International Women’s Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm and dignity at the historic Town Hall Poonch. Haq Insaaf Council, brought together prominent public representatives, civil society members and women achievers from across the district. The program was held under the chairmanship of Advocate Zeshan Syed, Chairman Haq Insaaf Council.

The theme of the event was “Challenges of Women in Border Districts – Safety, Education, Livelihood.”
The program commenced with the National Anthem, followed by a welcome address by Ikhlaq Mehmood Parray, who highlighted the importance of recognizing the contributions and resilience of women in border districts.

The event witnessed the presence of distinguished guests including MLA Haveli Ajaz Ahmed Jan, MLA Surankote Ch Mohd Akram, Additional SP Poonch Mohan Sharma (Shaurya Chakra), Former DDC Member Raiz Naaz, Alhaj Syed Zaki Haider (Chairman ACT Trust), Narinder Singh Talwar (COAS Medal Recipient), Prof Shamim Banday, Advocate Iftikhar Bazmi, Mohd Mashooq Khatana, Kamran Ali, Dr Nusrat Shah and Prof Fateh Mohammad Abbasi.

The program featured panel discussions focusing on women’s empowerment and the challenges faced by women in border areas. The first panel discussion, hosted by RJ Faieza Tabasum, featured MLA Haveli Ajaz Ahmed Jan and Advocate Zeshan Syed as panelists.

The second panel discussion was hosted by RJ Touseef Ganai, with DDC Chairperson Tazeem Akhter, Additional SP Poonch Mohan Sharma and DDC Member Riaz Naaz as panelists.

The third panel discussion was hosted by journalist Sharaz Ahmed, with MLA Surankote Ch Mohd Akram participating as a panelist.

The panelists emphasized the importance of women’s empowerment, safety, education, economic opportunities and leadership participation, particularly in border districts where women face unique social challenges.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Shamim Banday highlighted the importance of education and awareness in strengthening women’s empowerment and building a progressive society.

The program was gracefully hosted by renowned moderator Pradeep Khanna.
During the event, several women achievers from various fields were felicitated for their outstanding contributions to society in different categories including Lifetime Achievement Award, Courage Under Conflict, Education Excellence, Youth Leadership, Grassroots Health Worker and Security.

The awardees included Tazeem Akhter (DDC Chairperson), Anjuman Shaheen (Principal GHSS Poonch), Rani Mughal (Principal GDC Surankote), Prof Nighat Chowdhary, Taj-un-Nisa Kazmi (Former CDPO), Dr Shamim Bhatti (Former Chief Medical Officer), Kailash Sharma (Radio/Media), RJ Faieza Tabasum, Er Falak Hameed, Shamshad Akhter (Self Help Group Leader), PSI Dr Avinash Rajput, Anjali Sharma (Martyr Family), Simran Yaqoob (Kurash), Ekta Kapoor (Taekwondo Champion) and Pakiza Irshad (Taekwondo Champion).

The organizers stated that the event at district Poonch was aimed at recognizing the courage, leadership and contributions of women in border districts while encouraging greater participation of women in social leadership and nation building.

Community Radio Stations (CRS) represent one of the most localized and participatory forms of media within India’s communication ecosystem. Unlike commercial broadcasting, which prioritizes mass markets, or national broadcasting that operates at scale, community radio is hyper-local, low-power, and community-owned in spirit.

Its relevance becomes particularly pronounced in geographically remote, socio-economically vulnerable, and border regions where information asymmetry often limits access to government schemes, public services, and credible news.

In such settings, CRS serves as a vital bridge between policy architecture and lived experience. India’s community radio policy framework enables educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and community-based groups to establish stations tailored to specific local populations. Operating within limited transmission radii and covering nearby villages, these stations produce content in local languages and dialects, ensuring cultural relatability and accessibility.

