In a major change, there has been a substantial decrease in local protests and stone-pelting during operations this year, senior officials say, adding that ‘Pakistan has been unable to calibrate violence’ as desired due to a strong anti-infiltration grid and coordinated operations by security forces

by Manu Pubby

NEW DELHI: Infiltration bids are on the rise but official data shows that Pakistan backed terrorists have not been able to up the tempo of violence in Kashmir and local recruitment has not spiked as was feared after the withdrawal of special status and bifurcation of the state.

While 19 terrorist camps spread over Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab remain active and there has been continued ceasefire violations on the borders to abet infiltration, official data shows that as compared to last year, parameters like terrorists killed and weapons recovered have remained steady.

In a major change, there has been a substantial decrease in local protests and stone pelting during operations this year, senior officials say, adding that ‘Pakistan has been unable to calibrate violence’ as desired due to a strong anti infiltration grid and coordinated operations by security forces.

According to official estimates, in the past four years 560 terrorists have infiltrated with the active support of the Pakistani Army along the Line of Control (LoC), though there was a slight lull post the Balakot air strike last year.

However, data for this year shows that in terms of terrorists killed till June 8, numbers are even lower than last year. Against 121 terrorists killed in 2019 in the same time period 93 have been killed this year.

Another parameter to indicate violence is weapons recovered. There has been a slight increase in that this year, 196 weapons of different types recovered against 168 last year.

Officials say that there has been a surge in attempts to smuggle weapons, by using different methods like drops in Punjab and using narcotic smugglers who dumped big consignments across the Kishanganga river close to the LoC. Multiple weapon recoveries, including eight AK-47 assault rifles and 77 grenades on March 23 and five AK rifles and 57 under barrel launched grenades on June 8 have cut off supplies for terrorists, limiting their ability to carry out attacks.

Officials however say that the threat of vehicle borne improvised explosive devices remains high and all field formations have been warned to be on the alert for the same.

On the local recruitment front, there was a fear that a spike would be seen after the August 5 decision last year to take away the special status and bifurcate the state. While early estimates had indicated a surge, fresh estimates for locals recruited till the end of May suggests that last year’s trend continues without a surge. In 2019, in the first five months, 57 local youth joined terror ranks. This year the number is estimated to be 52.

Officials have also been surprised with the toning down of protests during active encounters that in the past made impossible at times to deploy adequate forces. “As compared to the past years, there have been negligible protests,” an officer says.