Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 12

While last year witnessed an infiltration attempt almost every day, at least 112 militants managed to sneak in from across into Jammu and Kashmir. This was the highest count since 2012, sources said.The infiltration figure showed an increase of more than 200 per cent as compared to 2015 when the figure was 33.The sources quoting the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC), the nodal agency comprising officials from the Intelligence, Army, BSF, RAW and J&K Police, said at least 112 Pakistan-trained militants sneaked in last year. Except 2012, when 121 militants had managed to infiltrate, this is the highest figure since 2008. Many of these militants who infiltrated were killed in encounters either along the Line of Control (LoC) or in the hinterland.The peak of infiltration takes place between May and October. During the winter, there is a sharp decline in attempts from across as snow blocks the infiltration routes.The infiltration of militants last year took place despite the Army carrying out cross-LoC raids on militant launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on September 29. The surgical strikes followed after militants from across attacked an Army base at Uri close to the LoC in September and killed 19 soldiers.“Despite surgical strikes, the attempts from across to infiltrate had continued,” admitted a senior Army officer.Earlier this week, Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir in a written reply in Rajya Sabha had said 364 infiltration bids were made from Pakistan last year. In 2014, the figure was 222 and for 2015 it was 121, he added. However, the minister had not given the number of militants who managed to sneak in last year.Incidentally 2016, which witnessed a five-month-long unrest following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani, was one of the bloodiest years for security forces as they lost 87 personnel in J&K. Forces were also able kill at least 165 militants last year. The unrest had crippled the counter-insurgency grid for many months.A senior police officer with experience in counter-insurgency said the major reason behind the spurt in violence last year was the rise in infiltration from across.“Pakistani militants are better trained and equipped with sufficient weapons and they give impetus to militancy,” he said.

Srinagar woman out to save lives in mined border areas

Rifat Mohidin

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 12

Breaking the stereotypes, a 27-year-old girl from Srinagar is saving lives in villages along the Line of Control (LOC) by educating people about landmines and unexploded shells.Shabreena Sidiqi, a resident of Srinagar, says despite travelling difficulties and risks of cross-border shelling in these sensitive areas, the main aim was to save the lives of people, particularly children, through “mine risk education”.“It’s a very challenging job and it was quite difficult for me to convince my parents because it requires travelling to far off places, where there is no network coverage and those on security radar. But when you see the problems being faced by the people who live there, helping them just seems like an obligation,” says Shabreena, who is currently working in the border villages of Rajouri, Poonch, Baramulla and Kupwara.The districts that lie near the LoC are highly sensitive and most affected by the conflict. People in these areas have become the victims of poverty, health issues, death and disability as they have been forgotten by the government.Shabreena added that the field team had narrow escape many times while working in these areas.“Physical rehabilitation is one way of helping the victims. But there has to be another mechanism to prevent casualties. Thus there is a need to impart risk education,” she adds.Shabreena and her team give safety and security briefing to people living in these areas as to how they can enhance their knowledge and change their behaviour in order to avoid landmine or unexploded ordinance casualties.“We also work on community-based reporting system and make them understand how they can report the landmine incidents or its presence to the authorities. Mostly, we educate children through fun methods as to how they can save themselves from unexploded shells,” she adds.After pursuing MBA from the University of Kashmir and working for a marketing company for 10 months, Shabreena chose social work and is currently working as project officer at the HELP Foundation for mine risk education and Conventional Weapons Risk Reduction Project.Shabreena is among the women in the Valley who moved out of their comfort zone to become an inspiration for others and to help the victims of two-decade-long conflict in the border areas.Educating villagersUnder the “mine risk education”, 27-year-old Shabreena Sidiqi and her team give safety and security briefing to people living in the areas along the Line of Control. They tell them ways to enhance their knowledge and change their behaviour in order to avoid landmine or unexploded ordinance casualties. They also work on community-based reporting system and make people understand as to how they can report the landmine incidents or its presence to the authorities.