pakistan conflicts, as well as the largest number of Prisoners of War since the Second World War after the surrender of nearly 100,000 Pakistani troops and civilians. It is believed that 1,000,000-3,000,000 Bangladeshis were killed as a result of this war.
The latest war, the Kargil War, is considered a minor war because fighting was limited to a single front in Kashmir; though it produced stirring emotions between the two nations involved, coming at a time of increased media and electronic coverage. This was the first ground war between any two nations after they had developed nuclear weapons.
[edit] Other conflicts
Apart from the aforementioned wars, there have been skirmishes between the two nations from time to time. Some have bordered on all-out war, while others were limited in scope. The countries were expected to fight each other in 1955 after warlike posturing on both sides, but full-scale war did not break out. In 1984 there was a flashpoint as both nations attempted to control the Siachen Glacier. Further clashes erupted in the glacial area in 1985, 1987 and 1995 as Pakistan sought without success to oust India from their stronghold.
Between November 1986 and March 1987, India conducted Operation Brasstacks. This military exercise - the largest of its kind in South Asia - raised eyebrows in Pakistan and it was feared that it would lead to another war between the two neighbours. Tensions were high again in 1990 after militancy in Indian-administered Kashmir greatly increased. A terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001, blamed by India on the Pakistan-based terrorist organizations Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, prompted the 2001-2002 India-Pakistan standoff and brought both sides close to war.
Until the ceasefire the LOC was also spectator to daily artillery exchange between Indian and Pakistani armies.
[edit] See also
- Indo-Pakistani relations
- Military History of India
- Military of Pakistan
- Foreign relations of India
- Foreign relations of Pakistan
- Kashmir conflict
- Kargil War, also known as the Kargil conflict
- Sino-Indian relations
- Foreign relations of the People's Republic of China
- Indo-China War
- Sino-Soviet border conflict
[edit] Dramatization
- Films
- Lakshya, a 2004 Bollywood film based on the historical events of the "Kargil War" or the "Indo-Pakistani War of 1999", directed by Farhan Akhtar
- LOC Kargil, a 2003 Bollywood war film based on "Kargil War" or the "Indo-Pakistani War of 1999", directed by J.P.Dutta
- Border, a 1997 Bollywood war film directed by J.P.Dutta. This movie is an adaptation from real life events that happened at the Battle of Longewala fought in Rajasthan (Western Theatre) during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
- Border at the Internet Movie Database
- Hindustan Ki Kasam- a 1973 war movie
- Dramas
- Angaar Waadi, directed by Rauf Khalid
- Laag, directed by Rauf Khalid
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