Chronology of Major Events in J&K (1980-2000)
1982: Sheikh Abdullah dies on 8 September and Farooq becomes Chief Minister.
1983: Farooq Abdullah leads the National Conference to a convincing victory in assembly elections in June.
1984: Jag Mohan is appointed Governor in April and State Govt. is dismissing on 02 July. G. M. Shah is sworn in as Chief Minister.
1984: Indian and Pakistani armies engage in clashes in Siachen Glacier, a no-man's land at an altitude of 20,000ft with extreme weather conditions, where the cease-fire line had been left undefined by 1972 Simla Agreement; Siachen is perceived to be of strategic importance for access to the Northern Areas and the spasmodic clashes would continue through later years, costing thousands of lives and billions of dollars.
1986: The Shah government is dismissed on 7 March.
1987: Farooq Abdullah wins the elections. The Muslim United Front (MUF) accuses that the elections have been rigged. The MUF candidate Mohammad Yousuf Shah is imprisoned and he would later become Syed Salahuddin, chief of militant outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahedin. His election aides (known as the HAJY group) - Abdul Hamid Shaikh, Ashfaq Majid Wani, Javed Ahmed Mir and Mohammed Yasin Malik - would join the JKLF.
Amanullah Khan takes refuge in Pakistan, after being deported from England and begins to direct operations across the LoC. Young disaffected Kashmiris in the valley are recruited by JKLF.
1988: Era of violence starts in valley.
1989: Militancy increases with bomb blasts. On 8 December, Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of the Home Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed is kidnapped by the JKLF. She is released safely on 13 December in exchange for the release of five JKLF leaders. Kashmiri Pandits Jia Lal Taploo and Neel Kanth Ganjoo are killed by militants, the latter for sentencing Maqbool Butt to death in 1984.
Soviet occupation of Afghanistan comes to an end. A large numbers of militant and weapons enter Kashmir through Pakistan, further fueling the discontent. The JKLF tries to explain that the killings of Pandits were not communal. In July, General K.V. Krishna Rao becomes governor.
Jag Mohan is appointed Governor for a second time on 19 January; Farooq resigns in an exodus of Kashmiri Pundits takes places. The rise of new militant groups, some warnings in anonymous posters and some unexplained killings of innocent members of the community contribute to an atmosphere of insecurity for the Kashmiri Pandits. Most of the estimated 162,500 Hindus in the Valley, including the entire Kashmiri Pandit community, flee in March.
1990: On 21 May, Jag Mohan resigns as Governor and Girish Chandra Saxena, is appointed Governor.
1990-2001: An officially estimated 10,000 Kashmiri youth cross-over to Pakistan for training and procurement of arms. The Hizb which is backed by Pakistan increases its strength dramatically. The JKLF faction led by Yasin Malik announces unilateral ceasefire in 1994 and pursues political agenda under the All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference (APHC) umbrella, followed by Amanulla Khan's JKLF faction's ceasefire in 1997. Since 1995, foreign militant outfits with Islamic agenda such as Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Mujahedin have dominated the militancy in Kashmir, besides the indigenous Hizb, all of them under the umbrella United Jehadi Council(UJC). Other indigenous and foreign militant organizations proliferate.
1993: In March, General K. V. Krishna Rao becomes Governor again.
1994: Prime Minister Narasimha Rao tries to start a political process in the valley by releasing militant leaders like Yasin Malik and Shabir Shah.
1995: Jammu and Kashmir declared backward state under the new industrial policy, entrepreneurs exempted from income tax by 05 years. In May Chrar-e-Sharief town is set ablaze along with the 14th century Chrar-e-Sharief shrine by militants led by a foreign mercenary Mast Gul. In July, 05 foreign tourists are abducted from Pehalgam by a militant group (Al Faran).
1996: In March during an encounter with security forces at Hazratbal, 33 top militants are killed, virtually annihilating JKLF (Aman) Group. In April elections for 06 parliamentary seats are held successfully. In September election to the state Assembly are conducted successfully.
