Pakistans Minor Attacks Aim to Divert Domestic Issues, Says Retired General Rajan Bakshi

Chandigarh, November 12 (Daily Kiran) : Retired Lieutenant General Rajan Bakshi has commented on a recent terrorist attack on a CRPF post in Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir. He described this incident as significant, marking the first time in a long while that a security checkpoint has been targeted.

Bakshi believes that Pakistan is currently avoiding major attacks, such as one in Pahalgam, to prevent the breakdown of dialogue between the two nations, which could escalate tensions and lead to war. He expressed concern that Pakistan might resort to minor incidents to distract its citizens from pressing domestic issues.

In an interview, Bakshi noted that the CRPF post that was attacked has a continuous presence of security personnel, with additional forces stationed nearby. He pointed out that this marks a noteworthy event after a significant gap, although there were previous incidents, such as the killing of two laborers in Kulgam and the death of a police officer on duty during the Amarnath Yatra. However, a direct assault on a police or CRPF post has not occurred in quite some time.

Following the Pahalgam attack, the Indian government made it clear that any similar incidents would be viewed as acts of war, prompting a robust response from India at that time. Bakshi suggested that Pakistan is now reluctant to conduct large-scale attacks, fearing that it would close off avenues for dialogue and escalate tensions into a conflict. Instead, he speculated that Pakistan may continue with minor provocations.

Discussing the current situation in Pakistan, Bakshi highlighted that the country faces significant economic and political challenges. The economy is struggling, and the political system lacks democratic strength. The military remains the most powerful institution in Pakistan, making crucial decisions. In this context, Bakshi believes that Pakistan may opt for smaller incidents to divert attention from its internal problems.

He warned that such minor attacks could persist in the future. However, he noted that the mountain passes used for infiltration in the Kashmir Valley would soon be blocked by snowfall, limiting the timeframe for militants to launch attacks. The government has claimed to have prior intelligence regarding potential attacks, but the specifics of where and how they might occur were unclear. Had there been concrete information about a specific area or security post, the response could have been different.