PATHANKOT: With the annual Amarnath Yatra set to commence on July 3, security agencies have intensified vigilance across Pathankot district, a strategically sensitive region that shares boundaries with Jammu and Kashmir and lies close to the international border with Pakistan.Pathankot Police has been regularly conducting flag marches at various locations across the district, informed Senior Superintendent (SSP) of Police Daljinder Singh Dhillon on Tuesday.The marches pass through key market areas and residential localities as part of a broader security exercise being carried out district-wide.Officials said the heightened security measures are aimed at ensuring the safe movement of lakhs of pilgrims who will travel through the region en route to the Amarnath shrine. Given Pathankot’s geographical significance and its proximity to Jammu and Kashmir, security forces are leaving no room for complacency.Police, in coordination with the Army and the Border Security Force (BSF), have been conducting round-the-clock search operations and area domination exercises in vulnerable pockets, said Dhillon adding that surprise flag marches, vehicle checks, intensified patrolling, and enhanced surveillance at key entry and exit points have become a daily feature as security agencies strengthen the district’s security shield.“The objective is to maintain a robust security environment and reassure the public,” said the SSP.Police have also urged shopkeepers and residents not to accept or store belongings from unknown persons and to immediately report any suspicious individual, object, or activity to the police.While security agencies maintain that there is no specific threat input at present, officials acknowledge that the prevailing security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir warrants a high degree of vigilance. Multiple contingency plans have been put in place, and security forces remain on alert round the clock to respond to any emergency.Officials said that ensuring the safe passage of Amarnath pilgrims, while maintaining peace and law and order across the district, remains their foremost priority in the weeks ahead.
