Nuclear Brinkmanship Escalates Between Pakistan and India over Kashmir

Tensions between Pakistan and India continued to simmer over Kashmir, a disputed territory that has been a focal point of conflict between the two nations for decades. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif warned that his country was prepared for any trial, citing Pakistan's ability to defend itself against its neighbor's nuclear might. The warning came as the international community awaited a potential nuclear test by Pakistan, which could have far-reaching consequences for the region and the world.

Key Takeaways:

• Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif accused India of becoming intoxicated by its display of nuclear might and warned that Pakistan was prepared to defend itself.
• India's Hindu nationalist government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been accused of emboldening its stance on Kashmir following the divided international response to its nuclear tests.
• The BJP's home minister, L.K. Advani, told Pakistan to bow to India's military superiority and cease supporting rebels fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir.
• India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir, and India has accused Pakistan of arming the uprising, a charge Islamabad denies.
• The Indian army claims that outside fighters, recruited from Pakistan and Afghanistan, have hijacked the Kashmiri uprising and been responsible for massacres of Hindus in the region.
• Pakistan has been warned by India to roll back its anti-India policy, especially with regard to Kashmir.
• Recent incidents in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir have heightened fears of a resurgent India trying to bring all of Kashmir into its fold.

Statistics:

• More than 20 Pakistani villagers were killed in a massacre in 1999, which was widely condemned by the international community.
• 100 yards from the 1948 ceasefire line, where the massacre occurred, was the site of a mass grave.
• Over 20% of India's population are Muslims, many of who live in Kashmir and fear persecution by the Hindu-dominated government.
• BJP's coalition partners dropped a demand to deny Kashmir its special constitutional status.
• 7 civilians were injured and 4 were killed by Indian security forces in Cheekhri village in Kashmir.

Sources:

• The Daily Telegraph, Islamabad, article by Suzanne Goldenberg, August 6, 1999.
• AP, "Four killed in Kashmir as Indian troops try to flush out militants".