Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : The terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which took the lives of 26 civilians, goes beyond being yet another violent act of cross border terrorism. It showcases the internal unraveling of Pakistan where there is a dangerous mixture of political and military incoherence, economic collapse, and distrust that slowly spills over into Indian territory.
The manner in which the attack was carried out, suggests careful and meticulous planning. It was executed at a time when Pakistan seemed to be facing massive internal problems which in turn leaves India open to exploitation.
The Pahalgam assault is but one in a long existing line of assaults of this nature.
A stricken Pakistan that lies at the epicenter of this issue now suffers from:
An economy blaming the IMF and on the verge of collapse.
Power struggles between the civilians and military that are unprecedented in the last few decades.
Public outrage directed towards the military government.
Protest surges post the arrest of Imran Khan.
From these examples we can conclude that need for creating external crises is a necessity rather than a choice.
Historically, this does not show promise. . Starting from the Kargil war in 1999 – and even times during intense domestic turmoil in Pakistan, cross border terror acts only seemed to accelerate.
Pahalgam Attack: Tactics and Evidence of State-Sponsorship
The Pahalgam operation shows sophisticated planning with communications… encrypted! And it even had terror proxies like The Resistance Front (RRF) involved. The unmistakable imprint of Pakistani strategy planners is more than evident.
Dr, Shalini Chawla, a Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS) commented on Moneycontrol says,
“Pakistan’s internal crisis has strengthened military control over external affairs which has allowed them greater freedom to operate with strategic designs.”
From Chinese encrypted gadgets to flawless collaboration of the attackers, everything related to the attack points more towards organized state sponsored terrorism than a rogue one.
Creating a crisis to regain relevance
“After United States withdrew from Afghanistan, Pakistan’s agenda became almost non existent at a global geopolitical stage. Reigniting tension in Kashmir is a desperate attempt to restore some relevance,” notes Dr. Chawla.
This has the effect of:
Rallying public support from nationalists in Pakistan.
Redirecting public anger towards India.
Dismantling India’s narrative of peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
Ironically, this attack comes just weeks after Lahore and Rawalpindi were rocked by massive memorable protests which makes the politically motivated timing even more telling.
The politics of denial and disinformation
Pakistan’s civilian leadership PM Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar are in denial of the situation and have without any evidence completely refuted any links to the attack.
At the same time, social media and media houses based in Pakistan circulated the conspiracy theory of `false flag operations’.
This approach combining terrorism, denial, and cyber propaganda has been in Pakistan's arsenal for years. However, these strategies have started failing with the increasing global attention.
India’s Response: Diplomatic and Economic Pressure
India has reacted by tightening the diplomatic noose and reducing economic support to Pakistan:
Halting pharmaceutical trade and blocking business relations.
Shifting position on the Treaty of Indus Rivers.
These measures are amplifying the pressure on Pakistan's already weak internal systems.
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