Insurgency and proxy-war in Jammu & Kashmir has affected the secular fabric and the security forces, including the Army, are making concerted efforts to deny inimical elements the space to disrupt harmony and peace, Army chief General General Bipin Rawat said on Friday.
Admitting that cross border firing and infiltration had come down in the past few weeks, he, however, cautioned that the Army was prepared for winter infiltration in the higher reaches of the State. Militants are now trying to sneak in from Jammu division and the Army chief gave the instance of two terrorists killed two days back in Poonch sector as ingress routes in South Kashmir are blocked by snow.
The Army had adopted a wait and watch policy as Pakistan Army recently got a new chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, he said adding situation was somewhat normal at the line of Control (loC) since Director General Military Operations (DGMO) of both the countries talked in November to ensure normalcy. Prior to that, the loC was witness to repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan after the Indian Army conducted surgical strikes in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and destroyed terrorist launch pads and killed nearly 35 to 40 militants.
Asked if India will again conduct surgical strikes if Pakistan crossed the threshold, Rawat did not rule out that option but said as of now peace and tranquility has to be given a chance to prevail on the loC and in the State. He also said at least 17 terror camps were still active in PoK and did not rule out the possibility of new launch pads to push in militants across the loC in other areas along the border.
Elaborating upon the current scenario in Jammu & Kashmir, the Army Chief said last few months witnessed violence and synergised efforts of the security forces brought the situation under control. He said efforts were now on to identify the centre of gravity of urban insurgency there and target those people instigating and indoctrinating gullible young men. He expressed concern over educated youth taking to guns.