Uphold the Peace in Kashmir

The dastardly terrorist act that has led to the killing of an ex-serviceman Lance Naik Manzoor Ahmed Wagay in the Behibagh area of Kulgam district of Kashmir valley has once again disrupted the semblance of peace in Kashmir. In this terror attack his wife and niece have been injured as well. The security forces have launched a joint cordon and search operation in the Behibagh area to nab the perpetrators of this heinous act. In this act even the woman and child were not spared. This is a matter of serious concern. Terrorists are using the tactics meant to infuse a sense of fear among the masses. So that an impression is given that their writ still exists. Targeting the army personnel and the security personnel helps them to challenge the security establishment and the security preparedness. Previous year we witnessed a tremendous increase in the terrorist attacks in which the army and the para military forces were targeted in Jammu and Kashmir. It was meant to derail the Assembly Elections and later the Lok Sabha Elections in the Union Territory(UT). Successful culmination of both the elections frustrated the patrons of terror. The killing of the ex-serviceman is an indication that the merchants of terror have their plans laid out. They want to drag the UT in the quagmire of violence once again so that their objective of catalyzing the ethno-religious conflict is given a traction. In such a scenario the Jammu and Kashmir Government needs to take a holistic look of the security preparedness and devise a comprehensive blueprint to nip these terror incidents in bud. Jammu and Kashmir cannot afford to squander the gains made so far after paying a heavy price in terms of losing the lives of innocents and the internal displacement of the minorities. After the neutralization of Article 370 and 35 A there has a been generation of confidence among the investors from across India to do business in Jammu and Kashmir. Tourist influx in Kashmir has given encouraging signs. This has indeed un-nerved the terror modules. The selected targeting of the people that includes the army personnel, security forces and the non –Kashmiris is a deliberate to sow the seeds of antagonism. Security forces and the intelligence agencies must work with a well laid out plan to decode the modus operandi of the terror groups active in Kashmir so that the probability of such incidents is made to recede. These incidents are meant to encourage the forces of subversion that have already violated social space in Kashmir. This incident has taken place at a time when there is an indication of taking Kashmiri Pandits on board so that they are convinced of their security in Kashmir once they return. Recently a group of Kashmiri Pandits have met Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in New Delhi, where he has assured their return. It is a million-dollar question that arises as to what will be the return formula that will take shape? The reason being that the original homes and properties of the majority Kashmiri Pandits have been either sold in distress sales or abandoned. Also, no prominent Kashmiri Pandit organization that has a clear agenda on return has been taken on board so far. When there is some movement on the Kashmiri Pandit return, the terror incidents like the killing of an ex-serviceman will create distrust. Policy makers must work on two fronts. One to tighten the security grid and two, involve the prominent citizens in trust building exercise that includes the Kashmiri Pandit groups that have clear cut agenda and blueprint to end their exile.