Editorial: Normalcy remains elusive

The terror attack on a police bus on the outskirts of Srinagar, claiming three lives, comes as a grim reminder of the audacity with which the Pakistan-sponsored terror outfits have been carrying out their macabre agenda in Jammu & Kashmir. The timing of the strike, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the Parliament attack, is […]

The terror attack on a police bus on the outskirts of Srinagar, claiming three lives, comes as a grim reminder of the audacity with which the Pakistan-sponsored terror outfits have been carrying out their macabre agenda in Jammu & Kashmir. The timing of the strike, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the Parliament attack, is worrisome as it shows that the terrorists have been able to pick their targets at will. The ambush, which resulted in the death of an assistant sub-inspector and two constables, was reportedly carried out by a little-known outfit ‘Kashmir Tigers’, believed to be a front of Jaish-e-Mohammed. Pakistan-based Jaish was responsible for the February 2019 Pulwama attack, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel. The attack came days after two cops were gunned down by terrorists in Bandipora district. The spurt in terror strikes reflects a sorry state of affairs and shows that normalcy remains elusive even more than two years after the abrogation of Article 370. The State-turned-Union Territory witnessed a spate of targeted killings of civilians, including local residents and migrant workers, in October. The incidents prompted the security forces to step up operations to eliminate terrorists. According to data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal, every year around 40 civilians have died in J&K in the past three years, while the death toll of security personnel has been witnessing a decline. However, the firing on the police bus makes it clear that the security forces cannot afford to lower their guard.

It appears that the nefarious elements, created and nurtured by Pakistan, are bent upon creating trouble and vitiating the political atmosphere ahead of the Assembly elections being planned for next year. Resumption of the long-delayed democratic process could serve as an effective antidote to the rise of militancy in the Valley. The terror outfits want to strike at this very root of the democratic process. The challenges before the NDA government are manifold. First, there is a need to curb infiltrators and deprive them of local support by initiating confidence-building measures and strengthening the grassroots level democracy. At the same time, the government should never let an opportunity go on international platforms to expose Islamabad’s devious agenda. On one hand, scrapping Article 370 has alienated the mainstream political parties with their leaders being detained under tough laws and the Centre failing to take follow-up action, the changing geopolitical dynamics in the neighbourhood has, on the other hand, made the security situation in the trouble-torn Valley more vulnerable. The anti-India terrorist outfits, created and nurtured by the Pakistani Deep State, were emboldened by the turn of events in Afghanistan. The fears that militancy in Kashmir will grow, following the release of several prisoners belonging to various terror groups from Afghan jails, are now coming true.

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