US withdrawal from Afghanistan: Kashmir may witness rise in violence

“Pakistan-sponsored terrorism will likely increase in Kashmir after U.S. troops leave Afghanistan,” Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and editor of FDD's Long War Journal told CNS News.

“Pakistan has learned that state sponsorship of terrorism works as a tool of its foreign policy, and the Taliban’s victory emboldens jihadist groups.”

According to global risk analyst Dennis Santiago, the Pakistanis are “strategically conflicted in places like Afghanistan.”

Roggio observed that Pakistan experienced significant internal conflict by supporting the U.S. presence in Afghanistan.

“Additionally, the U.S. should be wary of Pakistan, which has been duplicitous in Afghanistan,” he told the news portal.

Relationship between India and Pakistan has been one of hostility over Kashmir ever since the two independent nations were formed in 1947.

On Aug  5, 2019, the Narendra Modi-led government in India scrapped Article 370 and 35A that accorded a special status to the state, bringing peace in Kashmir but angering Pakistan which moved every global forum to embarrass India.

The state of Jammu and Kashmir was acceded to India through the instrument of accession in 1947, under which special status was granted by New Delhi to Jammu and Kashmir, under Article 370.

Article 370 had allowed Jammu and Kashmir to have its own constitution, flag and right to handle its own laws except on matters that impact national security, but it also beacme an obstacle to development in the region wracked by terrorism sponsored by Pakistan and the rule of political oligarchy.

Islamic terrorism also saw the exodus of the Hindu Kashmiri Pandit community from the Valley in 1989-90.