In November 1995, a BBC documentary programme showed evidence of camps in Azad Kashmir and Pakistan, supported by the Jamaat-i-Islami (political wing of the Hizb), where fighters were trained and openly professed their intention of fighting in Kashmir.
1997: In January, Govt. announced setting up of a State Human Rights commission. In February, Rs. 7200 crore (US $ 1714.28 million) economic package is announced for J&K. In March, elections of the Legislative Council were held with national Conference winning all but one seat which went to BJP.
In June 1998 A Farooq Abdullah instituted Regional Autonomy Committee (RAC) proposes devolution of political power at regional, district, block and panchayats levels and allocation of funds according to an objective and equitable formula. Measures are also suggested to safeguard and promote cultures of various ethnic communities. 6 months after the recommendations, the State Government substitutes the RAC report with its own report recommending the division of the three regions (Ladakh, Kashmir and Jammu) into eight autonomous units on ethnic-religious lines without proposing any devolution of political and economic powers.
1999: Lahore agreement: In February, Indian and Pakistan Prime Ministers meet at Lahore and sign a Joint declaration expressing resolve to settle all contentious issues between the two countries including Kashmir problem, through bilateral dialogue. In May Pakistan soldiers accompanied with some Afghan / Pushto speaking men infiltrate across the Indian side of Line of Control in the Kargil sector and precipitate a crisis with the aim of internationalizing the Kashmir issue. Indian troops commence flushing out operations.
In May 1999, the Indian Army patrols detect intruders from Pakistan on Kargil ridges in Kashmir. India fights to regain lost territory. The infiltrators are withdrawn by Pakistan in mid-July, following the Washington Agreement with the US. War between India and Pakistan becomes more frightening given the nuclear weaponry possessed by both countries and Kashmir remains the underlying flashpoint.
In June 2000, the State Autonomy Committee (SAC) Report is discussed and an autonomy resolution is adopted in the J&K Assembly. The SAC Report recommends restoration of Article 370 to pre-1953 status with Indian jurisdiction limited to defence, foreign affairs and communications. The Indian Cabinet rejects the autonomy recommendation in July.
In November 2000, India announces an unilateral ceasefire in Kashmir which continues through May 2001; APHC welcomes the ceasefire but states that the ceasefire will not be effective unless it is supplemented with unconditional dialogues to resolve the Kashmir dispute and an end to human right violations by the Indian forces. The Hizb declares a unilateral ceasefire in July which is withdrawn only two weeks later, following India's refusal to include Pakistan in any trilateral talks over the Kashmir dispute proposed by the militants.
In July 2001, India and Pakistan fail to arrive at a joint agreement at Agra Summit. India accuses Pakistan for engaging in cross-border terrorism. Pakistan denies the accusations.
2001: In December 19, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee addresses the Indian Parliament stating, "We'll think through everything before making any decision… Decisions on war or peace are not taken in haste". In December 26, The US places the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammad on the State Department's list of designated foreign terrorist organizations. Making the announcement, Secretary of State Powell says that the two groups are responsible for "numerous terrorist attacks in India and Pakistan". In December 31, US Intelligence is reported to predict that war between India and Pakistan will start within days. India asks Pakistan to hand over twenty wanted terrorists based in Pakistan.
Dec 13, 2001: Terrorist attack the Indian Parliament, India and Pakistan build up massive troops along the border.
2002: In January 07, Vajpayee suggests he would be amenable to reopening dialogue with Pakistan at a SAARC meeting in Katmandu, Nepal. 2003: In May 02, India and Pakistan restore diplomatic ties. In July 11, Delhi-Lahore bus service resumes.
May 14, 2002: At least 30 people are killed in a terrorist attack on an Indian army camp in Jammu.
May 21, 2002: Abdul Ghani Lone, a leading and popular moderate Hurriyat leader is assassinated by unidentified gunmen.
