NEW YORK: The threat of a nuclear war between Pakistan and India is not yet over and will continue to loom unless both countries address the core issue of their conflict — Kashmir, cautioned an editorial in The New York Times.
The editorial, which was published on Thursday, noted that though the recent escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbours in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack — that took place last month in occupied Kashmir’s Pulwama district and killed over 40 Indian soldiers — had simmered down, the threat of another serious confrontation could not be ruled out until both countries make serious efforts to solve the Kashmir dispute.
“A solution to a conflict that touches so many religious and nationalist nerves must ultimately come from within, through talks among India, Pakistan and the people of [occupied] Kashmir. It’s a long shot, and the protagonists have shown no serious interest, but that’s the reality nonetheless,” it read.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged New Delhi to hold dialogue over the Kashmir conflict more than once since he assumed power last year and has warned that continued suppression of Kashmiris by the Indian forces will result in grim consequences.
The editorial also highlighted the importance of United States’ intervention in the issue.
India had blamed Pakistan for the Pulwama attack, that was carried out by a Kashmiri youth and was claimed by Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), a group that has been proscribed in Pakistan since 2002. The accusation was vehemently rejected by Islamabad but Prime Minister Khan, in order to prevent a confrontation, promised that if India shared “actionable evidence”, Pakistan would investigate it.