The home minister told parliament it seemed Pakistan was putting its weight behind the civilian protests now rocking Indian Kashmir. “It is true that Pakistan appears to have altered its strategy in influencing events in Jammu and Kashmir,” Chidambaram said. “It is possible that they (Pakistan) believe that relying on civilian unrest will pay them better dividends.”
Chidambaram said better Indian security along the de facto border separating Indian- and Pakistan-administered Kashmir may have motivated the tactical switch.
“I do not think there is any let up in infiltration. Nor is there any let up in sending militants into the (Kashmir) valley, but our capacity to deal with infiltration and militancy is certainly much higher than a few years ago,” he added.
Indian Kashmir has witnessed violent daily demonstrations against Indian rule since the death in early June of a teenage student who was killed by a police tear-gas shell. Most of those killed have been protesters shot dead by the police. Some 30 people have died in the past week alone.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 7th, 2010.
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