Helmsmen in Jammu and Kashmir, and indeed the entire country, often claim that terrorism is losing its foothold in the Union Territory and that authorities are very close to realizing a terror-free atmosphere. However, those who have faced the brunt of terror know that the situation on the ground is still grave and much remains to be done to end the vicious cycle of violence in the terror-ridden mountains, plains, and valleys of this part of India.
Giving statements of normalcy shall not change the situation on ground because no doubt these assertions help in boosting the morale of the security forces and the common masses but those who are directly affected by the terror strikes whether in Poonch District, Rajouri, Pulwama or in Srinagar have to live with the agonizing past which has snatched away or critically injured their near and dear ones as they have nothing to do with the inclination in the graph of terrorism.
The twin terror attacks in Valley in less than 24 hours are the testimony to the fact that peace in Valley is still a distant dream because terrorists whether aboriginals, foreigners, hybrid, misguided, swayed or of any other type are still existing and can vitiate peace in a jiffy making it significant for the security forces and the governments both in J&K and at the Centre to keep the counter-terrorism forces on tenterhooks and never go off guard giving a chance to anti-national elements to disrupt peace and spread terror.
There is no doubt in the fact that terrorism graph has shown decline in violence and other activities proving detrimental to country but claiming that Union Territory is terror-free in a hurry is not in the interest of the nation and its population because terrorists are still killing people at their will and at the places of their choice telling the country that as far as peace in Valley is concerned—‘Delhi Abhi Door Hai'. Therefore the focus of the security forces and the intelligence agencies should be on containing terrorism and not propagating success stories of attaining peace as J&K is a crucial issue, and any mistake can derail the entire gamut, which should not be allowed to happen at any cost.
While it is important to bolster the morale of the nation, it should not come at the cost of underestimating the persistent threat. Ultimately, true peace will be achieved not just through military might but through sustained efforts in addressing the underlying socio-political issues and fostering an environment of trust and inclusivity. Until then, every claim of normalcy must be tempered with caution, and every effort should be made to transform the hope for a peaceful Jammu and Kashmir into a tangible reality
