SRINAGAR, Dec 16: Director General of Police (DGP) for Jammu and Kashmir R R Swain stated on Saturday that while it will take some time to silence the last gun in the valley, police are always working to achieve zero infiltration, zero terror recruitment, and zero arms and ammunition smuggling. They are also working to dismantle the narrative that encourages, excuses, and exalts terrorism.Additionally, according to Swain, the number of terrorists in the area has significantly decreased, from 100 in 2022 to less than 20 this year. He did admit that there is still a threat from foreign terrorists, though. It was 100 for the same period the previous year. It’s not even close to twenty this year, if my memory serves me well. Without a doubt, there are foreign terrorists. However, there are now fewer local terrorists or local recruits, he claimed. “We don’t want to disclose the number of terrorists from abroad. However, that presents a challenge,” he continued.According to the DGP, police are striving to create a system in which there are as few incidents linked to terrorism as possible. “We would strive for zero recruitment and zero infiltration. Our goal would be to have no weapons or ammunition smuggled in. Strong action will also be taken against narcotics. Zero financing for terror, and above all, we’ll strive to create an ideology and narrative that supports, legitimises, and justifies this—all of which are equally crucial, the speaker stated.When asked what steps the police are taking to prevent terror attacks, the DGP responded that any advancement must be measured against the overall downward trend. “The overall decline should be considered the measure of progress rather than individual episodes or incidents,” he stated. “We have a plan, and I believe it is moving forward,” he continued. He claimed that the highest levels of the government have been claiming that there are plans in motion to destroy and undermine the terror ecosystem, which includes those who enlist young people in the ranks of terrorism, arm and munitions them, aid in infiltration, offer logistical support, and identify targets for terrorists.That’s all a component of the ecosystem. Thus, we are working nonstop. Individuals are being recognised. For instance, we’ve made headway in locating some (terrorist) associates responsible for organising a few recent incidents. It’s a continuous practice. It will take some time, as I mentioned a little while ago, to be able to totally silence the last gun, Swain stated. When asked if Pakistan would attempt to drive more terrorists into the valley before the snow blocks roads, he responded that the neighbouring nation does just that.We should all be aware of this by now. They don’t seem to be stopping at it at all. However, at our level, there is also no stopping. The DGP declared, “We are fighting it resolutely and doing so very intelligently, scientifically, and in a blatant and systematic manner.” But he made it plain that law-abiding citizens have nothing to fear because the government is working to establish enduring peace in the area. “There will be education, roads, health, electricity, and economic activities once there is security and peace,” Swain continued. He said that efforts are underway to sever the sinister link that exists in some parts of the system between corruption and terrorism.This Police Headquarters (PHQ) hosted a public grievance redressal programme that Swain oversaw. This was the fourth programme of its kind that the DGP had introduced. In an interview with reporters outside the event, Swain stated that several aspects of the situation have improved. The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has ruled that stone-pelting constitutes terrorism because it did not always target public utilities like electricity, water, or roads, or it did not always refer to poor governance or subpar services. The other thing was more important, he claimed.According to Swain, a number of aspects of daily life in Jammu and Kashmir have improved. “There is trade and commerce, schools are open, shops are open, tourism is booming, and industrial activities have increased people’s income. These security management facets are crucial. Violence that has lasted thirty years won’t stop suddenly, he continued. In response to a query about whether or not the youth who used to throw stones are coming to his “public darbar” and what he has told them, the DGP stated that in order to protect the public’s safety, some people need to learn a lesson.In order to mitigate, we need to see if the stone-pelter is making any progress at all. Even though we are aware that he acted improperly, we still verify and document everything. It is not as if we look at the face and make a decision. Objectively, we delve into details,” he remarked. According to Swain, the police force has asked for the public’s cooperation because it is aware that it cannot accomplish anything without it.
