Mufti’s ‘human touch’ policy led to easing of convoy rules

NEW DELHI: The norms for security convoy movement in J&K were relaxed when the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led PDP-Congress coalition government was in office from 2002 to 2005 with the objective being to reverse the negative public sentiment over civilian vehicles being regularly forced off the roads by baton-wielding security personnel tasked with maintaining the ‘closed-box’ formation of such convoys.

Until 2002-03, security convoys moved in a box, with civilian traffic kept off the highway while the security vehicles passed. A pilot vehicle accompanying the convoy would continuously intercept civilian vehicles approaching the highway and shoo them off.

The Sayeed government insisted that this “harassment” of civilians in the name of securing convoys be ended. The Centre, agreeing with Sayeed’s “healing touch” approach, agreed to remove the restrictions.

However, some guidelines for convoy movements were introduced while allowing parallel civilian traffic. Road opening duties, involving detection of IEDs along the route, would be done prior to convoy movement and security personnel would line the route. The Army’s role was to specifically prevent terrorists from accessing the highway. Over the years, complacency led to the standard operating procedures being compromised.

Besides, even if the route was swept for IEDs, there was no way that a vehicle laden with explosives could have been detected unless each and every vehicle on the highway was searched.

“The only solution now is to go back to complete sanitisation of the convoy route by ensuring that civilian vehicles are kept off the road until the convoy has passed. Also, we may look at creating independent air capability for BSF and CRPF, so that troops can be transported by air,” said advisor to the home ministry and former J&K DGP, Ashok Prasad.