This linguistic intimacy distinguishes community radio from mainstream media and builds a foundation of trust among listeners. In border districts, terrain barriers, intermittent internet access, and limited newspaper circulation frequently restrict information flow. Community radio mitigates these constraints by broadcasting government advisories, agricultural guidance, health awareness campaigns, skill-development opportunities, and disaster alerts.

In regions prone to natural disasters or security-related disruptions, CRS functions as a real-time information lifeline. Timely and verified announcements reduce panic, counter misinformation, and enable coordinated community responses. One of the most significant contributions of CRS lies in translating complex policy frameworks into accessible communication.

Government schemes often involve eligibility criteria, documentation processes, and procedural formalities that can appear overwhelming to rural residents. Community radio simplifies these complexities through storytelling, interviews with local officials, interactive question-and-answer sessions, and dramatized explanations.

Instead of abstract administrative language, listeners hear relatable narratives that clarify benefits and processes. This reduces exclusion caused by lack of awareness and enhances effective implementation at the grassroots level.

CRS also strengthens participatory democracy by facilitating two-way communication. Listeners can call in, share grievances, seek clarifications, and suggest discussion topics. Such engagement enhances transparency and accountability. When citizens understand their entitlements and responsibilities, leakages decline and governance outcomes improve.

In this manner, community radio becomes not just an information platform but a participatory civic space. Women and youth engagement is another defining dimension of community radio. CRS initiatives frequently train local volunteers in scripting, recording, editing, and anchoring programs. Young participants acquire technical and communication skills that enhance employability and confidence. Women-led broadcasts address maternal health, sanitation, nutrition, education, financial literacy, and social challenges that may otherwise remain under-discussed in conservative settings.

The microphone becomes a tool of empowerment, enabling marginalized voices to shape discourse and influence community priorities. In sensitive border environments where rumour and misinformation can spread rapidly, trusted local broadcasting plays a stabilizing role. Because CRS is rooted in community credibility, its messaging carries authenticity and acceptance. It can dispel false narratives, clarify official announcements, and reinforce calm during periods of tension. This localized counter-narrative capacity carries strategic significance in frontier regions.

Culturally, community radio preserves oral traditions, folk music, poetry, and dialect storytelling. By broadcasting local heritage and shared memories, CRS strengthens social cohesion and intergenerational continuity. When communities hear their own languages and lived experiences reflected on air, representation deepens belonging and reinforces identity.

Community radio initiatives in the Pir Panjal region, particularly Sadaa-e-Pir Panjal and Radio Pir Panjal, are playing a transformative role in strengthening grassroots communication across the border districts of Jammu & Kashmir. Operating in culturally rooted and linguistically familiar formats, these stations have emerged as trusted platforms for broadcasting educational content, health awareness programs, agricultural advisories, youth engagement discussions, and information about government welfare schemes.

In geographically sensitive areas where connectivity gaps and terrain barriers limit mainstream media outreach, these CRS platforms ensure that timely and verified information reaches remote villages. Beyond dissemination, they nurture local talent by training youth as radio jockeys, content creators, and technical operators, fostering community ownership and skill development.

By promoting local culture, countering misinformation, and encouraging participatory dialogue, Sadaa-e-Pir Panjaal and Radio Pir Panjaal are not merely broadcasting stations they are instruments of social cohesion, democratic awareness, and developmental empowerment in the border belt.

India’s border villages occupy a unique and often paradoxical position in the national imagination. They are geographically peripheral yet strategically central; economically fragile yet symbolically powerful; vulnerable to cross-border hostilities yet remarkably resilient in everyday life. Stretching across Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and Meghalaya, these frontier settlements stand as the first line of both defense and democratic continuity.

At the heart of this endurance are the women of these regions. Their resilience is neither rhetorical nor episodic; it is deeply embedded in lived experience shaped by geography, conflict exposure, resource limitations, and evolving development frameworks. To understand the resilience of women in India’s border villages is to understand the intersection of security, development, identity, and democratic participation at the nation’s edges. Women in frontier districts often live under the recurring shadow of cross-border firing, infiltration attempts, and sudden escalations in tension.

