Christopher Snedden Libri

A radical new look at the largely forgotten four million people of Azad Kashmir - the part of Kashmir occupied by Pakistan, and separated by a Line of Control from Indian territory In Kashmir: The Unwritten History, politico-strategic analyst Christopher Snedden contends that in October 1947, pro-Pakistan Muslims in southwestern J&K instigated the Kashmir dispute - not Pashtun tribesmen invading from Pakistan, as India has consistently claimed. Later called Azad Kashmiris, these people, Snedden argues, are legitimate stakeholders in an unresolved dispute. He provides comprehensive new information that critically examines Azad Kashmir's administration, economy, political system and its subordinate relationship with Pakistan. Azad Kashmiris considered their administration to be the only legitimate government in J&K and expected that it would rule after J&K was re-unified by a UN-supervised plebiscite. This poll has never been conducted and Azad Kashmir has effectively, if not yet legally, become a (dependent) part of Pakistan. Long disenchanted with Islamabad, some Azad Kashmiris now favour independence for J&K, hoping that they may survive and prosper without recourse to either of their bigger neighbours. Snedden concludes by assessing the various proposals that have been mooted to resolve Azad Kashmir's international status and the broader Kashmir dispute.

The book explores the quest for independence in Jammu and Kashmir since 1947, focusing on key figures like Maharaja Hari Singh and Sheikh Abdullah, along with pro-independence Muslims. It delves into the historical and political complexities that have fueled this enduring aspiration, highlighting the reasons why the goal of independence remains unfulfilled despite persistent efforts.

The seemingly intractable Kashmir dispute and the fate of Kashmiris throughout South Asia and beyond are the twin themes in Snedden's meticulously researched book.