India’s move of revoking special status of Kashmir could prove dangerous: China Daily

BEIJING, Aug 15 (APP)::By revoking the special status of Indian occupied Kashmir and splitting it into two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, New Delhi has opened a Pandora’s box.

India’s unilateral move to fundamentally change the administrative division of the region and seize Pakistani and Chinese territories have angered its two neighbors and invited strong reactions from both, according to an article published by China Daily here on Thursday.

New Delhi’s intention may be to completely change the status quo of the disputed region by revising its domestic law. But its careless move could put the already fragile geopolitical balance at risk, with many fearing the situation could deteriorate in the future.

To begin with, the security situation in Kashmir could take a turn for the worse. Ever since Kashmiri leader Burhan Wani was killed by Indian security forces on July 2016, the troubled region has been mired in clashes between Indian forces and Kashmiri protesters.

Given their strained relations with the Indian security forces, Kashmiri people fear that by abrogating the region’s special status, which endowed the region near-autonomous rights, the Indian government aims to change the demography of the region.

Thousands of Indian troops were deployed in Kashmir before the Indian government revoked Kashmir’s special status. Just weeks before the move, some reports said Indian forces had used cluster bombs against civilians along the Neelum River causing many casualties.

For more than a week, telephone, mobile phone and internet services have been suspended in Indian occupied Kashmir. And while all main roads are blocked, top Kashmiri politicians have been put under house arrest.