Pakistan was created out of India in 1947 during the partition of
India. Both the countries became independent from Great Britain. Series of
conflicts between India and Paskitan is termed as India-Pakistan War. After
gaining independence from British rule, both the countries are involved in
series of conflicts, wars etc. Several reasons of conflicts are border dispute,
Kashmir problem, Water dispute and terror controversy. Despite being initiated
the wars and conflicts by Pakistan, all are ended up with the defeat or
disastor for Pakistan. Do you know when first war between India and Pakistan
took place and why? What were the reasons of other wars and conflicts between
India and Pakistan? Let us study through this article.
Reasons and Effects of
India-Pakistan Wars are as follows:
1. Indo-Pakistan War
1947- 48:
Reasons:
- Kashmir Problem has been central to the dispute between India
and Pakistan.
- In, 1947 when India was partitioned, Maharaja Hari Singh, the
Hindu ruler of Muslim dominated Kashmir, dreamt of the Independent State of
Kashmir.
However the partition riots broke out in Kashmir in September 1947
when Muslims were killed in Western part of Kashmir. This led people of this
part to rebel against Maharaja and declared their own Azad Kashmir Government.
- Sensing it as an opportunity, Pakistan sent the Pakistani tribal
armies to Kashmir which got into fifteen miles from the state’s capital, Srinagar.
- Alarmed at this
intrusion, Maharaja
asked India for assistance. However, India asked him to sign
the Instrument of accession to India. Maharaja Hari Singh signed it and Sheikh
Abdullah leader of National Conference of Kashmir assented, India accepted the
merger of J & K to India. Finally, India sent its forces to Kashmir while
Pakistan sent military aid to troopers aiding Azad Kashmir movement.
Effects:
- The Indo-Pakistan War ended in a stalemate because PM Nehru of
India pursued the idealistic path of using diplomatic means through the newly
created United Nations Organisation to try and force Pakistan to withdraw its
irregular forces from J & K. Also, UNSC resolutions 39 and 47 were not in
India’s favour and Pakistan refused to abide by these resolutions.
- So, Pakistan now
controls a part of J & K called “Pakistan
Occupied Kashmir (POK) “in India and The Indian Kashmir is
called “Indian
Occupied Kashmir” in Pakistan.
However, at the
conclusion of the War, many Pakistanis considered the performance of their
military to be positive. 6
September is celebrated as Defence Day in Pakistan, in
commemoration of successful defence of Lahore against the Indian Army.
After the Tashkent declaration the two sides of the nation got
disillusioned and Z. A Bhutto, Pakistani’s premier said that ‘Hindu Culture’
was determined to devour ‘Islamic Culture’.
- Pakistan showed hard postures to solve Kashmir dispute.
- Pakistan allowed China
to use road in Gilgit an
area of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
- Disputes even emerged over the use of Ganga waters and
construction of Farakka barrage.
- With this the relations between the two further reached at its
lowest ebb in 1971, which results in the emergence of civil war in East
Pakistan with lots of Chaos, So, now another war with Pakistan.
3. Indo-Pakistan War of
1971:
Reasons:
- After partition the
East Wing of Bengal had joined Pakistan as East Pakistan and between the two
parts of Pakistan was about 1200
miles of Indian Territory. Also, Pakistan’s military
government did not pay much attention to East Pakistan and Urdu was imposed
upon it.
- The immediate source of conflict was denial of the office of
Premier to Sheikh Mujibur Rehman of East Bengal whose party had won 160 out of
300 seats in the 1970 elections.
- Pakistani leader Z.A Bhutto and President Yahya Khan denied
rights to East Bengal.
Effects:
- When Pakistan attacked Indian airfields in Kashmir, India
attacked both East and West Pakistan.
- India occupied the
eastern half, which declared its Independence
as Bangladesh on 6 December, 1971.
- Both countries agreed
to cease-fire and Z.A Bhutto emerged as a leader of Pakistan and Mujibur Rehman as first President of
Bangladesh in 1972.
- Negotiations broke out
between Indian Premier Indira Gandhi and Pakistani President Z.A Bhutto which
led to the signing of Shimla
Agreement in June 1972 for restoration of peace and order
between the two states.
Shimla Accord objectives
are:
- India was to seek peaceful solutions to disputes and problems
through bilateral negotiations and neither India nor Pakistan would
unilaterally change the existing situation.
- They will not use force against each other, nor violate the
territory integrity, nor interfere in political freedom of each other.
Note: War of 1971 lasts
13 days and is considered to be one of the shortest wars in History- rivalled
only by the Six Day War between the Arab’s and the Israelis.
4. Indo-Pakistan War of
1999:
Reasons:
- The cause of the War
was the infiltration
of Pakistani soldiers and Kashmiri militants into Kargil district of
J & K and along the LOC (Line of Control).
- The intrusion into the
area, that divided the Indian territory of Ladakh from the northern areas of
the state, surprised the Indian army and Operation Vijay was launched
immediately to flush out the enemies from the Kargil sector.
- Tiger Hill, one
of the highest peaks in the Drass- Kargil area of the State, became the focal point
during the War.
- Indian Air Force (IAF) joined this operation and finally, after
the fierce War of more than 60 days, India recaptured Tiger Hill and pushed the
Pakistani forces back to the territory.
Effects:
- Indian Prime Minister
Atal Behari Vajpayee signed Lahore Declaration with Nawaz Sharif the then Prime
Minister of Pakistan on 21
February, 1999 to maintain peace and stability between
their countries and for progress and prosperity of their peoples.