What did strikes achieve?

It is being made clear on nearly a daily basis in Kashmir that our cross-Line of Control strike has failed to achieve what a “surgical strike” should — put out the most damage-causing capability in the adversary’s armoury. The well-known Entrepreneur Development Institute at Pampore, about 15 km south of Srinagar, was once again besieged by armed terrorists from Monday for over 56 hours, till it was ended  on Wednesday, with two terrorists killed and two jawans hurt.

The iconic EDI, that started functioning in 2004 and was a great enabler for J&K’s youth, was earlier attacked by terrorists in February this year. In fact, since 1989-90, when insurgency began in Kashmir, the aim of terrorists who gather here from Pakistan, and also Pakistan’s local support brigades, is to dismantle the existing infrastructure in the Valley.

Since September 29, the day of the surgical strikes, two military establishments were attacked and the J&K police is being tested almost every day. There are also signs of stone-pelting, which invites police retaliation with pellet-guns, returning to Srinagar in an incipient form. A 12-year-old died on Sunday and further protests erupted. All this would suggest the government has failed to tackle the internal situation in the Valley. This really means rounding up armed terrorist elements that are already nestled in. Even if the surgical strikes haven’t knocked out a crucial fighting facility of Pakistan, has it achieved any strategic objective? If so, what?