Old wisdom comes to mind when we see India-Pakistan stand off on the Line of Control and International Border. With winters setting in Jammu and Kashmir there is a heighten activity with Pakistan targeting unabatedly civilian population causing unwanted damages. Though India has been giving befitting reply but there is no let up of the pressure on the borders. The situation has created more of confusion rather than giving any clarity. The heightened activities on the borders also have given an impetus to the terrorist activities supported by the firing from the Pak side so that they can push in terrorists, the situation which was built-up post Uri terrorists attack on the army camp which claimed the lives of 18 sleeping jawans. For Pakistan, terrorist strikes or covert operations were a low-risk, low-cost options all along. India has set a precedent. Post-Uri there has been no respite in ceasefire violations by Pakistan. Making it clear that terrorists have taken shelter within the Kashmir Valley and they have sympathizers support to carry attacks as and when they want. The 56-hour siege and encounter at JKEDI, Pampore reminds the threat of fidayeen attacks looming further. Though there is no direct or indirect link to fidayeen attacks and surgical operations but it is clear that the surgical strike has not been a cost high enough to stop terrorism. Some claim that the Uri surgical strike has completely changed the balance of power between India and Pakistan. This, once again, will be tested when there is another terror strike that produces a body count high enough for public opinion to be outraged. As many have pointed out, cross-border LoC raids have often happened before — including after Indian soldiers were beheaded in 2011. Such raids used to be routine between the late ’90s and 2003, when the two countries agreed to a ceasefire. The threat of unaffordable escalation between nuclear-armed powers remains very high. The government understands this, and that is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been asking people to tone down the chest-thumping. India remains exposed to a very high risk of terrorism, and those celebrating the surgical strike as a victory of sorts should reconsider it. Army’s actions no doubt are unquestionable but politically there has to be a way out of the situation at least for the sake of few border residents who have been displaced in the face of Pakistan firing before the winter intensifies.
