Stung by the Modi government’s decision to turn Article 370 into a dead letter, Pakistan expelled India’s high commissioner Ajay Bisaria on Wednesday to protest against the decision which strips Jammu & Kashmir of its special status and splits the state into two Union territories.
With the Indian move, backed by big margins in both Houses of Parliament, signalling a resolve to bind J&K even more tightly to India, Pakistan sought to hit back and also declared it will suspend all bilateral trade. The actions seem intended to assure domestic audiences, including anti-India terror groups, which have for long been assured of Pakistan’s support for the Kashmir cause. Sources feel Pakistan could also be seeking to create a spectre of an imminent military escalation to scare the Trump administration into nudging India to start negotiations over J&K with US in a mediator’s role.

Stung by the Modi government’s decision to turn Article 370 into a dead letter, Pakistan expelled India’s high commissioner Ajay Bisaria on Wednesday to protest against the decision which strips Jammu & Kashmir of its special status and splits the state into two Union territories.
With the Indian move, backed by big margins in both Houses of Parliament, signalling a resolve to bind J&K even more tightly to India, Pakistan sought to hit back and also declared it will suspend all bilateral trade. The actions seem intended to assure domestic audiences, including anti-India terror groups, which have for long been assured of Pakistan’s support for the Kashmir cause. Sources feel Pakistan could also be seeking to create a spectre of an imminent military escalation to scare the Trump administration into nudging India to start negotiations over J&K with US in a mediator’s role.