A number of factors are responsible for the improved security environment, the most important being the decline in infiltrations. Their Pakistani sponsors used to push armed groups into the state during summers to maintain the tempo of terrorist violence during the winters when the snow-covered passes made crossings virtually impossible. But two factors have contributed to the fall in infiltrations and the consequent lesser violence particularly during 2010. One was the Indian Security forces foiling most of the attempts to cross the Line of Control. The other was the growing terrorist activities within Pakistan which diverted the Pakistani rulers attention to deal with the aggravating security and political situation in their country.

It may not be too presumptuous to assume that the growing terrorist violence in Pakistan will destabilize Pakistan which, in extreme conditions, may even result in its disintegration. Torn by the sharpening differences between its coalition partners the survival of the Pakistani Peoples Party (PPP) government is in danger. Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s Jamiat-e-Ulema-e Islam (JUI-F)’s ministers have already quit the ministry and the party which has nearly half a dozen National Assembly members has withdrawn its support from the government. After withdrawing its two ministers from the ministry earlier, the main coalition partner Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) which has 25 members in the National Assembly has also now said that it would sit on the opposition benches and would support only those decisions of the government it considered were in the interest of the people. The Gilani-led PPP government had the support of 185 members including 25 of MQM in the 342-member Assembly, just 13 more than the required 172.

Paradoxically, it is the Pakistan and the US governments who are responsible for the Taliban-spearheaded terrorist violence not only in Pakistan but also in Afghanistan as they had created Taliban to oust the Soviets from Afghanistan in the late eighties. But the Taliban have now become Frankenstein and are spreading their activities worldwide.

Bloated ambitions of politicians often create situations contrary to what they profess to be working for. Jammu and Kashmir is an example. In sharp contrast to the political and security uncertainties Pakistan is facing and the improved security environment in Jammu and Kashmir, unsavoury political developments in Jammu and Kashmir are not only creating confusion but are also posing a threat to the Omar-led coalition government’s stability. These developments include: widening of gulf between the National Conference and Congress; growing criticism of the government against discrimination of Jammu and Ladakh regions; government’s poor performance, particularly in its tactless handling of the situation created by the stone-throwers which is leading to the trust deficit between the government and the people; and, the contradictory voices in Congress and BJP camps on the issue of bifurcation or trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir.

It is a sad commentary on the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s style of functioning that even after two years he has failed to improve governance. This has contributed to the widening of the gulf between National Conference and the Congress and also between the government and the people. Angered by NC leadership “ignoring its coalition partner” the state Congress leaders at the last week’s function held in Jammu in connection with the party’s 126th foundation day demanded rotation of Chief Minister with the NC and the Congress holding the office for three years each. Omar Abdullah should not wholly depend on his mentor Rahul Gandhi to continue in power. In politics, even best of friends sometimes are not able to help their protégés to stay in power.

The BJP at a meeting of national office-bearers held in Jammu on December 23 also echoed the charge of discrimination against Jammu and Ladakh regions. This charge has often led to the demand for bifurcation or trifurcation of the state. The RSS had once supported the trifurcation demand. It was also raised recently by the state Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma (Congress) by charging the government with discriminating against Jammu and Ladakh. But the BJP’s Jammu meeting rejected the demand of division of the state and demanded an equitable distribution of resources between the three regions. Our shortsighted politicians who demand division of Jammu and Kashmir forget that this would strengthen the terrorists cause in the Valley although they profess to favour “Azadi” for the whole of Jammu and Kashmir.

Political parties often adopt hypocritical stand on important issues. At their Jammu conclave the BJP leaders laid particular stress on revoking the Article 370 “to strengthen the political and constitutional relationship between the Centre and the State”. But the party did not itself take any step to revoke 370 when the Atal Bihar Vajpayee-led NDA was in power for six years 1998-2004.

Despite such conflicting political developments, New Delhi’s flip-flop attitude to deal with the state’s internal problems also contributed to the prevailing confusion. It has failed to effectively resolve the recurring differences between the coalition partners. It has not even checked the conflicting voices being raised by some state Congress leaders on certain issues. It has been sending delegations to the state for the past over a couple of years to recommend measures for solving the Kashmir problem. But no solution has so far emerged from their recommendations. It is yet to be seen how New Delhi deals with the recommendations of the latest Dileep Padgaonkar-headed three-member interlocutors team.

Now when Pakistan is facing serious political and security-related situation which threaten even the country’s survival, it is time for New Delhi and the state’s mainstream parties to strive for finding a solution to the state’s multi-dimensional problems. Introspection is the need of the time. (IPA Service)