THE KASHMIR MANIA

THE 2050 NARRATIVE

QAYOOM MADNI

Karim got a call cr….cr….. It is his friend, Najab calling from the Planet, Mars. Karim picks and listens Najab saying he is facing shortage of oxygen. Karim immediately opens his email account and mails ample amount of oxygen to him.  

Karim and najab were good friends in the planet, Earth. They grow together in the village school and graduated from Lasjin college of Physical and Material sciences, Srinagar in 2025. While as Karim remained in the valley to pursue higher education and got admitted in the University of Kashmir, Najab fate took him to United States of America. Najab was brilliant student and he got a scholarship from the California Science University to pursue his masters in Physical sciences.

In his last semester Najab got caught in trouble. China attacked America. First they hack all the Defense system of America through cyber virus and later Chinese troops landed in the American soil from the War planes. There was hue and cry all over. American army was caught in the trap; they had to face a tough situation. Huge causalities were carried on the army. American Army Chief Make Michael was killed. Chinese army was not alone fighting the American army, but troops from Russia and Iran also had joined the operation.

            The Chinese army was heading towards White house. However before reaching there to occupy white house, it flew to the planet Mars. American President John Gabriel along with other congress and senate members was in it. Fortunately Najab was also in the white house owing to his some project work.

            Few years before, it was discovered by the astronomers that life in Mars could be possible only if we take ample amount of oxygen with us. Later scientists worked hard to make this possible to send Oxygen through email rather than going from earth to Mars to carry oxygen for the people who live there. Whenever anybody was facing problem related to oxygen, he/she just mailed the family or relatives. Najab was also doing same, his friend was always there to be sure that he doesn’t face any problem there in the Mars.

Back to Kashmir, karim was doing Nuclear research in Kashmir’s own Nuclear Institute. Kashmir which was occupied by Indian forces from 1947 was now a free state. Indian had left it on the agreement with Pakistan that Azad Kashmir will remain with Pakistan and Jammu and Ladakh with India and Kashmir will be a free state. However it was not easy for the Kashmiris, Jammu blocked the way for Kashmir to outside the world. For most of the time Kashmir remained unconnected with the world. Tourism suffered, economy was diminishing and people lived life of suffering and starvation. It was only after Kashmir leaders pleaded Pakistan that Muzaffarabad Road was opened. However Kashmir had to pay ten lakh rupees per year for it.

Kashmiri leaders tried to introduce Islamic sharia, but there was lot of resentment from different religious quarters and from minorities. At many place Shia Sunni were at logger heads with each other. Many people were reported killed in the crisis.

            Karim was now living in the Khanyar area of Srinagar. He had married to a college lecturer, Najma. He has two children, son Fareed, 06 and daughter Qurat, 09. There were all modern gadgets available to them. They used to go school only in Sundays, and in other days of week online teaching was provided. Karim was near to make Kashmir a nuclear power. He was working on Syed Ali missile.

The relations of Kashmir with neighboring countries, India and Pakistan were not good. However the Middle East countries like turkey and Egypt were ready for help at each and every moment. They had started investments in Kashmir. In addition Sudia Arabia and Iran were providing LPG gas and petroleum.

Back to Mars najab recently married to a Christian woman, Sarah franklin. Najab and franklin are working to make oxygen available in the Mars.