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| Situation better in J&K, Centre may extend 'truce' | | | Agencies
NEW DELHI, June 10: Less than a week before the end of Ramzan, prospects of an extension of the suspension of offensive security operations in J&K have brightened with the assessment that a lull in cordon and search has helped improve local sentiment and provided a break from the cycle of violence.
The suspension of operations ensured there were no funerals of slain locals that have become an emotional recruitment ground for terrorists. According to a government functionary, there has not been a single cordon-and-search operation in built-up areas and hence no resulting casualties of civilians or security forces. There has been a 90 per cent drop in stone-pelting incidents over the past four weeks.
There has been an intense debate within the security establishment as well as in the political leadership over the utility of the Ramzan initiative being extended with the benefits of such a move weighed against the need to act against terrorists pushed in by Pakistan as well as home-grown ones.
The government has been keen that there is no slack as far as containing terrorist infiltration goes and that the Army and other agencies will act on intelligence about the presence of terrorists in specific locations.
The Ramzan initiative came about as it was felt that action against heavily armed terrorists leads to actions like shutting power and water - measures intended to reduce casualties by not using disproportionate force - but which cause hardships to locals.
While a final decision on the suspension of operations is yet to be taken, sources said the peace initiative will, in all likelihood, be extended unless there is an extraordinary or audacious attack by terrorists backed by Pakistan in the next few days. |
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