Poonch attack is a reminder that the scourge of terror requires robust surveillance and countermeasures around the clock
Posted Date – Mon, 4/24/23 at 12:15pm
Poonch attack is a reminder that the scourge of terror requires robust surveillance and countermeasures around the clock
Hyderabad: The dastardly attack in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir that killed five servicemen was a stark reminder that cross-border support for terrorism and terror infrastructure remains a pervasive threat. The Pakistan-backed terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the ambush. The terrorist attacks underscored the continued vulnerability of the border region, despite three layers of security – the army on the Line of Control, Rashtriya rifles closer to the border and police in the hinterland. Following the killing of civilians in Rajouri village in January, the Poonch attack served as a reminder that the scourge of terror requires robust surveillance and countermeasures around the clock. Apparently, the perpetrators of the attack and their manipulators on the other side of the border must have wanted to address India’s plans for the G20 tourism conference in Srinagar next month. Such a cowardly act should not prevent New Delhi from holding the meeting as planned. The ambush came hours after Pakistan announced that its foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto, would attend next month’s Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers’ council meeting in Goa, the first high-level visit by Pakistani officials. . Nawaz Sharif at the inauguration of Prime Minister Modi in 2014. There have been calls for India to withdraw its invitation to Pakistan to attend SCO meetings. However, the government must prevent these important diplomatic events from becoming hostages to terrorist groups determined to destabilize peace in South Asia.
The growing number of incidents in the valley reflects the ease with which terrorists can get away with even as they infiltrate local communities in search of food and shelter. The change should concern security experts. Equally worrisome, as India pointed out at the UN Security Council last week, are the delivery of weapons by drones in border areas. There is no doubt that the latest terrorist attack has dealt a blow to the prospect of a thaw in India-Pakistan relations, which were already in a deep freeze. This despicable act reminds us of Pakistan’s continued policy of using terrorism as a tool of national policy and provocation in the region. Pakistani leaders must keep in mind that cross-border terrorism is the most important issue to be addressed in the normalization of bilateral relations. Fighting terrorism and closing the trust deficit are prerequisites for a return to normalcy. There is a need to revisit guidelines on troop movements, joint operations and the deployment of counter-terrorism measures. The attack occurred near the site of an encounter in 2021 that lasted for several weeks. Despite a rigorous search, the terrorists managed to escape.
