The Core Group of top officials from armed forces, administration, police and intelligence agencies in Jammu and Kashmir have said that the benchmarks set after the abrogation of Article 370 have been achieved successfully for the restoration of peace and prosperity in the region.
The review meeting took place on Friday at the Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar and was co-chaired by the General Officer Commanding, Chinar Corps, Lt Gen DP Pandey and Director General of Police, Jammu & Kashmir, Dilbag Singh.
The officials shared that disinformation through the internet and social media remains a challenge, and that it needs to be countered proactively.
“Sadly, this includes propaganda to legitimise killing of Kashmiri civilians by terrorists… Efforts at synergy in exposing fake news, booking of radicals trying to foment unrest, and proactive sharing of information by state agencies are being upgraded,” Srinagar-based defence spokesperson, Col Emron Musavi, said in a statement.
“Post the abrogation of Article 370, certain benchmarks were set, which have been achieved successfully for the restoration of peace and prosperity in the region,” the Core Group observed.
The Core Group also commended the officials for improved security indicators. They stated that the year 2021, witnessed a reduction in infiltration, terrrorist incidents, terrorist recruitment and security force casualties, but recorded an increase in operations based on human intelligence, arrest of terrorists and Over Ground Workers.
“All pointing to effective conduct of joint operations and activities by intelligence and security agencies. There has been increased neutralization of Pakistani terrorists, in last few weeks..15 terrorists killed in 2021 were fresh names not on the security forces radar,” read the statement informing that the core group discussed fresh strategies of the terrorist organizations and their handlers including the use of ‘hybrid’ terrorists and targeting of soft targets.
The setting up of the new State Investigation Agency and the increased arrests by the National Investigation Agency, officials claim, are showing the impact of focused intelligence and investigation efforts. “These efforts have been effective in targeting drug, hawala and the OGWs networks. Legal action on those willfully harbouring terrorists is being increased as the harbourers have direct involvement in terror activities,” the meeting observed.
The officials stated that the ceasefire has improved the security situation along the Line of Control. However, intelligence inputs regarding presence of terrorist launch pads and training activities in Pakistan, necessitates the need to remain alert along the LoC.
“On the LoC, late snow has kept the infiltration routes open for a longer time, however effective domination has ensured decrease in overall infiltration including those from South of Pir Panjal. The vigil on the LoC, against infiltration of men, drugs and weapons is continuing,” read the statement.
The DGP of J&K police hailed the forces on measures taken to minimise the collateral damage in operations and commended them for the efforts to give a chance of terrorists surrender to local Teets.
The Corps Commander called upon all to treat 2022 as a ‘transformative year where the common man… sees it as the year when things turned for good in the long term.’ “Trend of the terrorists to use urban areas with thick built up area for operations… puts higher onus on security forces to exercise restraint to avoid collateral damage,” said Lt Gen Pandey.
He expressed satisfaction at low security forces casualties last year, which was the result of better intelligence-based operations and improved tactical drills. The Corps Commander called for continued efforts along with the civil society to counter the separatist propaganda and break the cycle of violence for long-term peace in Kashmir.