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Zahid Wani was a Pakistani and head of JEM , main recruiter in Pulwama area and active since 2017 , due investment in local intl network the number of terrorists in J&K is less then 200 since 1989 .
@Nilgiri seems like the quashing of article 370 has started showing the results on ground
The reason I said after revoking the article 370 , after the revocation the local political interference in the COIN operations is well known . I think the ban of Jammate Islami , the crub on terror finance , better border management and better intl assets on both sides of LOC have choked the terrorist activities to greater extent.Art 370 (abrogation) was a smokescreen tbh...and for certain political triumphalism.
The security + intel increase leading to these results are separate matter to it....as 370 had already been whittled away (esp during 90s and 2000s) to allow such increase in first place....with commensurate action also on funding and gestation hubs.
What has changed is level of intel assets and networking deployed...combined with main source of funding diminishing (so most terrorists give up and slink away and blend, some even rehabilitated). This all could have been done with or without 370 repeal....most of the process extends well before 370 repeal.
Anyway this all leaves just the few hardcore desperados trying to pull something out of the much depleted hat.
Basically almost any terrorist rat pokes up its head at increasing risk to itself nowadays.
the local political interference in the COIN operations is well known
Basically, it is one kind of messaging to separatist to convey that earlier rules of engagement is changed by GOI...Although on the ground, even if Mallick is in jail..he is a sick person...So GOI will shift him to a private hospital where he will be more comfortably placed....Yea - "Why now?" is a valid question.