In areas along the Line of Control and the International Border, episodes of shelling have historically disrupted schooling, agriculture, livestock rearing, and domestic stability. Families sometimes shift temporarily to safer zones during heightened tensions, and homes, crops, and community infrastructure have faced repeated damage.

In such circumstances, women carry disproportionate responsibility for sustaining normalcy. They ensure food security, safeguard children and elders, manage emergency relocations, and restore routine once calm returns. Their resilience extends beyond endurance it is adaptive leadership under uncertainty. Many women become de facto heads of households when male family members migrate for employment or serve in the armed forces and other security agencies.

This transition reshapes traditional gender roles, not necessarily through ideological transformation, but through necessity-driven responsibility and competence. Over the past decade, structural reforms in rural development policy have significantly influenced the socio-economic position of women in border regions. Financial inclusion initiatives have enabled women to access bank accounts, direct benefit transfers, and micro-credit systems, strengthening economic autonomy.

Self-Help Groups under rural livelihood missions have emerged as powerful instruments of collective enterprise. Across border districts, women-led groups engage in dairy production, mushroom cultivation, tailoring, handicrafts, food processing, organic farming, and small-scale agro-enterprises. What was once subsistence-based agriculture is increasingly complemented by value-added economic activity. These micro-enterprises enhance household incomes, expand decision-making power, and reduce vulnerability during periods of crisis. Economic participation reinforces dignity and fosters confidence in long-term stability.

Education has become a transformative force reshaping aspirations in frontier communities. Enrolment of girls in border blocks has steadily improved, supported by scholarships, transportation facilities, residential schooling options, and awareness initiatives promoting gender equity. Young women from remote villages are entering higher education, appearing in competitive examinations, and aspiring to careers in civil services, police, defence services, healthcare, education, and entrepreneurship.

The presence of female role models local teachers, elected representatives, health workers, and officers creates a multiplier effect within communities. Resilience thus becomes intergenerational; mothers who once lacked educational opportunities now prioritize schooling for their daughters as a strategic pathway to empowerment and mobility. Political participation through Panchayati Raj institutions has further deepened women’s leadership at the grassroots. Reservation of seats has resulted in visible female representation in local governance. Women sarpanches and panchayat members actively plan and monitor development projects related to roads, drinking water, sanitation, school infrastructure, health centers, and welfare implementation.

Their governance priorities are grounded in everyday needs, shifting focus from conflict narratives to development-centric agendas. In sensitive and conflict-prone regions, such participatory leadership strengthens trust between citizens and institutions, reinforcing democratic legitimacy and social stability. Healthcare access has improved through expanded insurance coverage, institutional delivery schemes, vaccination drives, and rural health missions. For women in border villages, maternal health services, mobile medical camps, and improved institutional outreach have reduced historical vulnerabilities.

The construction of community bunkers in shelling-prone areas reflects a civilian-security interface designed to protect women and children during escalations. Simultaneously, infrastructure expansion roads, electrification, tap water connections, and LPG access has reduced physical drudgery and enhanced quality of life. Time saved from fuel and water collection can now be invested in education, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement. The inspiring journeys of Shagun Sharma and Manali Sharma exemplify how resilience in border districts translates into national achievement.

Shagun Sharma, from the border district of Poonch in Jammu & Kashmir, became the first girl from her area to join the Officers’ Training Academy of the Indian Army. Growing up amid recurring cross-border shelling and instability, she refused to let adversity define her aspirations. Through determination, perseverance, and disciplined preparation, she cleared the competitive examinations and stepped into the defense services transforming a narrative of vulnerability into one of leadership.

