Worried over withdrawal of the NATO forces from Afghanistan by 2014 and the resultant bearing on the terror situation in Jammu & Kashmir, Union Home Ministry is mulling over a series of measures to safeguard its borders and the line of Control with Pakistan.
The measures under consideration include erection of all-weather fence along the loC, installation of sensors and surveillance equipment besides modernisation of the Border Security Force. In the wake of emerging challenges, BSF is on an overdrive to recruit officers for deployment at the cutting edge with the paramilitary undertaking training of as many as 337 candidates at one go.
Security agencies apprehend Pakistan would put its thrust on reviving terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir once Americans pull out from Afghanistan.
Terrorism was at its peak in the State when the Taliban controlled Afghanistan from 1991 to 2002. While the number of violent incidents in Jammu & Kashmir in 1994 was 5,829, it reached the figure of 5,932 in 1995, the maximum registered in over two decades of Pakistan-sponsored terror in the State.
This, however, registered a sharp decline with 324 violent incidents reported in 2011 and the number further dwindling to just 207 incidents in 2012. But the net infiltration registered a sharp increase with 118 infiltrators successfully making their way into the State till October, 2012 compared to infiltration of just 52 terrorists in the preceding year.
Firing incidents from across the border also increased significantly in 2012. The pattern of infiltration has also changed with 25 terrorists crossing into the State in June followed by 43 in July and 23 in August. In 2011, only three terrorists infiltrated in June followed by six in July and 15 in August.
Infiltration of terrorists into the State has witnessed noticeable increase in 2012 and the Centre is emphasising renewed efforts to foil such attempts.
The terror infrastructure, according to the inputs with the Union Home Ministry, is still intact in Pakistan with reports suggesting 42 active terrorist camps active in the neighbouring country, including 25 in PoK and the remaining stations in other parts of that country. As many as 2,500 recruits are undergoing terrorist training.
During recent meetings with the Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has apprised him of the current security situation in the State.
Abdullah has told Shinde that the Government has identified the sensitive areas in the wake of killing of sarpanches by the terrorists and day-night patrolling has been intensified.
By liquidating the sarpanches, Pakistan is aiming to cripple the institutions of governance in the State in its bid to generate fear psychosis among the common people so as to enlist their support for terror agenda, intelligence assessments point out.
The current lull in terror-related violence in Jammu & Kashmir, inputs with the Centre suggest, could be superficial as the profile of the terrorist network in the State has also undergone a dynamic change with foreign terrorists outnumbering local recruits. Recent attacks on security forces in the Valley is a pointer to what is in store.
lashkar-e-Tayyeba operatives, mostly foreign recruits, have outnumbered those of the Hijbul Mujahideen, considered to comprise local militants but supported by Pakistan.
Government sources said about 450 ‘residual’ terrorists are active in the State out of which 150 are from the leT, 110 of Hijbul Mujahideen, 80 from Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, 70 from Jaish-e-Mohammad and 10 to 15 of the Al Badr. Earlier, Hizbul had a significant presence and lashkar only played a second fiddle.
Agencies attribute the increase in number of lashkar operatives to better training, funding and support. Unwillingness of local youth in taking up arms coupled with their disenchantment with terror agenda, Hizbul is finding it difficult to get new recruits.
While leT operatives are more active in the Valley, the JeM has its roots in Jammu region. lashkar operatives, mostly comprising those from the North West Frontier Province speak Dari and the Jaish terrorists use Dogri language.
Terrorists of all the hues have an agenda to expand their operational areas to the Valley as they can easily mix up with the local population owing to the similarities in language, beliefs and build, sources said.