Rawalpindi has a number of motivations to sanction this attack — the principal one being to establish a measure of symbolic parity with India. From its vantage, it sees Delhi seizing the initiative and setting the pace of bilateral ties in recent weeks. The Narendra Modi government has tackled brutally the civilian unrest in Kashmir and blamed the crisis on Islamabad. Since that has not held back Delhi, Islamabad perhaps feels that a spike in militancy will change Delhi’s calculations. That the youth in Kashmir are beginning to jettison pragmatic, self-preserving instincts and are contemplating armed violence again must worry Delhi.

Source: Hindustan Times September 18, 2016 11:02 UTC