Editorial: Strong message to Pakistan

Addressing a ceremony at the Kargil memorial in Dras in the presence of the military top brass, Modi said that falsehood and terror were brought down to their knees by the truth in the 1999 Kargil war.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stern warning to Pakistan on its continued sponsoring of terrorism is timely and appropriate. He chose a befitting occasion — the 25th anniversary of India’s victory in the Kargil War — to remind the neighbour of the perils of making terrorism an instrument of state policy and spoke about how Indian soldiers are capable of foiling any attempts to perpetrate terror. Addressing a ceremony at the Kargil memorial in Dras in the presence of the military top brass, Modi said that falsehood and terror were brought down to their knees by the truth in the 1999 Kargil war. Unfortunately, Islamabad has not learnt any lesson from the misadventures of the past. The Prime Minister’s tough-talking came amid a recent spurt in terror attacks in the Jammu region. It is clear that stern statements alone would not suffice to make Pakistan see reason and mend its ways. The scourge of infiltration — which had triggered the Kargil War on the hostile Himalayan terrain over 25 years ago — is nowhere near being wiped out. Pakistan-trained terrorists continue to sneak in, keeping Indian security personnel on their toes around the clock. Despite its economic woes and political mess, Pakistan has no qualms about targeting India by plotting terror attacks and sending drones with payloads of drugs and arms. There has been a significant shift in Pakistan’s proxy war tactics in recent months, moving the focus from the Kashmir Valley to a strategically vital zone in the Jammu region, extending from Poonch to Kathua and encompassing the mountainous tracts of the Pir Panjal South to the Kishtwar range.

Known for its peaceful atmosphere in the past, the Jammu region has now become a new hotspot for terrorist activities since the abrogation of Article 370, ending special status to Jammu & Kashmir. Pakistan’s deep state seems intent on reviving terrorism and fomenting antipathy against the Indian state in this region which has witnessed nine terror attacks in the last two months, claiming over 30 lives. The audacity, frequency and brutality of these attacks and the involvement of locals raise serious concerns about the resurgence of terrorist networks in the region. The tough terrain of the Jammu region also provides a favourable environment for terrorists. Infiltration routes across the International Border and the Line of Control have been exploited. There are instances of using tunnels and drones to evade security measures. Although this resurgence of terrorism echoes the dark days of the 1990s, it now employs entirely different operational tactics, prompting security agencies to reassess their counter-terror strategies. While strategic lessons can be drawn from the past, this new wave of terror in the Jammu region involving guerrilla warfare tactics necessitates a fresh counterterrorism approach. The counterterrorism strategies that proved successful in Kashmir may not be effective in Jammu. A new, technology-driven approach is imperative to address the evolving dynamics in the region.

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