New Delhi, Dec 1: Terrorist handlers sitting across the Line of Control are finding it hard to keep the conflict alive in Jammu and Kashmir as the proxy war launched by them three decades ago is in its decisive phase.
After August 5, 2019 — when the Centre announced its decision to abrogate J&K’s special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories — the security forces intensified operations against the terrorists and managed to wipe out the terror outfits that were responsible for fomenting violence in the Himalayan region.
Scrapping of Article 370, a temporary provision in the Constitution, perturbed Pakistan and the terrorists sponsored by it to the hilt. They made desperate infiltration attempts but the robust counter infiltration grid along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border repelled their moves. Either the infiltrators were killed or they fled back.
During the past three years infiltration from across the LoC has been on its lowest ebb as the alert soldiers deployed in the hinterland are not allowing the terrorists to sneak in.
Terrorist handlers invent new methods
Security forces acting tough against terrorists in hinterland and the mainland have left the terrorists bosses exasperated. Instead of acknowledging defeat the violence mongers sitting across the LoC are inventing new methods like dropping arms, ammunition and cash through drones in J&K.
Last week the J&K Police recovered one suspicious package dropped by a drone from Pakistan in Vijaypurarea of Samba district in Jammu. The recoveries included one steel Improvised Explosive Device (IED), two pistols, 4 magazines, several batteries and a watch. Police also recovered around Rs 5 lakh cash from the package.
Preliminary investigations revealed that it was a case of a drone dropping from Pakistan’s side. Weapons and cash were dropped into the Indian side for carrying out terror-related activities in J&K.
The movement of a drone was spotted in Vijayapurarea which is opposite to the Sialkot-Pakistan border.
Drone flights double in 2022
During the ongoing year the onslaught of drone flights from across the Pakistan border on the western front, and instances of the aerial vehicles bringing drugs, arms and ammunition has doubled.
In 2020 the security forces detected about 79 drone flights along the India-Pakistan international border. These increased to 109 last year and in the first ten months of 2022 the security agencies have detected 266 flights. Of which 215 flights were seen in Punjab and about 22 in Jammu region.
In March this year a joint investigation and action by the two security agencies led to the arrest of eight persons, six of whom were convicted for narcotics crime in the Havelia area of Punjab. The accused were working as conduits of the terrorist handlers sitting across the LoC.
The drones sent by Pakistan have been bringing across narcotics, arms and ammunition, counterfeit currency and all kinds of things.
In June 2021, two explosives-laden drones crashed into the Indian Air Force (IAF) Jammu airbase. The attack marked the first instance of drones being used to target military installations in India, by Pakistani non-state actors.
The drone challenge by Pakistan is being effectively countered by the Indian Army and Border Security Force. The Pakistani drones crossing the LoC to drop weapons and drugs for terrorists in Kashmir are being chased or shot down. Jawans who shoot down drones are being given incentives and cash rewards.
Terrorists face shortage of weapons
The terrorists operating in J&K are facing shortage of weapons and Pakistan is sending consignments through drones.
Small weapons are being used to target non-J&K labourers who come to earn their living. Huge quantities of drugs are being pushed to this side of the border for narco-terrorism. In June last year heroine worth Rs 45 crore besides weapons were seized in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Pakistan is finding it hard to push in terrorists into J&K so it’s taking refuge in drones. Besides using drones the terrorist handlers seem to have passed clear cut directions to the terrorists in J&K to stay away from security forces to remain alive. Terrorists choosing soft targets, planting IEDs are acts of desperation to make their presence felt.
The terror bosses are unable to believe that the “proxy war” which they fought for 30 long years has ended with their defeat. Their dream to get Kashmir has been shattered. If Pakistan fails to mend its ways there is every possibility about the Indian Army crossing the LoC to reclaim Pakistan occupied Kashmir, which has been under illegal occupation of the neighbouring country for the past 72-years.
Rajnath Singh warns Pak
During his visit to Kashmir last month, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh minced no words to reiterate that New Delhi is committed on its resolve to reclaim PoK. “We’ve just started our journey northward. It will be complete only when we implement the resolution passed unanimously in Parliament on February 22, 1994, and accordingly reach our remaining parts such as Gilgit and Baltistan,” Singh had said, while addressing the Infantry Day function in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
In the recent months the residents of PoK have staged many protests against the federal government of Pakistan and have dropped enough hints about their desire to join India.
The Pakistan government during the past seven decades has sown the seeds of hatred in PoK and it appears that mass rebellion there is in the offing.
Soon after Rajnath Singh’s statement on PoK, Commander of Srinagar based strategic Chinar Corps,Lieutenant General ADS Aujla, said that the Indian Army was “fully prepared for action.”
“Whenever the Central government takes such a decision, orders will come to us and in such a situation, we are fully prepared. Apart from our conventional strength, we are also strengthening ourselves modernly, so that we do not have to look back in such a situation,” General Aujla had said.
The consensus in India to reclaim PoK and dismantle terrorist camps is building up. J&K has got freedom from Pakistan sponsored terrorism and it seems that time to free PoK residents from clutches of tyrannical rulers too has come.
IANS