Status Quo to Status Quo Ante: The trajectory from negative peace to positive peace in Kashmir

Abstract

The evidence maintains that there has been consistency in Indian policies in IOK from the first Kashmiri origin Pundit, J.L Nehru, to Martha origin Modi regime to maintain the Status quo in the realistic framework since 1947. The study analyses empirically the conflict prevention, conflict management and conflict transformation approaches which did not resolve the dispute but were used as carriers to Indian quest to regional hegemony. This discourse maintains that every and any conventional conflict resolution mechanism so far perused by Kashmiris and the legal party. Pakistan did not yield the desired result because in case of asymmetrical conflicts the imbalance proved the main impediment, therefore, underdog status of the Kashmiri cannot be changed until and unless there is another reliable powerful actor on board to balance the region while having interests with the underdog. The main contribution of this rationale debate is that flagship investment in the CPEC by China will supplement the imbalance between India and Pakistan through soft power, therefore brings regional balancing in play. It would be the catalyst to give gentle nudge from negative peace to positive peace in post 5th August 2019 scenario in IoJK because in the region is a dire requirement of the emerging superpower.