Timing of attack in Pulwama raises questions

India on Thursday held Pakistan directly responsible for the suicide attack on army convoy in Pulwama that killed 46 soldiers even without any initial investigation. Pakistan has denied any role in the attack by militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad, which in fact is based in Kashmir. However, the timing of the attack and the release of a video, by what they say by JeM, after the attack showing how the terror act would be performed raises many questions. Some analysts are of the view that Narendra Modi wants to have majority in the state assembly as well as in other states in the next elections, therefore he wished to create hatred against Pakistan. Many believe that it was a reaction of the atrocities committed by the Indian security forces. Ghulam Hussain, father of Adil Dar said his son was radicalized three years ago when he was beaten up and humiliated by Indian troops.
There is a strong perception that it could be a false flag operation and artifice by India to place the blame on Pakistan. The timing was intriguing in view of final hearing of KBJ case in ICJ to start from 18th February 2019, and also in the wake of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Salman, as his trip can change the economic landscape of the country. Despite ruses and subterfuges, Modi had failed in the past to isolate Pakistan, and the world acknowledges Pakistan’s role in peace efforts in Afghanistan. On the other hand, Modi is drawing flak for his shenanigans in India also. Former chief minister of Occupied Kashmir Farouq Abdullah said that India should not blame Pakistan for every terror act. Of course, to many it could be reaction of the Kashmiris who have suffered death and destruction at the hands of Indian forces in IHK.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the security forces have been given full freedom to give a befitting reply for the Pulwama terror attack which killed at least 40 CRPF jawans. PM Modi said that the forces behind this act of terrorism and those responsible for it would pay a ‘very heavy price’ and had made a ‘big mistake’. He added that security forces have been given permission to take decisions about the timing, place and nature of their response. Earlier, Federal Minister Arun Jaitley said India would take all possible diplomatic steps to cut Pakistan off from the international community. Home Minister Rajnath Singh said: “The attack was carried out by Pakistan backed Jaish-e-Mohammed. A strong reply will be given, and I assure the people of the country this. The country pays tribute to the brave jawans who were martyred”. After Uri attack, India had claimed to have carried out a surgical strike, but nobody in the world believed; even a great majority of Indians did not believe in Indian leadership’s claims. Many countries of the world started understanding India’s efforts to malign Pakistan. Adam Garrie in his lengthy treatise titled ‘Nothing happens in a vacuum’ expressed in a forceful way that 2018 was the deadliest year for Kashmiri civilians in a decade. The author wrote: “Kashmir’s troubles are ultimately a conflict between the Indian authorities and Kashmiris themselves. If anyone doubted this to be the case, one must consider the fact that Jaish-e-Mohammed has been banned in Pakistan since 2002, and not allowed to function in the country. The fact that India blames everything that happens in or around IOK on Islamabad is actually quite farcical”.