Indo-Pakistan relation and Kashmir issue:

(i) From August 1947 to 1948: At the time of partition Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) was one of those several princely states, the fate of which was left uncertain in 1947. Pakistan desired that Kashmir with Muslim majority population should join Muslim country, Pakistan. But the popular leader of the National Conference opposed Pakistan's ideology. Maharaja Hari Singh did not take a decision until Pakistan sent armed intruders into the Kashmir valley in October 1947. Seeking Indian help to repulse the Pakistani intruders Maharaja signed the 'Instrument of Accession' making Jammu and Kashmir a part of Indian Union.

(ii) Assurance of Nehru to the ruler of J&K: On this occasion, as a true democrat, Prime Minister Nehru assured that after Pakistani aggression was cleared, the future status of the state would be decided on the basis of wishes of the people of Kashmir on the future question of accession.

(iii) Kashmir issue in UN and PoK: Since India did not want an open clash with Pakistan, it referred the matter to the United Nations. Indian forces saved Srinagar from the invaders, and pushed back the Pakistanis from the Kashmir Valley. But the whole of Kashmir could not be recaptured, as it would have meant a direct and difficult war between the two new nations. India sought United Nations help in 1948. A cease-fire came to be implemented on January 1, 1949. It left a large part of Jammu and Kashmir (nearly 2/5 of the State) under Pakistan's possession, which we call Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).

(iv) UN effort in 1950-1953: In 1950s the UN mediators put forward several plans to resolve the dispute, but they failed to bridge the differences between the two countries.

(v) Kashmir issue from 1954 to 1965: The problem of Kashmir is still pending. Plebiscite was to be conducted only after Pakistan withdrew its forces from the occupied territory, as per the UN resolution of 1948, Pakistan refused to comply. Hence, India pleaded that the wishes of the people were ascertained in 1954 in the form the direct election to the Constituent Assembly which satisfied the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India. The mediation came to an end. Pakistan was desperate to capture Kashmir. Thinking that India's army was weak after defeat in the war with China in 1962, Pakistan tried through a war to take Kashmir in 1965. But Indian forces defeated the Pakistanis designs.

(vi) Simla pact and Indo-Pak relations including Kashmir Issue: In order to normalise relations India invited Pakistan for an agreement, the result of which was the Simla Pact of 1972. This Simla agreement however bears important significance as the two countries agreed to seek the settlement of all bilateral problems, including Kashmir, mutually without the intervention of any third party. Thus under the Simla Pact, the Kashmir issue cannot be raised in international or any other forum, although Pakistan has not hesitated to ignore the spirit of the agreement.

(vii) PoW: The Simla agreement also talked about the return of Prisoners of War (PoW). Though Pakistan's territory in India's possession was returned, a new cease-fire line (in place of the old cease-fire line of 1948-49) was drawn, which is known as the LoC.

(viii) Encouragement to terrorist by Pakistan against India: Pakistan found ways other than open war to destabilise India by encouraging and assisting terrorism in Punjab, and the State-sponsored militancy in Jammu and Kashmir since the mid-1980s. Pakistan still continues to encourage terrorist and separatist tendencies in Kashmir, operating majorly from terrorist training camps situated in Pok.

(ix) Kashmir Issue and relation between India and Pakistan from May 1999: The sanctity of the LoC that came to be agreed upon between India and Pakistan under the Simla Agreement of 1972, was violated by Pakistan in May 1999 as a part of a big plan.

This was done when the Pakistani forces infiltrated into India, after crossing the line of control in Kargil, Drass and Batelik sectors of J&K. The Indian army once again gave a befitting defeat in a war that continued for about 60 days.

(x) UN and Kashmir Problem: The purpose of Pakistani operation in Kargil was to create a crisis with a threat of nuclear war, which would in turn ensure intervention by the United States in its favour on the Kashmir dispute. Neither the United States nor China came to the Pakistani's help. In fact, Pakistan was handed a diplomatic and military defeat.

(xi) Nuclear Test and efforts towards improvement of relations: Indo-Pakistan relations acquired an entirely new dimension in the context of nuclear tests by both India and Pakistan in May 1998. The relations between the two neighbours hit a new low. India has been facing a nuclear threat arising out of China's clandestine support to build up the nuclear weapon capability of Pakistan since the mid seventies. No doubt, Pakistan's nuclear policy is targeted against India.

(xii) The extreme bitterness and tension between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the nuclear tests of May 1998 did bring with it an increasing realisation on both sides that things could not continue in the same manner indefinitely. That, some meeting ground between the two neighbours has to be found. Thus, foreign secretary level talks started, and a direct bus service between Delhi and Lahore was proposed by. Prime Minister Vajpayee's.

(xiii) Bus diplomacy and relation between India and Pakistan: Bus Diplomacy in 1998 marked a tremendous goodwill between the two countries. The Lahore Declaration signed at the time underlined the need for resolving all outstanding issues, including that of Kashmir, through peaceful means. While India agreed to bring Kashmir onto the agreed agenda along with other areas of mutual benefits, Pakistan conceded to bilateralism. The reference to the 'composite and integrated' dialogue process implied that the two would not be a hostage to any single issue.

(xiv) Kargil War and afterward events: Despite the great tension caused by the Kargil war and the terrorist attack against our Parliament (December 2001) the unconditional dialogue has resumed. The emphasis in these talks is to promote people to people contacts across LoC, and also improve economic ties between India and Pakistan. The change of government in India has not meant any deviation from our commitment to peaceful and prosperous co-existence with Pakistan.