Kashmir – a beautiful conflict zone

A deadly attack on civilians in Indian-controlled Kashmir has threatened to reignite one of Asia’s longest-running conflicts after New Delhi blamed the violence on Pakistan, which aroused fears of a renewed confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbours. Twenty-six people were killed and 17 wounded on Tuesday when suspected militants opened fire in a scenic tourism destination which India blamed on Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based armed group, though Kashmiri secessionists claimed credit.  There has already been an exchange of fire on the border and India has suspended a major treaty governing water sharing of six rivers in the Indus basin between the two countries.

 Kashmir has been a point of contention since the violent partition of India and Pakistan in 1947 and there have been several conflicts over the decades as tensions erupted into the open.

 Pakistan declared independence at 9.30 am on 14^th August 1947 and India at midnight going into the 15 August 1947 so both have relatively similar planets placings though in different houses. Most notably at the moment their Mars at zero degrees Cancer will be on edge as tr Saturn squares the Mars from June 10^th onwards, joined at intervals by a retrograding tr Neptune square into 2026 and until early 2027 – bringing aggravation and then a sense of failure.

 Pakistan has their Mars in an explosive, excitable conjunction with Uranus sitting at their midheaven so it will affect their direction over the next two years – and with tr Saturn Neptune in Aries moving through their 7^th, neighbourly squalls were to be expected.

 India has its Mars Uranus in its financial 2^nd house so there may be economic repercussions.

 Both countries were ‘born’ when the tough-minded, enduring and super-stubborn Saturn Pluto conjunction in Leo was in place with Venus, Sun and Mercury also in Leo and Jupiter in Scorpio – very Fixed and unbudgeable.

 Both also have Neptune in Libra catching the recent Solar Eclipse and the late September Eclipse, hinting at a need to choose between greater understanding or self-deceit – with the latter being the more likely.  Pakistan has its Neptune in the 1^st for a tricky-to-pin-down image. India has its Neptune in the 5^th possibly a reference to its inclination towards speculation.

  India is much more money-minded and to a degree inward looking with a lower hemisphere chart. Pakistan is independent with a left hand chart but has more connections elsewhere.

 Mars Pluto looms large on Narendra Modi’s chart, the India prime minister. Born 17 September 1950, no verified birth time, he is a Sun, Mercury, Saturn in Virgo; with Mars in Scorpio square Pluto on one side and square Jupiter in Aquarius on the other. At the moment his Solar Arc Uranus is conjunct his Sun for an unsettled year with sudden changes, and his Solar Arc Pluto (square SA Mars) is catching the tr Pluto square – so will be in a belligerent mood.

 Modi’s Third Term chart, 9 June 2024, has a close ruthlessly determined Mars in Taurus square Pluto in Aquarius which is catching this weekend’s tr Pluto opposition Mars exactly, repeating till the end of the year. So he won’t back down.

 The Pakistani leader General Asim Munir has varying birthdates – 1968 or 1966. His administration chart, 29 November 2022 has an excitable Mutable T Square of Mars opposition Mercury square Neptune Jupiter in Pisces which is not at the best of times overly steady and will be undermined by tr Neptune Saturn conjunct the Jupiter this year and into 2026.

 If he was born 6 June 1966 10.15pm Rawalpindi, as one astrology site suggested, then he is a Sun Mars in Gemini square Uranus Pluto in Virgo with his Solar Arc Mars catching the tr Pluto opposition now.

  The Kashmir Accession chart, 27 October 1947 when it was handed to India, has a Mars, Pluto, Saturn conjunction in Leo; which has moved with the Solar Arc Mars conjunct the Scorpio Sun at the moment. Though much has changed in the interim 80 years.