New book to tell the J&K story -- from 1889 to 2019

A new book will tell the riveting story of the history of Jammu and Kashmir, from the time of its political and geographic consolidation under Maharaja Gulab Singh to the present-day, publishers Bloomsbury announced on Wednesday.

Titled, "Kashmir's Untold Story: Declassified", the book penned by filmmaker Iqbal Chand Malhotra and defence analyst Maroof Raza, will hit stands on September 18.

The book, which comes after the scrapping of Article 370 and 35A earlier this month, will also shed light on why the special status was "integral to the accession treaty".

The former state has now been bifurcated into two union territories -- J&K and Ladakh.

"The book reveals amazing insights into the Government of India's policy towards the state, right from 1889, when it first imposed central rule and dispossessed the rule of the then Maharaja, till date," Bloomsbury said in a statement.

Publishers said that it will also provide answers to some of the most asked questions on the situation in the Valley, like "Why has this state of siege in the Kashmir valley continued for 72 years since the Partition of India?", "What role has Pakistan played in it all these years?", or the question of the hour, "Will there ever be a resolution to the militancy in the state?".

"... It provides answers to these gripping questions and joins the dots in presenting the matrix of a consistent and compelling argument regarding the future of the state of Jammu and Kashmir," they added.

Other pressing issues that will be dealt with in the book will include "China's interests in J&K", "Islamic Jihad" and the "Indus Water Treaty (IWT)" -- water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan.

"Today, the state's water resources are coveted by the beleaguered Chinese microchip industry and it appears that this is going to determine the continuing militancy in the state.

"Malhotra and Raza argue that China and its client Pakistan will actively back the militancy, come what may," Bloomsbury said.