A CRY FROM A KASHMIRI HEART

As a Kashmiri Muslim who has lived through decades of conflict, bloodshed and political exploitation, I find myself compelled to raise my voice against a pattern that has only brought destruction to my homeland. Today, I address Pakistan not with hatred, but with a heartfelt appeal: stop this dirty business of innocent killings carried out under the false banner of Kashmiriyat and Islam.

The recent spike in ceasefire violations along the Line of Control has once again thrust our people into fear and mourning. Mortar shells and sniper fire rain down on our villages, killing civilians, displacing families and robbing children of their future. While military statements are issued and global headlines briefly flash, it is we-the ordinary people of Kashmir, who bear the burden of this relentless violence.

It is time to say the uncomfortable truth, these violations are not acting of defense, nor are they part of any noble mission for the welfare of Kashmiris. They are strategic provocations, political maneuvers dressed up in the language of religion and freedom. Pakistan, through its military and non-state actors, continues to meddle in Kashmir, invoking Islam and Kashmiriyat to justify actions that only lead to the killing of innocents.

Let us be clear-Kashmiriyat is a centuries-old cultural ethos of harmony, coexistence and mutual respect among communities. It has nothing to do with cross-border terrorism, infiltration or the cynical exploitation of religion. The idea of Kashmiriyat has been hijacked and distorted by external forces to validate violence that our people neither asked for nor support.

The misuse of Islam in this geopolitical struggle is equally shameful. Islam teaches peace, compassion and the sanctity of life. There is nothing Islamic about planting bombs in markets, targeting schoolchildren or using mosques as recruitment centers for terrorists. The manipulation of religion for political ends is not just un-Islamic-it is immoral.

I have watched young men from my town disappear across the LoC, lured by promises of training, weapons and martyrdom. Some returned in body bags, others came back broken, disillusioned by the lies they were fed. Their lives were used as pawns in a deadly game played by those sitting safely in bunkers and government offices far from the frontlines.

It is no secret that Pakistan’s military establishment has long used the Kashmir issue as a tool to maintain its own internal power. By keeping the pot boiling in Kashmir, it justifies its bloated defense budgets and political dominance at home. For them, Kashmir is not a cause-it is a means of staying relevant in Pakistan.

But we, the people of Kashmir are not chess downs, we are human beings who want peace, education, prosperity and dignity. We are tired of being spoken for by those who do not suffer with us. Pakistan claims to be the guardian of Kashmiris and sends terrorists to Kashmir to get killed by our security forces.

Even those of us who once looked across the border with hope and solidarity have seen the reality. The oppressed cannot liberate the oppressed through the tools of oppression. If Pakistan truly cared about the Muslims of Kashmir, it would stop funding and facilitating terrorism in our land. It would respect our right to live without fear. It would build bridges, not bunkers for its own citizens first.

I do not deny that the pain in Kashmir is real or that political injustices exist. But these cannot and must not be addressed through bullets. Dialogue, diplomacy and internal reform are the only sustainable paths forward. Every time a shell is fired across the Line of Control, another chance for peace is buried under rubble.

I also appeal to fellow Kashmiris: let us not be blinded by rhetoric. Let us question those who offer us guns instead of books, slogans instead of opportunities. The real struggle is not for land, but for the soul of Kashmir-a Kashmir where our children can dream without being haunted by the sound of gunfire.

This is not a betrayal of our identity, it is a defense of it. True Kashmiriyat lies in saving lives, not sacrificing them on the altar of false glory. True Islam lies in protecting the innocent, not exploiting their pain for political gain.

To Pakistan, I say this: end the ceasefire violations, dismantle the terror infrastructure, stop sending deaths in the name of religion and culture. You do not honor us by turning our valleys into graveyards. You dishonor your own faith and humanity by shedding innocent blood. We want peace-not silence born of fear, but the genuine peace that comes when the guns fall silent and hearts begin to heal. You can be a part of that peace or you can continue down this path of destruction. The choice is yours. And history will judge you for it.