Reuters: Pakistan expels Indian ambassador as Kashmir dispute escalates
ISLAMABAD/SRINAGAR, India (Reuters) - Pakistan said on Wednesday it would expel India’s ambassador and suspend bilateral trade with its arch-rival after New Delhi stripped its portion of the contested Kashmir region of special status.
Neighbors China and Pakistan, which both claim parts of Kashmir, have voiced fierce opposition to India’s removal of a constitutional provision that had allowed the country’s only Muslim-majority state to make its own laws.
Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have twice waged war over Kashmir and in February engaged in an aerial clash. India, which has been battling insurgents there for 30 years, said the special status had hindered Kashmir’s development and it wanted to fully integrate the region with the rest of the country.
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WNU Editor: Pakistan is now warning of war .... Pakistan Warns Of War After India's Move To End Kashmir's Special Status (NPR).
Update: Reports like this are now coming in .... Heavy Firing Reported Between Indian, Pakistani Military Along Line of Control in Kashmir (Sputnik).
More News On The Kashmir Crisis
India revokes Kashmir's special status: All the latest updates -- Al Jazeera
Pakistan expels Indian high commissioner in protest at arch-rival's decision to revoke Kashmir's special status – as protester dies being chased by police and 100 are arrested for defying a strict lockdown -- Daily Mail
Armed soldiers patrol silent streets after Kashmir curfew -- AFP
Besieged by Indian troops, Kashmir mourns loss of autonomy -- Al Jazeera
Pakistan downgrades ties with India over Kashmir moves -- AP
Pakistan downgrades diplomatic ties, suspends trade with India over Kashmir, govt says -- France 24
Kashmir dispute: Pakistan downgrades ties with India -- BBC
Pakistan vows to increase pressure on India over Kashmir -- DW
Indian ambassador expelled amid Kashmir 'ethnic cleansing' fear -- The Guardian
Pakistan expels Indian envoy & recalls ambassador over Kashmir row -- RT
Pakistan to downgrade diplomatic relations, suspend bilateral trade with India -- RT
If this gets to a major conflict, China will face a dilemma as great as any since the days of Chou En Lai, Tito, Nehru, and the Non-alignment pact. With the New Silk Road Project and safe sea transit of the Indian Ocean in grave danger.
ReplyDeleteIndia and Pakistan flare up fairly regularly every ten years or so. I think we can expect some shoe banging and border skirmishes, but not any large scale air or ground battles. Much less a nuke exchange.
ReplyDeleteI'm not so sure it's business as usual this time.
DeleteI should be clearer at least on one part of it. China was originally a big India backer but over the years switched to Pakistan. I don't expect a nuke event, but here is part of China's dilemma, if they back Pakistan too much they alienate not only India but also most Shias (or Iran) endangering their access to Iranian oil if on the other hand they back India too much they lose the Sunni world. Both India and Pakistan are strategically close to China's New Silk Road Project. I don't doubt there will be a lot of realpolitik involved but it could go south for China very easily.
DeleteThat is interesting...
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't give oil much of an impact in this situation. I have a suspicion allah has loopholes in the Koran so that the infidel Chinese can buy all of the Iranian's oil they want to buy.