Terrorism as State Policy

In a piece captioned Why Pakistan will Escape FATF Grey-Listing [published in Brighter Kashmir on October 2], the author had written, “If Pakistan army’s proxy war in J&K is currently at a low key, it’s just because of FATF’s Plenary and Working Group meetings scheduled later this month.”
Adding that “Once it’s over, and Pakistan is not Grey-listed, one can expect a surge in Pakistan sponsored terrorist activities as being in a desperate situation, Pakistan’s ‘failed’ marshal has to do something across the Line of Control to save face. Therefore it would be puerile to place too much hope on FATF.” It was also prognosed that “This winter in J&K is likely to be hot.”
This near-precise assessment however deserves no prize or adulation as it wasn’t the result of deep research or information painstakingly obtained from highly placed sources from across the Radcliffe Line. Au contraire, it was merely ‘fast-forwarding’ what has been happening in the past.
Coming less than two weeks after conclusion of the FATF meet, Wednesday’s hit-and-run terrorist attack on a police check post in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district followed by the dastardly killing of two special police officers by terrorists in Kishtwar district of Jammu a day later proves how easy it is to deceive the world’s terror financing watchdog.
The international community is morally complicit in these killings as its stoic silence on use of cross-border terrorism as an instrument of state policy by Pakistan has emboldened its army to flaunt its nexus with terrorist groups. What else explains audacity of the Pakistan army’s rank and file in uniform attending funerals of designated terrorists as also according them military honours?

Misplaced Over-Optimism

After these terrorist attacks, National Conference [NC] chief Farook Abdullah who’s had three tenures as J&K’s chief minister was asked by the media on New Delhi’s stated position that talks and terror can’t go together. He recommended resumption of dialogue with Islamabad saying, "Ab aap intezaar karenge, jab tak aap sabki goliyan band ho jayengi, tab tak raat ho jayegi" [If you keep waiting for everyone to stop firing, it will be too late].
He also said that "I have always told Pakistan to stop terrorism. Nothing can be achieved through terrorism. The process of dialogue must begin because only through talks can a way forward be found,” and this suggestion has great merit. However, what’s really surprising is that despite Pakistan’s unbroken record of refusing to cease sponsoring terrorist groups fighting in J&K, the NC chief continues to bat for talks.
Farook Abdullah isn’t the only one to do so. There are many who demand resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue and are sanguine that talks can bring about peace and usher normalcy between the two nuclear neighbours. This lobby interprets India’s "The sound of talks gets lost in the sound of bomb blasts," assertion as hard line rhetoric that is tantamo

Appalling Politicking

Political parties across the board vociferously condemn terrorist attacks in J&K and offer profuse sympathies to the family members of those killed by terrorists. However, the unfortunate part is that such attacks also serve as a handy stick for the opposition to beat the center for its ‘normalcy in J&K’ claim. Consequently, after the perfunctory condemnation and shedding of tears, the focus quickly shifts to leveling unfounded allegations and even casting malicious aspersions on the security forces.
A recent example of the puerile nature of accusations used to score political brownie points is the objection of an opposition political party to the name “Operation Mahadev” assigned to the operation in which three Pakistani terrorists physically involved in the Pahalgam killings were eliminated.
In keeping with the age-old Indian army practice of naming anti-terrorist operations after nearby geographical features/ habitation centers where the action is taking place, this operation was aptly named “Operation Mahadev” as it took place in the dense forests of Mahadev Peak near Srinagar. Coincidently Mahadev is also a synonym for Lord Shiva, a principle Hindu deity.
However, rather than laud this successful operation, a senior leader of the Indian National Congress who’s served as a chief minister chose to mislead the public by accusing the center of “naming operations after religious symbols.” He also alleged that "They [Bharatiya Janta Party] want to mix Hindutva [Hindu nationalist political ideology] in whatever they do,” adding, “They are trying to polarise the situation into a Hindu versus Muslim conflict.”
Isn’t such a crude attempt at communalisation shameful?

Harsh Reality

Normalisation of Indo-Pak relations is undoubtedly a ‘win-win’ situation for all- except the Pakistan army as the preservation of its domestic ‘holy cow’ image is contingent on Pakistan's enduring hostility with India. That’s why Rawalpindi has taken great pains to portray India as a cunning Hindu state hell-bent on erasing Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s identity.
Proof of Rawalpindi stoking animosity is evident from Pakistan’s ‘failed’ Field Marshal Asim Munir’s recent attempt to reinvigorate Hinduphobic sentiments in the country by asking people to tell their children of “the stark differences between Hindus and Muslims.” And by adding that “Our thoughts are different, our ambitions are different,” he has unambiguously conveyed that there can be no meeting ground between New Delhi and Islamabad.
Next is the issue of J&K. Islamabad never tires of praising its so-called “principled stand” on Kashmir and deep commitment towards peacefully resolving the same in accordance with UN resolutions on the subject. Nevertheless, in an effort to appease domestic audiences, it openly flexes its muscles and Field Marshal Munir’s perverse view that “What India labels as terrorism is, in fact, a legitimate and lawful struggle for freedom, recognised by international law” is but one such example.
Proof that Rawalpindi continues pursuing its unachievable dream of forcefully appropriating Kashmir is evident from Field Marshal Munir’s declaration that "Three wars have already been fought for Kashmir, and if ten more are needed, we will fight them." By referring to Kashmir as Pakistan's "jugular vein" and asserting that Kashmir will become Pakistan someday, he has made it absolutely clear that the only way the Kashmir issue can be resolved is by handing over J&K to Pakistan.
So, how can anyone ever expect the resolution of the Kashmir issue through dialogue?

Prognosis

For Rawalpindi, keeping Indo-Pak animosity alive and sponsoring terrorism in J&K are essential for projecting itself as the ultimate and indispensable bulwark against India’s hegemonistic ambitions. It also needs to keep up the façade of an existential and looming threat from India to earn eternal public gratitude and thereby enjoy extra-constitutional powers without people complaining.
Additionally, by orchestrating violence in J&K, Rawalpindi is able to placate the significant and influential anti-India domestic lobby as well as divert public attention from the fact that despite boasting about its unmatched military prowess,” the Pakistan army has failed to secure Kashmir despite referring to as its “jugular vein.” That’s why Field Marshal Munir has fed his countrymen the heady ‘10 more wars for Kashmir’ opiate.
While the likelihood of a telling Indian response to any misadventure may make major terrorist attacks less common, it cannot be ruled out. However, sporadic acts of violence by terrorists in J&K and in other parts of India by sleeper cells of radicalised terror modules created Pakistan army’s spy agency Inter Services Intelligence [ISI] is a reality that can’t be brushed under the carpet.
Most importantly, since it is an unalienable part of Pakistan’s foreign policy, the fact of the matter is that cross border terrorism is here to stay, and India therefore needs to learn to live with it. New Delhi thus needs to evolve means to discern and implement effective counter measures and exemplary retribution plans against ubiquitous terror threats emerging from Pakistan.
Both the Government of India and opposition political parties need to abjure playing petty politics on/or drawing political mileage from terrorism related incidents as nothing can be more counter-productive and disgusting than this. Criticism is a must but it should be constructive and not motivated by vested interests.

Email:---------------------nileshkunwar.56@gmail.com