Why has the Kashmir crisis lasted so long?

The Inquiry

• Episode: Why has the Kashmir crisis lasted so long?
• Website: The Inquiry
• Feed URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p029399x/episodes/downloads.rss
• Duration: 00:23:13
• Published: 2019-04-11 04:30

In February a bomb blast killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police officers in Kashmir; the worst attack by Pakistani militants in years. Indian military jets were deployed and one was shot down. As concerns over the pilot’s fate grew, fears mounted that India and Pakistan might go to war over Kashmir – again. The countries have been at war four times since partition in 1947. And Kashmir, which both countries claim in entirety but each one controls only in part, has been a key factor in the conflicts. But even when there is no war, there is no stable peace in Kashmir. Violent protests and street fighting are commonplace and daily life is made hard in numerous other ways. Unemployment is high, communication blackouts frequent and security fears constant. The Inquiry explores why the crisis has been so difficult to solve and what it might take for a resolution to emerge.

Presenter: Ruth Alexander Producer: Rosamund Jones

Picture: Displaced Kashmiris take shelter in a government school Credit: Getty Images