In a major development, Union Home Minister Amit Shah moved a resolution in the Rajya Sabha to make Article 370 inoperative in Jammu and Kashmir. 

Interestingly, Amit Shah in his statement made in the Rajya Sabha invoked the same Article 370 to make inoperative.

Section 3 of Article 370 empowers the President to declare the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir under the Article inoperative anytime. Article 370(3) reads, “Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this article, the President may, by public notification, declare that this article shall cease to be operative or shall be operative only with such exceptions and modifications and from such date as he may specify” Article 370 accords special status to Jammu and Kashmir in many respects – giving the central government authority only over external affairs, defence and communication. Article 370 relates to “temporary provisions with respect to the State of Jammu and Kashmir” and limits “the power of Parliament to make laws for” the state to a specified list of subjects.

Amit Shah also presented a resolution for reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir. Ladakh will be a separate Union Territory without a legislature while the Jammu and Kashmir will be a Union Territory with a legislature.

 Pakistan saw it coming and started to panic

• Confirmed intelligence inputs about infiltration bid from Pakistan at LoC.
• Pakistan-made mine and a huge cache of arms from along the Amarnath Yatra route recovered.
• Amarnath yatra has been called off over security threat.
• Security advisory for Amarnath pilgrims, tourists issued by state machinery.
• Fresh deployment of 100 companies of additional troops in the valley.
• Pakistan raises false flags, accuses India of using cluster ammunition and targeting civilians at LoC.
• The following hash tags start trending in Pakistan: #StopKillingAtLoC #KashmirUnderThreat #OperationKashmir #KashmirIssue #IndiaUsingClusterBombs #KashmirTroopBoost #RawTerrorism #NeelamValley
• BAT action foiled by Indian Army at Keran sector, five militants including Pakistani Army regulars (SSG commandoes) killed.
• Section 144 imposed in Srinagar with effect 05 Aug.
• Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti placed under house arrest.
• Imran Khan plays mischief again, tries to misuse Trump card, says its time Trump negotiates on Kashmir, holds top level security meet.
• DG ISPR’s Fake News Factory issues SOS signal on the name of Syed Geelani and once again gets exposed.
• Game changing proposals by Indian Home Minister – J&K to be a Union Territorry, loses statehood, resolution to revoke Article 370 presented.

Viewpoint

For long Pakistan has played the “Kashmir card” and sheltered terrorism under the garb of Pakistan Army’s “Good bad terrorist theory”. Kashmiris had been paying heavily for this vested agenda and have lived a life of uncertainty and grief for the past three decades. The militant cadres too were frustrated at being played at the hands of Pakistan Army and ISI and have time and again come out openly exposing their handlers in Pakistan.  The separatists were exposed long ago; NIA had started tightening its noose over them and left them almost crippled. Unfortunately they had lost the trust of their own people due to their dubious standards.

This historic decision will pave the path for a safer, progressive J&K determined by its citizens, and not by the anti-national separatists. “Jamhooriyat, Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat” (democracy, the Kashmiri ethos, humanity) will finally coexist with “zero tolerance” for separatists and militants.

For Pakistan Army this could be  another excuse for COAS Qamar Bajwa to extend his tenure. If  good sense prevails he should order shutting down of the FakeNewsFactory, ISPR with immediate effect and let Pakistan Army stay apolitical and democracy breathe in Pakistan. 

05 Aug 19/Monday                                          Written by Afsana