Amid Shift in Militancy to Mountain Forests, J&K Security Forces Launch Weekly Joint Review Mechanism
With militancy in Jammu and Kashmir increasingly moving away from urban centres in the Valley to the rugged, forested mountain belts linking Jammu and Kashmir divisions, the security establishment has put in place a new weekly coordination mechanism to respond swiftly to the evolving threat.
The initiative brings together senior officials from across the security spectrum under a structured review platform chaired by the Northern Army Commander.
The virtual meetings are attended by top representatives of the Army, Jammu & Kashmir Police, central paramilitary forces, and intelligence agencies from both divisions.
Unlike the periodic sessions of the Unified Headquarters chaired by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the newly instituted Joint Control Centre reviews are designed for faster operational feedback and real-time intelligence exchange.
Officials say the goal is tighter coordination across regions separated by challenging terrain but increasingly linked by militant movement.
Security officials point out that the Pir Panjal mountain range — long a natural barrier between Jammu and Kashmir — has now become a corridor exploited by insurgent groups.
Militants have shifted into dense forests that connect south Kashmir to the Chenab region and further towards border areas such as Kathua and Samba.
On another axis, the Pir Panjal belt provides access towards the Line of Control in Poonch and Rajouri.
“The forested stretches and overlapping jurisdictions in these mountainous areas offer militants operational space,” a senior police officer said, noting that cross-regional coordination had become essential to deny such safe havens.
One of the recent review meetings was chaired by Pratik Sharma, the Northern Army Commander. According to the Army, senior military leadership and officials from the police,
CRPF and other agencies in both Srinagar and Jammu divisions participated. Deliberations focused on strengthening intelligence-sharing channels, improving joint preparedness, and sharpening counter-terrorism strategies tailored to jungle warfare conditions.
Officials emphasised that while district- and division-level reviews have continued routinely, the new UT-level weekly mechanism adds strategic oversight and unified direction.
“Militancy has undergone a dynamic transformation over the past few years,” a senior security official observed.
“To counter it effectively, seamless synergy between forces operating on either side of the Pir Panjal is crucial.”
The meetings are expected to prioritise coordinated operations, shared situational awareness, and integration of intelligence inputs, reflecting a broader recalibration of the security grid in response to shifting militant patterns.
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