The Line of Control (LoC) an international border (IB) continues to be hot with Pakistani forces increasing firing and shelling. There was heavy shelling in areas of J&K. Eight civilians were killed and 25 injured. Indian forces had to retaliate. The BSF is reported to have wiped out 14 Pakistani Rangers posts along with IB. There is continuing tension since the Uri attack followed by Indian surgical strikes. It would be in the interest of both countries to bring about cessation of attack and counter attack but how. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is facing flak from his opposition. The Pakistani Supreme Court has ordered an enquiry into the Panama Papers which allegedly tarnish Nawaz Sharif and his family. That has temporarily halted Imran Khan’s threatened offensive against Islamabad. He alleges that Sharif’s state-sponsored terrorism is a diversion from the canker of corruption in the Prime Minister’s government.
Meanwhile, antagonism between Islamabad and Rawalpindi has intensified with the Pakistani army shielding the ISI’s connivance with terror groups. Sharif has dismissed his information minister. But all this does not seem to have been conducive to India’s interest. The pivotal figure is General Raheel Sharif who is pronouncedly anti-India owing to personal pique. He is due for retirement but has asked for extension presumably to keep the army gunning for India. As a rule, turmoil inside Pakistan can be expected to take its gun-sights away from the LoC but the internal problems of Pakistan on this occasion would likely have an opposite effect. India has to keep sleepless vigil over the LoC to push back terrorist strikes. The role of the IS can aggravate the crisis and so can the outcome of the US Presidential election. A military coup destabislising Pakistan’s democracy such as it is will be counter productive for India.