Terrorism continues in Jammu and Kashmir, but recent intelligence reports suggest that local recruitment levels have fallen dramatically. Of the 140 terrorists active in J&K, about 80 percent are Pakistanis.
While this is a clear sign that fewer people in Kashmir are supporting terrorism and violence, and a huge plus, politically, the trend also helps security forces. For, terrorists will have fewer guides to go across the line of control to bring them over from launch pads, they will have less logistics support once they cross over and will get fewer intelligence inputs. To compensate for that, the terror handlers — mostly the ISI, Pakistan’s military intelligence agency— will need to train them more thoroughly and provide them with more resources, including ammunition, maps and medicines.
Of the 140 terrorists currently in J&K, about 80 are north of the Pir Panjal range and the rest in the Jammu area. Heavy snow— and this year has been particularly severe— has reduced infiltration in north Kashmir to a trickle.