Similarly, Manali Sharma made history as the first female naval officer from a border village of Poonch district to serve in the Indian Navy. Her achievement signals expanding horizons for young women from frontier regions who are now entering elite national institutions with confidence and competence. The journeys of Abhilove Kour from Poonch, Preeti Sharma, Anjuman Shaheen, Dr. Pallavi Banotra, and Parvinder Kour (JKAS) further reflect the evolving landscape of women’s leadership in Jammu & Kashmir’s border villages.

Abhilove Kour symbolizes youthful determination and sporting excellence emerging from a district often viewed through the prism of conflict rather than talent. Preeti Sharma represents intellectual confidence and professional growth in educational and public spheres. Anjuman Shaheen embodies grassroots educational leadership and community strengthening. Dr. Pallavi Banotra reflects professional excellence in healthcare and public service.

Parvinder Kour, serving in the Jammu & Kashmir Administrative Service, exemplifies administrative leadership, demonstrating that women from border belts are not merely participants but policy implementers shaping development at the institutional level. Culturally, women remain custodians of linguistic and traditional heritage in frontier regions.

Whether preserving Pahari, Dogri, Ladakhi, Punjabi, Rajasthani, or tribal dialects and crafts, they transmit identity across generations. Cultural resilience strengthens psychological integration with the broader national framework while safeguarding regional distinctiveness. In areas vulnerable to misinformation and destabilizing narratives, this rooted cultural confidence acts as a stabilizing force. Women in border villages also serve as informal bridges between communities and security institutions.

Participation in civic outreach programs, medical camps, skill-development initiatives, and community dialogues fosters trust and cooperation. Stability in border regions cannot rely solely on physical security infrastructure; it requires social cohesion, and women play a central role in nurturing that cohesion.

A thought-provoking and intellectually enriching discussion on “Power Politics, Public Discourse, and Institutional Dynamics in South Asia” was successfully organised at Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU), Rajouri, under the banner of the Jammu & Kashmir Haq Insaaf Council, a Jammu & Kashmir based peace-building and civic platform headed by Advocate Zeshan Syed.

The programme marked a first-of-its-kind initiative at BGSBU, aimed at strengthening informed public discourse, democratic values, and institutional accountability, particularly in sensitive border and conflict-affected regions.

The programme commenced with the National Anthem, followed by a two-minute silence to pay solemn homage to the bravehearts who laid down their lives for the nation during Operation Sindoor.

The dignified opening set the tone for deliberations rooted in constitutional responsibility, national sacrifice, and respect for human dignity.
The discussion witnessed the participation of eminent academicians, journalists, legal experts, and civil society voices from different parts of Jammu & Kashmir, including Prof. Ashok Aima (Former Vice Chancellor, Central University of Jammu), Saleem Beg (Former Director General, Tourism Department), Prof. Karan Maini, Dr. Ali Asghar Shah, Dean, School of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Advocate Uma Kapahi, Javed Beigh (Human Rights Activist), Sumit Bhargav (Journalist), and Azad Rahat (Journalist).

The programme was moderated by Tahir Mustafa Malik, while Sajid Arain delivered the welcome address. Speakers offered nuanced, fact-based perspectives, reflecting academic rigor, democratic maturity, and a shared commitment to truth and dialogue.
Key highlights of the programme included
Deliberations on the growing menace of misinformation and its disproportionate impact on youth, particularly in conflict-affected and border regions.

A critical examination of the gap between public discourse and ground realities in border districts.
In-depth discussions on human rights, institutional accountability, and the need for transparent governance.
Insights into women’s leadership in Jammu & Kashmir as a substantive and transformative force in South Asia.

Analysis of conflict entrepreneurship and its adverse implications for regional stability.
Emphasis on fact-based dialogue, responsible media practices, strong institutions, and inclusive governance as prerequisites for sustainable peace and national integration.

Addressing the gathering, Advocate Zeshan Syed, Chairman of the Jammu & Kashmir Haq Insaaf Council, lambasted Pakistan for its role in regional disturbances, stating that its continued support to terrorism has paralysed SAARC and betrayed the collective interests of South Asian nations.

