A significant session was held at the Ankara-based think tank ‘ADAM’ (Ankara Center for Thought and Research) focusing on recent tensions between Pakistan and India and the latest situation in Kashmir.
During the session, Turkish scholar Gökhan Ümit stated that the Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India is historically continuous and fundamentally about the identity of Kashmiri Muslims. After the Pulwama attack, discussions again shifted toward the Muslim-Hindu divide.
He noted that India, as usual, accused Pakistan of supporting terrorism but failed to provide concrete evidence. Additionally, India rejected Pakistan’s offer for a neutral international investigation into the Pulwama incident.
Gökhan Ümit added that following the abrogation of Article 370, the status of Jammu and Kashmir has changed. Under Prime Minister Modi’s government, India has closed doors to negotiations. He emphasized that meaningful dialogue requires positive steps from both sides.
The Turkish scholar further stated that resolving regional issues by military means alone is very difficult, especially as Pakistan’s military is capable of responding effectively to Indian attacks.
