Pahalgam attack: A leaf out of old Pak army playbook?

Over the years, the Pakistani public’s support for their army has waxed and waned.

ISLAMABAD : It was long apprehended by peace activists in Pakistan. Now, it has happened – a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir.

Security personnel check a vehicle near Pahalgam on Tuesday. (AP)

Well-meaning elements in Pakistan were on tenterhooks when the secessionist Baloch Liberation Army last month attacked the Jaffar Express, killing dozens. At the time, the Pakistani ministry of foreign affairs (MOFA), without specifically blaming India for the incident, accused it of “sponsoring” terrorism in Pakistan. The peaceniks were worried Pakistan might retaliate, thereby triggering a spiral of tit-for-tat.