Since 2002, terrorism-related fatalities have demonstrated asecular decline in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), and this trend continued in2006, with a total of 1,116 persons killed. More than 40,000 people have losttheir lives in the conflict since 1989, and, even at present, an average ofnearly 100 lives is lost each month in J&K.
Despite the declines in indices of violence, the state continues to sufferfrom high levels of violence and subversion. Pakistan’s military regime, whichwas forced to scale down its proxy-war under intense international scrutiny, hasnevertheless shown no indication of dismantling the vast infrastructure ofterrorism on its soil. According to the union home ministry’s (MHA)"Status Paper on Internal Security Situation" (presented in Parliamenton November 30, 2006), the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistanoccupied Kashmir is yet to be dismantled and is being "used by Pak basedand Pak ISI sponsored outfits like JeM [Jaish-e-Mohammed], LeT [Lashkar-e-Toiba], Al-Badr, HM [Hizb-ul-Mujahideen], etc."