When the turmoil erupted in Kashmir following the rigged elections of 1987, violence seemed to be the only way out for arriving at a resolution of the dispute. Thousands of youngsters chose the path of violence. Many crossed over to the other side of Kashmir for arms training. The culture of gun turned the ‘heaven on earth’ into a living hell. While Kashmiris were made to believe that ‘Azadi’ was not far away if they sustained the armed struggle, the enthusiasm and the hopes of ‘free Kashmir’ faded away after crucial initial years of insurgency. As violence led to more violence and bloodshed became a daily ritual, it seemed both the warring sides have arrived at a realisation that talks were the only way out for resolving the Kashmir problem. As the Hurriyat Conference donned the mantle of ‘representative’ of Kashmir’s sentiments, New Delhi, after years of using military force to crush the insurgency, also seemed to be in a reconciliatory mood. Many working groups were formed by the Centre and interlocutors were appointed and assigned the role of peacemakers. However, despite several rounds of talks between Hurriyat, New Delhi and Islamabad, Kashmir continues to be at the crossroads of history. Despite witnessing a short spell of relative calm, the killing of Hizb commander Burhan Wani changed the dynamics of insurgency in Kashmir. Pakistan, which was blamed for fuelling and controlling the strings of militancy, seems to have lost grip of insurgents in today’s Kashmir. With its own set of political and economic problems, the neighbouring country, under a new leadership, is pushing for peace. This has left the Kashmiri militants in a driverless vehicle. Feeling betrayed, the Kashmiri youth today seem to be more inclined to join pan-Islamic militant outfits like Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind and Islamic State Jammu Kashmir, instead of Pakistan-backed outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. The recent killing of a militant from one such pan-Islamic group by militants of Hizb and Lashkar is just an indicator of how bad the situation can turn in coming months and years if it is not brought under control immediately. The changing character of Kashmir militancy is dangerous for not just the state of J&K but for India and Pakistan as well. Indeed, the arrival in Kashmir of radical militant outfits whose members pledge allegiance to global terror groups such as Al-Qaeda is a threat to the peace not just the South Asian subcontinent but the entire world.