The LG of Jammu and Kashmir eloquently extolled the enduring debt of the nation to the valour, intrepidity and ultimate sacrifice of the resolute police personnel who valiantly forfeited their lives in the perilous call of duty. His tribute was rendered at Martyrs’ Memorial, ensconced within the Armed Police Complex in Zewan, in honour of the illustrious “Police Commemoration Day.” The battle against terrorism is an arduous undertaking, necessitating a multifaceted array of strategies. Over the past four decades, terrorists and their overseas handlers have exhibited chameleon-like adaptability, shifting tactics repeatedly. From the employment of AK-47 Kalashnikovs and grenades to resorting to suicide attacks, IEDs, mass shootings of bus passengers and villagers, and now pistol-based assassinations, the relentless pressure exerted by diverse counter-terrorism agencies has forced terrorists onto the back foot. Indigenous recruitment has dwindled to near insignificance. The influence of social media has proved instrumental in unveiling the terrorists’ atrocities, rendering the dissemination of unfounded rumours and the fomenting of mass hysteria, as witnessed in previous years, a futile endeavour. Stone-pelting has withered as financial support has waned, with hawkish money operators facing a stringent crackdown from the prevailing administration.
All the security and other agencies have executed their roles with commendable precision, but the JKP bore the brunt. The monumental sacrifices of 1605 police personnel from all ranks of JKP testify to the magnitude of the challenge. The core focus has been to make terrorists pay a steep price, with no quarter given. Even long-dormant terrorism-related cases have been resuscitated, and the perpetrators have been apprehended and subjected to the rule of law. With their financial arteries choked, terrorism is no longer a lucrative enterprise. The crackdown on radical elements, which included the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, has played an indispensable role in the eradication of radicalism. The assets of perpetrators have been seized throughout the UT. Furthermore, the pursuit of terrorists extends beyond the nation’s borders, as those responsible are brought back to face the law. Pakistan, the harbinger of terrorist support and financing, has been chastised on the international stage, languishing on the Grey List of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for an extended period.
However, as is their modus operandi, Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, has pivoted and introduced new strategies. Drones are now being employed to surreptitiously transport weapons, and narco-terrorism has become the new modus operandi. The wholesale influx of narcotics across UT is the latest strategy aimed at ensnaring the younger generation in the clutches of addiction. JKP is now fighting the enemy on this line. This menace must be expeditiously quashed. Throughout the protracted struggle against terrorism, the various arms of the armed forces have supported the JKP. In the wake of the Uri terrorist attack, a retaliatory surgical strike was executed, and after the tragic events in Pulwama, the Balakot operation was carried out with pinpoint precision. In the last few years, JKP has almost eradicated terrorism. Yet, the JKP must remain unwaveringly vigilant, as Pakistan will endeavour by any means to keep the pot simmering. The recent border firing incidents may be desperate measures, but they cannot be disregarded.
The people of UT have relished an abundant tourist season, flourishing businesses, an absence of threats to life, the cessation of shutdowns, an end to stone-pelting, and relief from extortion-related threats. The transformation has been profound. The vibrant celebration of Independence Day, the G20 Summit, and the midnight hustle and bustle around Lal Chowk and Dal Lake bear eloquent testimony to the fact that the sacrifices made by the JKP have rendered these achievements attainable. The path is difficult, but the journey is near completion. A heartfelt salute is extended to those who laid down their lives in the line of duty for the nation.
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