Sumit Hakhoo

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 26

A year after the Army’s surgical strikes on terror launch pads located deep inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), there is a general perception among the people that the government should stop “selling the strikes” and make efforts to stop infiltration and silence the Pakistani guns along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border.Since the military strikes, which hit the heart of terror infrastructure supported and run by Pakistan army, the situation in J&K has deteriorated with a marked increase in terror attacks in the Valley. The cross-LoC shelling and firing has destroyed peace of lakhs of civilians.Experts said the Pakistan army, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Muhajideen have stepped up violence despite security forces eliminating leadership of militant organisations.The global terror outfit Al-Qaida is also trying to gain foothold in Kashmir through terrorist commander Zakir Musa, changing the narrative of conflict which is now getting greatly influenced by pan-Islamic jihadi movement.While talking to The Tribune, former Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda, who was the police chief from 2007-2012, said, “The surgical strikes had an initial impact by way of putting Pakistan on an alert that India could strike deep inside their territory. The fact is that its impact has been lost and Pakistan continues with its terror activities, including financing and arming terrorists.” Khoda has a vast experience in anti-insurgency operations in Kashmir and considered brain behind establishing village defence committees in mid 1990s which demoralised the terrorists.He said, “The recent success of security forces in eliminating terrorists in Kashmir will get neutralised as infiltration from PoK continues with the help of Pakistan. Local recruitment of militants in south Kashmir and the Banihal area has also picked up,” Khoda said.Echoing similar views, former Director Information, J&K, KB Jandyal, who had held important positions in the administration, said the surgical strikes shattered the perception that the Army would not attack the terror camps run by Pakistan but the level of violence in J&K had not decreased.“Ceasefire violations have increased. Pakistan is making efforts to increase violence and spill blood of our citizens and soldiers. The Centre should have cornered Pakistan but that does not seem to be true on the ground except diplomatic efforts to isolate them. Further in insurgency, one has to dominate the mind of the adversary but we in J&K lack a dedicated strategy to dominate even cyberspace,” said Jandyal.Panthers Party leader Harsh Dev Singh targeted the Central government for harping on surgical strikes even as things have worsened for people living along the LoC and International Border. “The Central government has failed to take strong steps against terrorists. People living in Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch are suffering due to attacks from across the border almost daily,” he said.‘Go for the final surgical strike’ Civilians living along the border areas are suffering due to Pak shelling and firing. Thoru Ram from Allah village in the Arnia sector said his village, located 35 km from Jammu city, was bearing the brunt of intense shelling from Pakistan for days now. “I would like to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi to go for a final surgical strike on Pakistan to silence the terrorist nation so that our people can live in peace. We don’t want statements only but a strong action against the enemy,” said Thoru Ram, sitting along with his family in a bunker.