Following the landslide victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2019 Indian General Elections, the government led by Narendra Modi swiftly announced revocation of the special status of Jammu & Kashmir by repealing Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution on 5 August 2019. More than five years on, the Muslim majority of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) continues to be marginalised in every domain of their lives. They remain subjected to the worst kind of exploitation and repression, while being disenfranchised in the land of their ancestors. Regrettably, the world, at large, remains a spectator of this tragedy. To take stock of the current situation in IIOJK, and deliberate possible remedial measures, CASS organised a special lecture as part of its Catalyst Conversations Series on 7 August 2024 titled ‘Chinars in Chains: India’s Siege of Jammu and Kashmir’. The lecture aimed to explore the socio-political impacts of abrogating Articles 370 and 35A in IIOJK, assess India’s strategic objectives and Kashmiri responses, and deliberate on internationalising the Jammu & Kashmir dispute. It also sought to analyse Pakistan’s options, role of digital narratives in shaping international perceptions, and influence of non-traditional diplomatic channels on the Jammu and Kashmir conflict. The distinguished subject matter expert was Mr Altaf Hussain Wani, Chairman, Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR). The ‘Catalyst Conversation’ was moderated by Air Marshal Farooq Habib (Retd), Senior Director at CASS with concluding remarks by President of CASS, Islamabad Air Marshal Javaid Ahmed (Retd).
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