Bitter discord over Kashmir conflict caused the generals to seize control

The latest coup d'etat by Pakistan's military has once more thrown the spotlight on one of the world's oldest and most brutal conflicts, over the disputed region of Kashmir.

Disagreements between Pakistan's military and political leaders regarding the conduct of the war with India over Kashmir have been cited as the main cause for the coup.

Kashmir, with its snow-capped Himalayan mountain ranges and fertile valleys, should be a tourist honeypot. Its name has travelled the world courtesy of the fine wool sheared from the goats that graze its mountain slopes. Srinagar, the capital of the Indian state, was once famous for its mosques and temples and an intricate maze of waterways.

Today, though, Srinagar is an occupied city. Indian soldiers control the city from their bunkers during the day, but they have no answer for the nightly guerrilla violence that breaks out after dark. Muslim fundamentalists have forcibly shut cinemas, video libraries and beauty parlours as part of their campaign against "infidel" activities.

It is the same throughout the rest of Kashmir, which has become a no-go zone for most of the world, a region ravaged by extreme violence and the enduring threat of an all-out war between two nuclear powers.

The problems of the region are yet another colonial hangover from the break-up of the British Empire, but one which has lasted far longer than most others. When British India was partitioned into a Hindu India and a Muslim Pakistan in 1947, there was uncertainty about what to do with Kashmir and the neighbouring region of Jammu.

Jammu and Kashmir were not part of the British India. They were ruled as a "princely state" by an Hindu maharajah who was left with the decision of whether to merge with India or Pakistan. When Pathan tribesmen invaded from Pakistan, the maharajah hurriedly opted to join India. The result was the first Indo-Pakistani war.

Pakistan has rejected Kashmir's accession to India and has repeatedly pressed for a plebiscite to decide the issue. A large majority of the population of 8.5 million is Muslim, so Pakistan could reasonably expect to win any vote. India, fearful of a "domino effect" that might spill over into other states, has always opposed a plebiscite.

The situation was further complicated when China moved into part of a neighbouring province following the Sino-Indian war of 1962. China has continued to maintain a close interest in developments between the two principal protagonists in Kashmir.

India and Pakistan resumed their warfare in 1965 and again in 1971. A "line of control" has since been formed to mark the boundary between the Pakistani- and Indian-controlled parts of the province. Pakistan controls one-third of the territory, and India the rest.

Since 1987, the level of violence has substantially increased and at least 20,000 Kashmiris have died in the conflict. A variety of armed groups has sprung up, some fighting for union with Pakistan and others demanding complete independence.

The Indian army moved into the region in large numbers and in 1990 Kashmir was placed under direct rule from Delhi. However, Muslim rebels have fallen under the influence of Afghanistan's fundamentalist Taliban militia, and the conflict has reached new levels of ferocity.

With each cycle of violence, the stakes are raised. Pakistan and India, despite being two of the world's poorest countries, have spent billions in their endless quest to maintain military superiority. Earlier this year, the two countries seemed to be on the brink of a fourth battle, but pulled back at the last moment. However, fighting in Kashmir was heavier than it had been for years, as Pakistani soldiers moved across the line of control to fight with the rebel groups.

According to analysts, this week's coup represents a victory for the "hawks" in the Pakistani establishment. Its effects are likely to be visible in the mountains of Kashmir within weeks.