JK News Today Commentary
The April 22nd Pahalgam massacre is a harsh reality; it broke serenity of the meadow which often is compared to Switzerland. This massacre had its own dimensions, in which the place, timings and the backdrop were as consequential as its future narration would be By now, it .has been established that Kashmir is an icon of resistance to terrorism, and resilient enough to spring back to days of booming tourism yet again, not for the sake of its economy alone but to show to the enemies of peace that its path to peace and progress is irreversible.
Baisaran tragedy of the loss of 26 lives, has thrown questions in its wake. What does this attack denote for Jammu and Kashmir, especially the Valley whose soil has been despoiled by the blood of tourists and a local Kashmiri, and how will it play out on the map of South Asia in the days to come?
Within minutes after the attack tensions rose in the region – one due to outrage over the carnage and the place of its execution, second, it had to be determined, who executed it and who helped them in inflicting tragedy of this proportion on the Indians on the Indian soil.
A concrete answer to all these questions can be found in tracing the elements unhappy with the peace in Kashmir. The valley, after enduring decades-long spell of terror, walked out of dark shadows to atmosphere of new light of fearless. Its quest for peace gained a meaning.
Pakistan, happy in various degrees as long as Kashmir was experiencing terror troubles , suddenly discovered that it was losing its game in all its entirety . And all the ideological, monetary and other investment that it had made over the years, to keep the Valley on boil, was going haywire. Its depression and frustration grew with every passing hour, after the abrogation of Article 370.
Post-abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, after initial reservations and shutdown, the Valley understood the benefits of the whole measure. Since late 1989, peace that had become a dream for the people in Kashmir, surfaced with the return of the normal life. It came back with a bonus- infrastructural development, enhanced connectivity with the rest of the world, and so did the opportunities to test its ability in newer avenues.
Agriculture and horticulture are real backbone of the Kashmir economy, but tourism opens beauty of the land and its hospitality to the world… The normalcy and peace, dawned in the Valley after August 2019, laid a new foundation for the structure and growth of tourism. Kashmir, known for its mesmerizing beauty that inspired poets since time immemorial, discovered new heights in its image.
The G20 meetings on tourism in Kashmir in May 2023 further brightened its image. The world acknowledged and publicized it as a peaceful tourist destination. This contrasted the view about Kashmir in pre-August 5, 2019, years- the international community would not verify its credentials as peaceful destination. It had its reasons.
The G 20 meet also added to the confidence of both domestic and foreign tourists, reinforcing the emerging narrative that Kashmir was a very safe destination to visit. Kashmiri people were delighted. Their investment and stake in peace grew was vindicated. A new Kashmir had emerged. This was quite troubling for Pakistan, because it was losing everything vis-à-vis its investment in Kashmir’s troubles.
Pakistani land was drawing international attention for the restive provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, which have risen in revolt, against Pakistani state. . They have declared in clear terms that they have nothing to do with Punjab-dominated Pakistan So, deeply frustrated Pakistan planned and executed Pahalgam massacre to divert the international attention from its growing troubles.
For Pakistan, Kashmir is an ATM in the domestic and foreign policy. It serves multiple purposes for the country which started falling apart within itself soon after it was created as a result of the Partition in 1947. Its real purpose is to garb the territory and its vast water resources. Second, troubles in Kashmir help it to satisfy its ultra extremist Islamist elements that it is doing something to help Kashmiri Muslims, who according to Islamabad and Rawalpindi, are perennially engaged in a “struggle for self-determination.” In other words, as Pakistan army Chief Gen. Asim Munir, keeps on repeating that “Kashmir is our jugular vein and it belongs to Pakistan.”
And, when the international attention is riveted to Kashmir, Pakistan can hide its failures and terror-exporting role from the international community. It has never given any access to the world to the PoK .It plays up Kashmir, on this side of the LoC, because the other side, under its illegal occupation, has been suppressed and kept off from eyes and ears of outsiders. Pakistani army has set up terror training camps in PoK, and overwhelmed its geography and demography with Punjabi population. That is what makes it to keep the area out of the international scrutiny and visits.
Pakistan was afraid of Kashmir’s growing addiction to peace. It planned and executed Pahalgam massacre to snap all this. Perhaps, Pakistan underestimated the power of peace and did what it knows best to puncture prospects of growing peace, and punishing Kashmiris for turning their back to it. Pahalgam massacre manifested all these evil intentions of Pakistan. But the people of Kashmir gave a befitting reply to Pakistan; mourned the loss of lives of non-Kashmiris, also sent a warning to Pakistan that they will not fall in their trap again. They have seen light in their lives and have no intentions to go back to the old dark days.
