Despite engaging the political leadership at the highest level in Pakistan, peace continues to elude the State of Jammu & Kashmir.
Compared to the first half of 2015, the second half saw a sudden spike in number of incidents of violence in the hinterland, especially after the initiation of peace parleys.
Though the ceasefire agreement was being largely adhered to following series of flag meetings, the counter insurgency grid in the State continued to remain on its tenterhooks to neutralise the threat from radicalised youth in the Kashmir Valley.
According to recent assessment of the various security agencies, terror training camps located across Pakistan Occupied Kashmir continued to import terror inside the Indian territory to keep the terror pot boiling.
According to a senior army officer based in Jammu, “On ground zero there has been no perceptible change in the security scenario as terror threat from across the border looms large”.
Following fresh terror strike at the Pathankot airbase in the wee hours of Saturday, high alert was sounded along the Jammu-Pathankot National highway dotted with army installations.
Security was beefed up further in and around vital installations to prevent repeat of any other major terror strike.
The security check points along the national highway and interior border roads were alerted and ordered to carry out thorough checking of vehicles.
After August 5 fidayeen strike on the BSF convoy on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway Jammu region remained peaceful but in Kashmir valley several top commanders were neutralised in the surgical operations.
According to official sources, “122 killings were reported between July -December compared to 73 between January-June in year 2015 in different incidents of militant related violence”.
A total number of 102 militants, 12 Policemen, 41 Civilians, 35 Army men, 5 BSF personnel and 2 CRPF Jawans were killed in 2015. Compared to this 106 militants, 17 Policemen, 52 Civilians, 39 Army men, 4 BSF personnel and 2 CRPF Jawans were killed in 2014.