Pak wants Indian sore in Kashmir to fester

Barely had the ink dried on the near-identical statements issued by the directors-general of military operations (DGMOs) of Pakistan and India, agreeing to uphold the bilateral 2003 ceasefire accord, than cross-border firing erupted again in the wee hours of Sunday. In the latest Pakistan firing, two BSF men were killed and several civilians wounded in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu. But Pakistan has a history of reneging on its promises, so what was new?

Optimists had hoped for better behaviour from Pakistan this time as it was on its initiative that the DGMOs worked the hotline. Also, the statements from both sides were released soon after the conversation, suggesting they were pre-drafted and vetted at the highest political level. For a scripted conversation, there ought to have been an active back channel that persuaded both sides to cease hostilities, it was assumed. Sunday’s firing gave that theory a hiding.

The border truce came on the backdrop of a surprise unilateral ceasefire announced by the Centre in J&K to mark the month of Ramzan. A similar move made during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure as prime minister lasted six months as the militants failed to reciprocate.

The latest round of truce in the Valley was widely welcomed, with National Conference leader Omar Abdullah saying, “If the militants don’t respond in kind they will stand exposed as the true enemies of the people.” The militants didn’t, and there has been a spike in grenade attacks on security forces since Ramzan.

CM Mehbooba Mufti gave them a piece of her mind: “Throwing grenades during the Ramzan ceasefire indicates they don’t even care about possible civilian casualty ... the CRPF men are here to earn a livelihood. By killing them, we won’t achieve anything.” But for militants to end the senseless cycle of violence, they need instructions from their masters in Pakistan. If the border truce violation is any indication, Pakistan wants the Indian sore in Kashmir to fester. Human lives don’t matter; they are but pawns in its geopolitical chessboard.