Time to rethink our Kashmir policy: Demographic change is no longer a choice

A square peg doesn’t fit a round hole. And expecting Pakistan to behave like a responsible nation has always been a delusion. It was never meant to be one.

As Wali Khan, son of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, wrote in ‘Facts Are Facts: The Untold Story of India’s Partition’, Pakistan was carved out as a vassal Islamic state to serve British interests after Bharat’s independence. In the 1980s, the United States converted it into a jihadi factory, breeding Islamic Jihadists for their Cold War against the Soviets in Afghanistan. Then, the 2021 withdrawal of American forces left behind a nuclear-armed, ideologically radicalised state teetering on collapse.

Today, as Col. Ajay K Raina—veteran, author, and leading commentator on regional geopolitics—puts it, Pakistan resembles “Heera Mandi”—a brothel of ideologies where everything is up for sale. From its political class to terror groups, its establishment dances to the tune of whoever funds them.

The recent killing of innocent tourists in Pahalgam is a painful reminder of Pakistan’s proxy war against India. And it’s not just across the border—there is complicity, or at the very least passive support, from within the valley. Terrorists need local logistics and intelligence networks. Time and again, we’ve seen a section of Kashmir’s population provide exactly that.

The harsh truth

Although demographic change is inevitable, this has been a conversation we’ve never had since 1947. And perhaps now, we must. After decades of investment, special status, appeasement, and security operations, Kashmir remains vulnerable to Pakistan-sponsored terror. The reality is, without changing the demography of Kashmir, we will continue to be held hostage by a section that benefits from India’s generosity while betraying its very idea.

Currently, Muslims make up approximately 97 per cent of Kashmir valley’s population, compared to around 20 per cent in the rest of the country. This imbalance is neither healthy nor sustainable for national integration. We must strive for demographic parity reflective of our diversity—Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Christians, Buddhists, and Parsis should be encouraged and supported to make Kashmir their home.

If Article 370 can be abrogated and if the Indus Waters Treaty can be revisited, then demographic restructuring is also within the reach of policymakers. Full integration requires economic and social normalisation—not just constitutional paperwork.

Global precedents exist

Pakistan violated the UN resolution on Jammu & Kashmir by settling Punjabi Muslims in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoJK). Like some Pakistan’s political leaders have admitted, this was done to alter the region’s demography and tighten Islamabad’s grip on the area.

China has executed similar policies in Tibet and Xinjiang, systematically changing the ethnic makeup of those regions. From colonial eras to the modern age, globally contested zones have witnessed demographic restructuring—nations have used population policies to ensure long-term security and integration.

So why should India hesitate to do what’s necessary for its sovereignty?

The practical measures

With the right incentives and secure green zones for industries, commercial hubs, and residential areas, Kashmir’s demography can be reshaped over a couple of decades. The initial wave will be tough, but once settlements take root, momentum will build. We need 1,000 early willing movers to pioneer this shift.

My living in Afghanistan for 12 years showed me how Indians thrived across Afghan society, growing in every sector, despite palpable risks. Taliban kidnappings and brutal killings of some Indians didn’t stop them. I’ve seen the same in Iraq and South Sudan, where Indians ventured into businesses and made homes despite all dangers. If they could do that in foreign lands, we can surely do it in our own homeland.

Identify the willing migrants

Ex-servicemen, nationalist citizens, business owners, and entrepreneurs can be encouraged to settle in Kashmir. In a nation of 1.3 billion, finding a million committed citizens over a decade is not a challenge.

Remember the Mars One mission? Over 20,000 Indians applied for a one-way ticket to Mars. Surely, we can find brave, patriotic individuals ready to secure the country’s future. And once Kashmiri Hindus feel safe and see ideal opportunities, they will return to their roots.

Support business relocation

The startups, MSMEs, and industrialists can be incentivised to move to Kashmir. With over 1.5 lakh startups, we can easily find a thousand founders ready to build businesses, provided there’s government backing in the form of security and funding. Special economic packages, GeM preferences, and fast-tracked permissions will create jobs and build trust on the ground.

Protected urban clusters—ring-fenced by DSC personnel (retired and re-employed armed forces veterans)—can serve as launchpads for settlers. These zones would ensure security, infrastructure, and access to capital. Gradually, they will expand outward.

Integrate the willing

Not all Kashmiris are separatists. Many yearn for peace, development, and opportunities. Engage them. Make them stakeholders. Those who believe in India must be empowered—politically, economically, and socially.

The Pahalgam attack was not just a failure of security—it was a wake-up call. Pakistan’s strategy hasn’t changed in 75 years. It’s time ours did.

No nation has survived by feeding snakes in its backyard. It is time to de-radicalise the valley—not just through counter-terror operations but via social restructuring and demographic inclusion.

Let us not wait for another tragedy. The time to act is now.

(The author is founder of MyStartup TV)