Brig. B.L. Poonia (retd)

Terrorism being a political problem, has to ultimately have a political solution, hence let us not be under the illusion that good governance alone can be an answer to the vexed Kashmir problem. That is applicable where poor governance has been the sole cause of insurgency, not otherwise. The militancy in Kashmir is far too complex a problem which cannot be compared with the insurgencies like the Naxalite movement or those prevailing in the Northeast, whose causes are totally different. And till the root cause of a problem is identified correctly, it can never be treated. Unfortunately, in the case of Kashmir, presently Pakistan is the main cause; hence it needs to be treated appropriately.

There are five factors that contribute to thriving of militancy anywhere in the world: cause, leadership, foreign support, public support and terrain. In the case of Kashmir, all these five factors exist and provide ideal conditions for militancy. And when it comes to cause, religion plays an important role. To quote American journalist and essayist H.L. Mencken, ‘Morality is doing what is right, no matter what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, no matter what is right.’ Religion is the trump card Pakistan has been playing in Kashmir. However, over a period, many other factors have also contributed to the cause.

Till 1987, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) was a peaceful state, as peaceful as any other state of India. However, the rigging of elections in Kashmir by Farooq Abdullah’s National Conference and Rajiv Gandhi’s Congress in 1987 was the beginning of the problem that we are facing now. This was the time when the people of Kashmir had participated in the electoral process in an overwhelming majority with immense zeal. The election was held on 23 March 1987. With the 75 per cent voter turnout, it was the highest recorded participation in the state ever. Nearly 80 per cent of the people in the valley had voted. A coalition of different groups, including the Jamaat-e-Islami, Muslim United Front (MUF) appeared to be winning with a convincing majority. But rigging of the elections ensured that the National Conference-Congress alliance government won. Rajiv Gandhi was the prime minister and Farooq Abdullah became the chief minister of J&K. The people of Kashmir felt cheated—in fact they were. And this frustration and their helplessness acted as a trigger for militancy. This triggered militancy in J&K.

This grave injustice led the leaders of the MUF to approach Pakistan to help them avenge this act of treachery. Pakistan was waiting, far too eagerly, for such a golden opportunity, and the timing was perfect. Lt Gen. Akhtar Abdul Rehman Khan, as the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) chief for eight years (1980-87) had trained the Pak and Afghan militants very hard to drive out Soviet forces from Afghanistan. And then onwards, the Pak-sponsored militants received the required public support of the Jamaat-e-Islami cadres of Kashmir.

The rigging of elections in 1987 acted as a spark on dry tinder, and leaders like Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who was later awarded Nishan-e-Pakistan, the highest civilian award of Pakistan, equivalent to Bharat Ratna of India, emerged to give thrust and