Expert Explains Surprising Connection Between New India-Pakistan Conflict and Hamas

A new clash has broken out between India and Pakistan following an assault on travelers in the Kashmir region. This information was provided by Natalia Butyrska, an authority on East Asian affairs and holder of a degree in international relations, during her appearance on the RBC-Ukraine YouTube channel.

Comparison with Hamas

She pointed out that the main distinction of this new conflict from previous ones is that civilians, not military personnel, were targeted.

Butyrska pointed out that some Indian media outlets made connections, drawing specific similarities, between Hamas’s assault on Israel, which targeted civilians.

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Features of the conflict

As she reports, witnesses of the assault on tourists in Kashmir say that seven assailants (comprising Pakistanis and locals from the region) targeted individuals based on their faith. They specifically aimed at Hindus and members of other religions (in essence, anyone who wasn’t Muslim).

A Muslim tourist attempted to assist others by trying to grab the attackers' weapon away from them, but unfortunately, he was shot.

"The conflict began in 1947 and primarily stems from religious differences, as Pakistan is predominantly Muslim whereas India is mainly Hindu. Nonetheless, the region of Jammu and Kashmir within India retains a majority Muslim populace. This area sought to align with Pakistan due to these religious tensions, which have also fueled past conflicts," clarified the expert.

When these regions were under British colonial rule, the partition did not follow ethnic or religious divisions. This violence significantly strained relationships between the two nations, leading to an enduring dispute.

"When incidents of terrorism such as these happen, as seen from India’s perspective, where people linked to Pakistan are involved, according to what India claims, Pakistan allegedly orchestrates them with the intent to disrupt the stability," Butyrska further explained.

India's exit from the Indus Water Treaty

The specialist argues that the Indus Water Treaty marked a period of comprehension between India and Pakistan. This accord aimed at fostering peace between the nations since "water shapes economies." Nevertheless, disputes haven’t ceased because of this treaty.

Due to this agreement, it was decided that the three rivers on the west would supply water to Pakistan, whereas the three rivers on the east would provide water for India.

Following the terrorist assault on tourists in Kashmir, India opted to halt its involvement in the accord.

"This is highly crucial for Pakistan since more than 25 percent of its farmland relies on irrigation from these water sources, which means this would be a substantial reduction," she noted.

The recent dispute between India and Pakistan stemming from the assault on tourists in Kashmir came to light several days ago. For additional information, refer to the RBC-Ukraine report.