As the Taliban tightens its grip over Afghanistan, the redeployment would undermine the aspirations of the Kashmiri population for peace, said regional expert Olivier Guillard

New Delhi: With the deadline of US troop’s withdrawal barely a month away and the increasing grip of the Taliban over Afghanistan, experts anticipate the “redeployment” of Pakistani terrorist groups like Lashkar- e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) that have historically targeted India.

Writing for Asialyst, regional expert Olivier Guillard said that the redeployment would seriously undermine the aspirations of the Kashmiri population for peace and the desire of the Indian government to work for the sustainable development of the region. This security concern comes amid the second anniversary of the revocation of article 370. Around two years are about to pass since the historic decision took place and everyday life today has witnessed a return to normalcy.

“It should be noted in this regard that Jammu and Kashmir organized two local elections, in the fall of 2019 and the end of 2020, without these electoral political meetings being hampered by a crippling level of violence or minimal popular participation,” the writer added.

He further noted that initiatives taken by the Central government were not limited to the administrative and electoral fields alone. “The launch and implementation of various infrastructure projects accompanied the will of the central power to influence more favourably the very sensitive link between Srinagar and New Delhi.”

Guillard also pointed out that since August 2019, the level of violence has decreased significantly in the Kashmir Valley. “Although efforts are being made on several fronts for the benefit of the sought-after political stability and economic development in J-K, there remain a number of challenges that the Indian government will need to address in the coming years to achieve the target with success.”

Given the current geopolitical situation in the region, especially with respect to Afghanistan, the writer suggests that New Delhi will need to arm itself with patience and resilience to meet the aspirations of the Kashmiri population, but also vigilance and firmness in its ties with the authorities of neighbouring Pakistan.

Recently, the Afghan government said that more than 10,000 terrorists, backed by Pakistani institutions, have entered Afghanistan. A spokesperson for President Ashraf Ghani said in a video message sent to media that thousands of terrorists enter Afghanistan from Pakistan to carry out the country’s proxy war.

“We have accurate intelligence reports that more than 10,000 Pakistani have entered Afghanistan from Pakistan while another 15,000 are encouraged to come. This shows that a regular institution is training and financing Taliban,” the message said.

In the past few weeks, Afghanistan has witnessed a surge in violence as the Taliban has intensified their offensive against civilians and Afghan security forces. Experts believe that a civil war-like is possible in Afghanistan which is likely to have repercussions for the regional security paradigm.