Cyprus and Kashmir– Two Brother Worlds with Divided Destinies

by Dimitra Staikou

Two regions of the world, Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean and Kashmir in South Asia, have been transformed into bloody hotbeds of division. Although the causes, actors, and geopolitical conditions differ, both cases show how history, ethnic composition, and strategic balances can determine the fate of a society for decades. 

Cyprus and Kashmir are two characteristic examples of divided regions with different but related historical backgrounds. In Cyprus, the coup d’état by the Greek junta in July 1974 gave Turkey the pretext to invade militarily under the Treaty of Guarantee, resulting in the occupation of 37% of the island, the displacement of thousands of citizens, and the permanent establishment of the Green Line, while Ankara continues to maintain an army and support the isolated northern entity. In Kashmir, the partition of British India in 1947 led to a dispute over the status of the Muslim-majority principality, triggering wars between India and Pakistan and leaving the region divided into two zones of control; Islamabad actively seeks its incorporation, supports Pakistani and terrorist groups, and keeps the issue alive in its confrontation with India. In both cases, colonial legacy and geostrategic importance have been catalysts, with Turkey in Cyprus and Pakistan in Kashmir playing key roles in maintaining the divided reality.

Turkey’s circumvention of international law in Cyprus and Pakistan’s in Kashmir are prime examples of how national strategic priorities and the instrumentalization of religion undermine international legitimacy. In Cyprus, Turkey has continued for almost half a century to maintain troops on the territory of a recognised member state of the UN and the European Union, ignoring relevant resolutions calling for the withdrawal of occupying forces and respect for the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus. In Kashmir, Pakistan actively supports terrorist groups, systematically challenging India’s internationally recognized sovereignty and fueling a conflict with enormous humanitarian and geopolitical costs. In both cases, the invocation of Islam serves as a political and ideological alibi for the consolidation of illegal practices, obscuring the essence of the problem: the flagrant violation of fundamental principles that are supposed to govern the international community.

Daily life in the two areas reflects the burden of division with varying degrees of intensity. In Cyprus, Greek Cypriots live in a stable but unnatural situation, with the island divided, under the constant shadow of the Turkish military presence and the political pressures that this entails, but without any immediate threat to security and social stability in the southern part. In Kashmir, the Indian government continues to work on the development of citizen-focused infrastructure while spending large amounts of human, financial, and technical resources to ward off terror attacks sought to be carried out by Pakistani-sponsored groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jais-e-Mohammed. The recent terror attack in Pahalgam, which led to a short conflict between Indian and Pakistan was a stark reminder of how Pakistan-based terror groups continue to try and defeat the developmental efforts of the government. Thus, while in Cyprus the division has frozen the development of a state, in Kashmir the conflict continues to consume people’s lives.

From 2022 to 2025, Kashmir was the scene of continuous terrorist attacks, many of which are attributed to terrorist organizations with links to Pakistan. These attacks, mainly against civilians and tourists, have killed dozens of people and intensified tension in the region. In January 2022, in the Rajouri district, an attack with gunfire and an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion occurred, resulting in the death of seven people and the injury of 12 others. On January 1 & 2, 2023, in Dangri village in Rajouri district, two attacks occurred, one involving gunfire and one involving an IED explosion, causing seven casualties and 12 wounded. In April 2025, in the Pahalgam District of Kashmir, armed terrorists attacked tourists based on their religion, causing the deaths of 26 people. The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of LeT claimed responsibility for the attack.

Pakistan is financially and militarily a support to the terrorist organization operating in Kashmir, even though it does not claim responsibility and is playing a thieving war. However, Pakistan distinguishes itself from other foreign powers involved in efforts to maintain and manipulate the ongoing conflict, both by the extent of its objectives and the scale of its efforts, which include: seeking funding for the groups, funding their operations, providing logistical support, organizing training for their fighters, and finally planning and executing attacks.

It is now necessary to consider whether and how Pakistan relates to the situation in Cyprus as it provides support to Turkey. Pakistan has repeatedly expressed its support for Turkey regarding the Cyprus issue, although it has not fully recognized the independence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said in April 2025 that his country “fully supports the cause of the TRNC people” and “stands firmly by Turkey’s side in this matter”. This statement was also repeated in February 2025, when Sharif visited Ankara and expressed Pakistan’s full support to Turkey and the TRNC.This support is part of a broader strategic partnership between the two countries, which includes trade, energy, defence industry, and security. The two countries have signed 24 cooperation agreements to strengthen their bilateral relations. There have been multiple reports of Pakistan Air Force training with their Turkish counterparts near Cyprus, thus providing a security dimension to Pakistan’s support for TNRC. These blatant threats by Pakistan is ignored by the EU.

The Cyprus –Kashmir comparison shows two different sides of the partition: in Cyprus, Turkey’s political pressures limit life, but everyday life remains tolerable. In Kashmir, the constant threat from the terrorists and their support from Pakistan challenge the Indian government’s developmental and humanitarian efforts. International alliances and strategic interests, such as Pakistan’s support for Turkey on the Cyprus issue, show that politics and geopolitics often transcend international law, making the protection of civilians and rule-keeping a key priority for any peace effort.

About the Author: DIMITRA STAIKOU is a Greek freelance journalist and professional writer who writes about India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, and the Middle East in the Greek and the International Press.