The people of Kashmir have loudly rejected Pakistan’s terrorism policy and opted for constitutional democracy as a means to settle the societal and political imbroglio, said noted Supreme Court lawyer Ashok Bhan in his key note lecture at a civil society function in New Delhi today.
The robust security and intelligence echo system in place in the Valley is supportive of the political process and peace agenda consciously embraced by Kashmiris, he said.
He said Pakistan is continuing its official policy of terrorism against India and promotes the proxy war as part of its misplaced and pernicious ideological mission and impose a jihadi, fundamentalist and regressive socio-cultural order on the people of Jammu & Kashmir, not realising that Kashmir is the cradle of civilisation.
Despite being Muslim majority, Kashmiris have rejected the bigotry and religious fundamentalism in the past and are rejecting it again as well, Bhan said.
The change of tactics by the Pakistani establishment asking Jaish to go into the hilly terrain of Jammu by pushing highly trained terrorists into the region is a futile attempt to revive tail-end insurgency, Bhat emphasised. Though they succeeded in an incident on July 15 to inflict casualties on four soldiers of the Army, including an officer, the valour of Army, security forces and JK police is laudable that a joint team of Army and police entered the Dessa forest area, about 50km from Doda town. They were acting on a specific intelligence input about the presence of terrorists but got caught in an ambush. The people in the area are supporting the security forces and soon the area is expected to be terrorist-free, say local residents.
Bhan said spreading terror shall not succeed among the patriotic people of Jammu region as always they will fight back the terror ideals promoted by jihadi Jaish outfits. Jammuites by their united resolve will strive to save the composite and inclusive Jammu pride and Dogra glory and valour. Pakistan has to bite the dust and face defeat in her change of terror tactics very soon by Indian Army, security forces and JK police together with the unflinching support of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, he said.