Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 28: As many as 102 militants were killed while 29 Army men lost their lives in counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir this year.
The Army gave major focus to recruitment of Jammu and Kashmir youth this year by holding six recruitment rallies and recruiting a large number of youth, Defence PRO Col SD Goswami said.
He added that many more recruitment rallies are being planned by the Army for next year.
“Our focus is on recruitment. We have recruited a number of youths from Jammu and Kashmir this year and we will recruit more next year. A number of recruitment rallies have been planned for next year,’’ he said.
Col Goswami said 102 terrorists have been killed during the year, 47 were apprehended and one surrendered in operations in the State.
“The proponents of the proxy war were desperate to push in terrorists by attempting maximum infiltration to disrupt the Assembly elections. Many infiltration bids were foiled by the Army,” he said.
Army also recovered 394 different types of weapons in different operations along the LoC and in hinterland in the State, he said, adding that terrorists had planted 15 IEDs, but these were detected and defused by the Army, averting major tragedies.
Army suffered 29 fatal casualties and 45 non-fatal casualties in counter terrorist operations in the State during the year, the PRO said.
“Army is an apolitical force and does not get involved directly in electoral process. Army had a role of ensuring a safe and secured environment for the conduct of free and fair polls and we did that by being vigilant and carrying out relentless operations with surgical precision based on accurate intelligence which resulted in (the process being) devoid of any interference by terrorists,” he said.
“The security situation of J&K has a direct linkage with the infiltration through IB and LoC from across the border,” he said.
“We are giving primacy to preventing infiltration by adopting a robust counter infiltration strategy which has an appropriate mix of technology and human resources, while we simultaneously degrade the remaining terrorists in the hinterland,” the PRO said.
“The terrorist threat remains real as the terrorist infrastructure across the border remains intact,” he said.
Over 550 incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistan occurred this year, the highest since the truce came into force in 2003, with the Indo-Pak border witnessing the worst such escalation during August to October which left 13 people, including 2 security personnel dead, and thousands displaced.
Jammu and Kashmir’s Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) this year witnessed 562 violations, with increased shelling, firing, Border Action Team (BAT) and sniper attacks on civilian areas and forward posts by the Pakistani troops.
As many as 410 ceasefire violations were reported along IB and 152 violations along LoC, in which 19 people, including 5 jawans, were killed and over 150 injured, besides scores of cattle perishing.
“This year has seen the highest ceasefire violations by Pakistan, targeting civilian areas and forward border posts along LoC and IB in Jammu and Kashmir during last 11 years of its existence,” Col Goswami said.
“Appropriate retaliation as required by the Indian Force was carried out”, Col Goswami said.
Over 32,000 border people were forced to leave their homes and take shelter in camps setup by the Government in August and October, following heavy firing and shelling by Pakistan troops on civilian areas and forward posts along IB and LoC.
Then Director General of BSF D K Pathak had termed the ceasefire violations as the most heavy firing and shelling since 1971 Indo-Pak war.
As per the data by Ministry of Defence (MoD) on the sector-wise violations in 2014, the highest ceasefire violations (CFVs) have been reported from Jammu sector where there have been 347 CFVs, followed by 63 such violations along IB, 53 CFVs in Bhimbher Gali sector and 21 in Gurez sector along LoC.
In 2013, there were 347 ceasefire violations by Pakistan, including 199 along LoC and 148 along IB in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 12 security personnel were killed, according to the figures revealed by Ministry of Defence.
Pakistan had violated the ceasefire agreement with India on 114 occasions in 2012, including 93 CFVs along LoC and 21 along IB, in which 9 people including 5 security men and 4 civilians were killed.
The corresponding number was 62 in 2011, including 51 along LoC and 11 along IB, in which five security men were martyred, the data revealed.
In 2010, Pakistan violated the ceasefire agreement with India on 44 occasions, in which two Army personnel were killed.
There were 28 violations reported in 2009, followed by 77 in 2008, 21 in 2007 and three in 2006, the figures said.
“All ceasefire violations are taken up with Pakistan military authorities at appropriate level through established mechanism of hotline, flag meetings as well as weekly talks between the Director Generals of Military Operations,” Army official said.
During the Atal Bihari Vajpayee led-NDA rule, India and Pakistan had taken a major confidence building measure by entering into border ceasefire along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir on November 26, 2003.
Asserting that ceasefire violation by Pak army is connected with infiltration of militants as a cover-up, Col Goswami said “We are giving primacy to preventing infiltration by adopting a robust counter infiltration strategy which has an appropriate mix of technology and human resources put together to check infiltration effectively, while we simultaneously degrade remaining terrorists in the hinterland”.
“The security situation of J&K has a direct linkage with the ceasefire violations and infiltration through IB and LOC from across the border”, Col Goswami said.
“The terrorist threat remains real as the terrorist infrastructure across the border remains intact. So the spate of ceasefire will remain a challenge”, he said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel