The killing of two non local labourers in a grenade attack in Shopian is undoubtedly a dastardly act at the hands of terrorists. But how long terrorists will let loose reign of terror in Kashmir.
Soft target killings have thrown a new challenge for the Government and the security forces. Sofar a series of killings have taken place especially through hybrid terrorists, targeting civilians, mostly non locals from the minority community working in Kashmir thus triggering fresh migration of these fear-stricken labourers.
Though the number of terror related incidents have witnessed a decline after the abrogation of Article 370 and stone pelting incidents in Kashmir almost disappeared, the recent spurt in targeted killings has made it clear that government needs to engage and reach out to the majority community to ensure the nefarious designs of Pakistan are foiled and the terrorists are eliminated before they try to inflict civilian casualties in Kashmir.
Even as the UT Government as well as the union government have taken serious cognizance of the civilian killings in Kashmir and Union Home Minister Amit Shah called a high-level security review meeting in Srinagar recently, the Government is required to adopt a multipronged strategy at various levels, besides strengthening the security grid to counter the threat of terrorism in J&K.
The Kashmiri Pandits and non-local Hindus, who are believed to be the main target of the terrorists, need to be instilled confidence against the threat of terror by providing them a secured environment within Kashmir Valley. In step towards providing a secured environment for the minorities in Kashmir, majority locals have a major role to play.
All out efforts should be made to take the locals from the majority community into confidence and entrusted the responsibility of safety of Kashmiri Pandits as well as non-locals workers who come to the valley to earn a livelihood for their families.
Though a handful of extremists are playing in the hands of Pakistan, the majority of Kashmiris want peace and harmony among all. And this is why the government should reach out to them and take them on board while devising any plans to counter the designs of terrorists to disturb peace.
