Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 13: A Union Home Ministry report today said that the year 2016 saw massive increase in infiltration attempts, number of militants intruding into Jammu and Kashmir and casualties suffered by the security forces as compared to the previous year even as it directly blamed Pakistan for instigating “civil unrest” in the Kashmir valley.
In its report for the year 2016-17 released yesterday in New Delhi, the Union Home Ministry headed by BJP veteran Rajnath Singh had directly charged Pakistan with trying to promote civil unrest in the Valley and radicalization of Kashmiri youth.
“Pakistan has been using different means to promote unrest among the youth through radicalization. The hostile neighbour is now focusing more on radicalization and unrest from the militancy though they continued to aid and abet the militancy and push trained militants into Jammu and Kashmir,” the report said.
There has been spurt in the incidents of stone pelting on security forces especially during the encounters with militants, which is being seen directly as an instigation by Pakistan to save the militants, on one hand, and target security forces, on the other. This has resulted into a number of civilian casualties as well and sometimes, even the militants managed to escape taking advantage of the situation created by the youth.
Sources said the Home Ministry report has directly charged Pakistan for 2016 summer unrest, which has now extended to this year as well, saying Pakistan has been instrumental in promoting the strife among the youth and provoking them to indulge in stone pelting on security forces and police, which, in turn, resulted into about 90 civilian casualties last year. This year too only recently, three civilians were killed in Budgam during an encounter with the militants while six civilians were killed in the violence on election day.
The Home Ministry’s report comes at a time when civil unrest has further gone up with people frequently resorting to protest and stone pelting on para-military forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police and even targeting houses of the police personnel.
The Home Ministry’s report said there has been a spurt in infiltration attempts from Pakistan during 2016. The State Government and security forces have also responded, as a result of which infiltrating terrorists were increasingly neutralized though some of them managed to infiltrate successfully.
“During 2016, both infiltration attempts and net estimated infiltrations have increased in comparison to 2015,” the report said.
In 2016, 364 infiltration attempts were made and 112 terrorists infiltrated into Jammu and Kashmir.
There were 121 infiltration bids made in 2015 and 33 terrorists sneaked into the State, the report said.
It said Pakistan has changed its strategy of “superimposition” of militancy onto Jammu and Kashmir by promoting “civil resistance” through radicalization,
“The ongoing militancy in Jammu and Kashmir is intrinsically linked to infiltration of terrorists from across the border, both through the International Border (IB) as well as the Line of Control (LoC), the report said.
“The year 2016 has seen a change in Pak tactics following a strategy of superimposition of militancy over civilian resistance through radicalization by vested interest groups and social media,” it said.
The Home Ministry said 2016 saw a significant increase in terrorist violence and casualties suffered by security forces in comparison to the year before. However, civilian casualties have decreased in comparison to 2015.
“The year 2016 witnessed a 54.81 per cent increase and a 110.25 per cent increase in the number of terrorist incidents and fatalities of security forces in comparison to the corresponding period of 2015,” it said.
However, there is a 11.76 per cent decrease in civilian casualties in comparison to the corresponding period of 2015. During 2016, 38.89 per cent more terrorists have been neutralized.
In 2016, 322 incidents of violence were reported in Jammu and Kashmir in which 82 security forces personnel, 150 terrorists and 15 civilians were killed.
In 2015, 208 incidents of violence occurred in the state in which 39 security forces personnel, 108 terrorists and 17 civilians were killed.
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