Terror attacks in J&K challenge the new government, raising concerns about regional stability.
New Delhi: The ongoing terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, including the attacks on non-locals, army convoys, Village Defence Guards (VDGs) and grenade blast at a crowded flea market in Srinagar, reflects the ‘unease’, ‘restlessness’ and ‘pressure’ in Pakistan, as it continues to ‘pressurise’ and aid its proxies in the Union Territory to fuel terrorism and bloodshed. According to the top security officials, these ongoing terrorist attacks are a means to challenge the new government and show to the world that despite the successful democratic elections in Jammu and Kashmir, peace and normalcy cannot be achieved.
This new wave of violence right after the completion of the democratic process and the formation of a newly elected government after almost a decade, reflects a troubling shift in the insurgent tactics, with Pakistan-sponsored terrorists, with the aid of local militants and overground workers (OGWs) leveraging every opportunity to disrupt and destabilise the region. These terror attacks, which have caused panic amongst the security apparatus aren’t just physical attacks but are an open challenge to undermine the very fabric of democracy and effective governance.
A top security officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity said, “The democratic process just got completed in Jammu and Kashmir and that too without any violence. This reflects people’s trust in democracy. But the fact of the matter is that Pakistan is still not ready to accept the truth and continues to keep this (terror) ecosystem alive.”
“In the past 2-3 years, we all witnessed the terror attacks in the south of Pir Panjal, including in Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar and other areas. While many of these terrorists were neutralised by security forces, we are now seeing the same pattern emerging again, but this time in the valley. That is why everyday you hear about Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) or a joint operation to neutralise these terrorists” a top defence official said.
Another defence official, who has a vast experience of working in the region said, “It is impossible for these Pakistan- based terrorists to operate on their own. They rely heavily on locals for logistics, food, shelter and also intelligence. The network of OGWs is a huge support for these terrorists. Many of these locals support them either due to the fear factor or due to the money that they get. Similarly, there are ideological inclinations as well.”
Pointing out towards the threat from radicalisation in the region, the official highlighted, “Radicalisation is a huge threat to the society and there are several patterns of it which indicate that this has increased over the last few years, and this is why the government is running a lot of de-radicalisation programs.”
It is pertinent to note here that in the last three weeks, there have been several terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. Two village defence guards were kidnapped and killed in Kishtwar on Thursday, and a grenade attack in Srinagar’s flea market injured over a dozen people last week. Additionally, there has been a series of attacks targeting non-local labourers in various districts, raising concerns about the safety of civilians in the region.
On November 1, two migrant labourers were shot by terrorists in Budgam while a local doctor and six migrant workers were killed at a construction site in Sonamarg last month. These spates of attacks continue to pose a challenge to the newly elected government and raise concerns about the stability of the region, which has seen periods of relative calm in the past.