Centre Must Take Control and Act on the Kashmir Issue

Give Army a free hand to re-establish law, order & a secure environment in J&K, writes Lt Gen Kamal Davar (Retd).

A masked protester shouts freedom slogans before throwing a rock at policemen in Srinagar, 27 May, 2017. (Photo: AP)

The centuries-old secular and inclusive spirit of Kashmir, embellished with devout Sufism, once flourished in that supremely beautiful Vale. Today, however, it lies in tatters.

How else can anyone explain the cowardly and brutal murder of 22-year-old Lt Ummer Fayeez, who had barely served his nation’s Army for five months? His murderers were likely fellow Kashmiris from one of Pakistani terror ‘tanzeems’ – in all probability, of the LeT and Hizb Mujahideen combine that is now in resurgence in the Kashmir Valley.

While India mourns the unnecessary snuffing out of a promising life, have the separatists and even some well-known Kashmiri politicians condemned this gruesome murder? They know that any strong condemnation will displease their Pakistani masters, and may affect their generous financial doles, besides being physically targeted by ISI touts.

Also Read: The Young Kashmiris Are Saying Something, But Are We Listening?

Centre Must Take Control

For the separatists, the Kashmiris who toil for their parent nation and their state government are undeserving of any sympathy. Otherwise, how can anyone explain the abnormal rise in militant attacks on J&K policemen in the state?

It is time the Centre takes stock, once again, of the deteriorating security environment in J&K and finalises a coherent, consistent and practical strategy. Let us never forget that the Kashmir problem has both external and internal dimensions. If the issue is to be resolved, then India needs to adequately address the problems within the Valley.

Unfortunately, the state government under Mehbooba Mufti has miserably failed to arrest the downward slide in law and order. The Centre, on the other hand, appears to be largely indifferent and is perhaps following a ‘wait and watch’ policy before it finally acts.

Also Read: When Kashmir’s Spiralling Out of Control, Why Use Military Means?

Re-visit Pakistan Policy

India must re-visit its policy on Pakistan (in case, it has one) – for the country has been the dogged perpetrator of most problems in J&K for the last 70 years. We must factor in that Pakistan is not going to alter its myopic anti-India agendas – especially its diabolical policies in J&K.

India must convey to Pakistan that, till date, New Delhi has not yet exploited Islamabad’s many fault-lines. Nor has India responded adequately in kind to much of Pakistan’s continuing mischief.

As India embraces diplomatic, economic, social and military measures to halt Pakistani misdemeanours towards it, the first step should be to downgrade diplomatic representation in each other’s capitals.

Additionally, India must impress upon the US to stop financially bailing-out Pakistan. In any case, the US knows that a large portion of their financial aid finds itself back in the hands of the terror conglomerate who are fighting US interests in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Also Read: We Need to Open Multiple Dialogue Tracks in Kashmir: Ajai Shukla

Urgency To Act

Even neighbouring Iran has threatened Pakistan with cross-border retaliatory action against terrorist camps inside Pakistan. The camps are close to the 800 kilometre porous Iran-Pak border, which is frequented by smugglers, illegal crossings and of course, terrorists. Iran, like India in the past, is now fencing the border between the two Islamic brotherly nations. Pakistan today stands out as the major exporter of terrorists to all its neighbours, namely India, Iran and Afghanistan.

India can’t afford to let the problem in Kashmir deteriorate any further, for the situation is now as adverse as it was in the late 1980s-90s. With school children also joining the growing numbers of stone-pelters in the Valley, the situation calls for immediate intervention.

Also Read: Of Broken Windows and Papa’s Atlas Bicycle: Memories From Kashmir

Since the unique experiment of two ideologically-different parties forming a coalition in J&K – the PDP and BJP – has not shown any results, it is high time for the Centre to intervene.

President’s Rule should be imposed in J&K for at least six months and a new Governor must be sent, armed with adequate financial largess and sweeping administrative powers.

Also Read: Zubair Ahmed Turay and The “Missing Men” of Kashmir’s Militancy

Let the Indian Army be given a free hand, under the Governor, to re-establish law and order and a secure environment in the state. The Army must launch an Information blitzkrieg to counter Pakistan’s vile social media propaganda. Overall, there is no alternative now but for PM Narendra Modi to give, to this strife-torn state, his personal and concerted attention, for nothing else will work.

(The author was the founder of the Defense Intelligence Agency, India and has served in Jammu and Kashmir. The views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)