Isolated Pakistan wants to bring Kashmir back into limelight; Experts

JAMMU: The recent breach of ceasefire by Pakistan was aimed at infiltrating LeT cadres into Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the polls and to bring Kashmir issue back into limelight, as the neighbouring country was feeling isolated with the growing clout of India in the international forum, according to security experts.

"Here's my sense...this is about infiltration, allowing Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and others to operate in India and take pressure off the Pakistan's domestic terror situation," renowned Strategic and International affairs expert Dr C Christine Fair, who is Assistant Professor of Peace and security studies at Georgetown University ( USA) told PTI.

Dr Fair, whose book on Pakistan army, 'Fighting to the End: The Pakistan Army's way of War' which is widely discussed in the military circle feels that the recent ceasefire violations by Pakistan side could also be aimed at brining the Kashmir issue back to headlines.

"It's also about testing Modi and of course, always trying to put Kashmir back on the headlines. But LeT has been anxious to get back to their main Jihad. I think this is leading up to something horrible," she said.

The former General officer in Commanding of the Strategic Srinagar based 15 Corps, Lt Gen Ata Hasnain (Retd), interpreted the events as an instigation of the Pakistan establishment by the India focused Jihadi groups who in the light of the advent of ISIS, al Qaida and Taliban, were feeling increasingly insignificant.

"To do anything meaningful in JK these groups require better leadership and more cadres, which they solely lack at present. The upcoming JK elections offer some scope for disruptive activities but for that they need more boots on ground," said Hasnain.

He said that the aim to target the International Border in the Jammu sector was to infiltrate terrorists who can attack important targets in the vicinity of the border.

"Terrorists in Pakistan seem to be desperate to replicate the incidents in Samba and Kathua wherein the infiltrators killed innocent people," Gen Hasnain said.

"Pakistani side miserably failed to gain attention on the Kashmir issue at any international forum, hence they wanted to vent out their frustration," he said.