By IANS,
Jammu : The Indian Army vigil at the Line of Control (LoC) in stopping infiltration from across the border, and counter-insurgency operations in the hinterlands of Jammu and Kashmir have resulted in drastic decline in violence in the state, the army said Saturday.
“The current situation in Jammu and Kashmir is under control,” defence spokesman Lt. Col. S.D. Goswami said Saturday while releasing the assessment of the situation in the state that has been affected by terrorism for over 18 years now.
The army assessment has come at a time when the state is preparing for the tourist season and is to held crucial assembly elections later this year.
“The violence has been brought down considerably by effective counter infiltration operations along the LoC, and sustained counter terrorist operations by the security forces,” Goswami said.
He said the security forces were on alert and alive to the situation, as the terrorist organisations continued their activities in the state and rest of the country.
The defence spokesman said the “ceasefire on the borders is holding out, with a few minor aberrations”, a reference to the Nov 26, 2003 ceasefire on the international border and LoC, a de-facto boundary line that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
By aberrations, he meant minor incidents in which militants had attempted to infiltrate after firing at the Indian soldiers and pickets in the past four and a half years.
“Our resolve in upholding the ceasefire has not only helped to strengthen the ongoing peace initiative but has also given people along the LoC the opportunity to re-establish their lives,” he said.
Quoting intelligence assessments, Goswami said terrorist camps were still existing across the LoC and “Pakistan retains the ability to calibrate the intensity of the proxy war”.
“A high level of vigil is being maintained on the borders so that infiltration from Pakistani Kashmir is minimised.”