The brazen pre-dawn militant attack followed by another in the evening in Kashmir Valley two days ahead of Prime Minister’s visit comes at a time when high security has been clampdown. The ease with militants breaching the forces’ defence with impunity has taken everyone by surprise with triple attack in Uri, Tral and Shopian. The act shows Pak supported militants are desperate to destabilise peace in the region. The Valley has witnessed a spate in militant attacks after the insurgents vowed to avenge Afzal Guru’s 9th February execution. There are also signs that Pakistan is seeking to stir fresh trouble in the State ahead of the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. Such was the security forces’ confidence till last year that then Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde shopped at Lal Chowk on 13th October, becoming the first Union Home Minister to do so after the outbreak of militancy over two decades ago. The gesture was aimed at encouraging tourists to visit the Valley. But the Friday attacks on the army camp ahead of Prime Minister’s visit could be seen as Pakistan’s larger design to keep the Kashmir issue alive and to internationalise the issue. Last month also when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif had a brief meeting at a summit of South Asian leaders in Nepal that clinched a deal to create a regional electricity grid, militants attacked in Arnia sector of Jammu claiming over17 lives. The attack came just four days ahead of elections in Uri and six other constituencies of North Kashmir’s Baramulla District on 9th December. Elections held in 2008 were generally regarded as fair by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and had a high voter turnout in spite of calls by militants for a boycott. The State has witnessed a spurt in militant activity as well as infiltration bids in the wake of ongoing polls, especially with a record number of people turning out to vote in the first two phases of polls. Although thousands of people have died as a result of the turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir, the conflict hadbecome less deadly in recent years.
