India will host a senior official-level meeting of G20 culture ministries in Jammu and Kashmir in May, despite all attempts by Pakistan to prevent the Indian government from hosting any such meeting in the Union territory.
This is the first major terrorist strike on security forces after the Pulwama suicide attack on CRPF convoy that killed 40 soldiers, followed by Balakot air strike by Indian Air Force and the abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A in 2019. Since then, Kashmir has largely remained peaceful.
The Indian government has been maintaining that the strife-torn northern State was returning to normalcy. This is also the message the Indian establishment wants to give to the world by organising the next leg of G20 meetings in Kashmir.
Since the abrogation of Article 370 and announcement of G20 meetings in Kashmir, Pakistani leadership, especially the Army, has been looking for an opportunity to create disturbance so that the global community continues to consider Kashmir as a disputed region and it is able to regain its lost ground in the region.
The attack also came just hours after it was announced that Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers’ meeting in Goa on May 4-5. This attack has now cast a shadow over the visit by Bhutto.
Every time India has tried to improve ties with Pakistan, it has triggered attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. From Kargil incursions, 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai, Pathankot Air Force base, Pulwama to Uri attacks, Pakistan has always sought to keep the region boiling.
In this scenario, the Indian government should restrain itself and postpone any retaliation plans till both the summits get over. At the same time, it should tighten the security – both in Goa where Bilawal Bhutto is likely to come and in Kashmir, where the G20 summit will take place. It should also shelve any plans to demilitarize the Kashmir Valley.
Political parties in J&K as well as some wings of the government have been pushing for a complete withdrawal of the Army. This has gathered momentum in recent months with many in the government impressing upon the political leadership that the claims of normalcy may be followed with action such as the phased removal of Army from the Valley’s districts.
According to officials, the Army maintains a strength of around 1.3 lakh personnel in the entire J&K of which around 80,000 are deployed on the border. About 40,000-45,000 personnel from the Rashtriya Rifles have the mantle of conducting counter-terror operations in Kashmir’s hinterland.
The CRPF is said to have a strength of close to 60,000 personnel in J&K, of which more than 45,000 are deployed in Kashmir Valley. J&K Police is 83,000 strong. Apart from this, a few companies from other Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) remain deployed in the Valley.
Kashmir undeniably needs, irrespective who they are; Muslim or Hindu, a peaceful time devoid of bloody militancy and random killings. Common citizens, like any other place, need peaceful and normal life with safety and security, education and job and all-round development.
After facing a long troubled time, J&K seems to have generally stabilised and is upbeat, the recent attack notwithstanding. There is appreciable infrastructural and economic growth with stable governance.
But Kashmir being a troubled state from within and with constant belligerency with Pakistan and China, the entire security system must be well structured with close liaison between Army in the forward location guarding the border and infiltration routes and civil security guarding the hinterland. The most important need to bring long term peace and prosperity is not the presence of military but fair administration with all-round development for all irrespective of religion, caste and creed.
The recent attack on soldiers has once again shown that even if Pakistan gets drowned in its own problems, it won’t give up the anti-India stand. With high-level international meetings coming up and foreign investments happening for the first time, India should not lower its guard.
