A young army officer from Kashmir, who was on leave to attend a family wedding was abducted by terrorists and murdered in cold blood. His bullet ridden body was found a day later and the incident has triggered widespread outrage. The officer was unarmed and off duty, but to terrorists that is not a factor because in this asymmetrical war anyone could be a target. This is the kind of war being waged at the behest of Pakistan in Kashmir. The killing of Lt Ummer Fayaz was not an error or accident. It was deliberate and aimed as sending a clear message that young men from the valley should not join the armed forces. A week back two members of the Border Security Force were beheaded by a team of the Pakistani army. Pakistan’s aim is to ensure that peace never returns to Kashmir and that the issue is always kept on the boil. Ummer’s murder is a continuation of this dangerous policy which could bring two nuclear powers to the brink of war. Pakistan is testing India’s resolve and has been doing so ever since the surgical strikes a year back. New Delhi needs to handle the situation with calm and strike at a place and time of its choosing.