He remarked that developments in countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and other South Asian states offer critical lessons for retrospection and future policy thinking in the face of propaganda unleashed by what he described as a failed state.

He asserted that the youth will oppose, expose, and defeat such nefarious designs, particularly on 5th February, which is projected internationally as Kashmir Solidarity Day. He further alleged that international aid meant for the development of the downtrodden and needy populations of PoJK and PoGB is being misused to promote terrorism, benefitting vested interests rather than ordinary people.

The programme saw enthusiastic participation of scores of youth, including students of BGSBU and young participants from Rajouri, Poonch, Jammu, and the Kashmir Valley, making the interaction lively and meaningful.

Their active engagement reflected a growing awareness among young citizens that democracy thrives not on slogans or polarisation, but on critical thinking, informed participation, and civic responsibility, especially in border districts that bear the direct consequences of conflict and policy decisions.

At a time when public discourse across South Asia faces increasing polarisation and institutional trust is under strain, the programme reaffirmed the essential role of universities and civil society in nurturing democratic resilience. It reinforced the belief that peace without justice is fragile, security without accountability is incomplete, and development without inclusion remains unsustainable.

The program was attended by Deans of the Schools, Directors, Principals, Heads of different departments, faculty members, officers of the University, non teaching staff, research scholars and students.

The Jammu Kashmir Haq Insaaf Council reiterated its commitment to continuing such academic and civic engagements in the future, with a focus on promoting fact-based discourse, constitutional consciousness, and constructive youth participation.

The organisers stated that initiatives of this nature are not merely academic exercises, but democratic necessities, particularly in regions where voices have historically remained underrepresented.

In the aftermath of the sharp decline in terrorist recruitment across Jammu & Kashmir a result of sustained security operations, development initiatives, community mobilization, and shifting youth aspirations terrorist networks have been forced to adapt. Unable to rely on mass recruitment or carry out large-scale group attacks, many outfits have evolved their tactics. They now increasingly deploy what India calls “hybrid Over Ground Workers” or OGWs young men and women who never formally join militant ranks but serve as facilitators: guiding logisticians, ideologues, recruiters, spotters for security forces, propagandists, fund-raisers, cyber-operatives, or lone-wolf attackers.

This grey zone warfare allows terror outfits to maintain influence without open confrontation. Their actions, spotting security patrols, sharing information, producing propaganda, or sheltering infiltrators, remain below the legal radar, often eluding conventional counter terror frameworks. Cracking the code of hybrid OGWs has therefore become one of India’s most urgent security challenges.

Hybrid OGWs thrive on ambiguity. They operate between legality and illegality, activism and radicalism, social identity and violent ideology. Many are radicalized gradually, through social media, online sermons, or peer groups, without ever meeting a foreign handler.

They are not typical recruits; they do not pick up weapons or join known groups. Their participation may be limited to sharing disinformation, raising small funds through hawala or donations, or alerting handlers about troop movement. Yet these micro acts are essential to sustaining terror ecosystems.

Because hybrid OGWs never formally affiliate with militant organizations, they escape standard intelligence profiling. Their invisibility is their armor. They blend in, carry no record, and fade away after missions, complicating detection and prosecution.

To understand the hybrid OGW phenomenon, one must go beyond the stereotypes of radicalization. Their motivations are diverse, ranging from ideological conviction and social alienation to economic desperation or misplaced identity politics.

Post 2019 developments in Jammu and Kashmir, including the abrogation of Article 370, triggered psychological shifts among sections of youth. Many, struggling to reconcile identity and opportunity, became vulnerable to extremist narratives of defense and solidarity.

Crucially, many OGWs do not perceive themselves as criminals. They see themselves as defenders of a cause, not as terrorists. This cognitive dissonance, believing one is right even while aiding terror, makes them especially difficult to counter through force alone.

India’s security establishment has gradually adapted to this evolving threat. Intelligence agencies have expanded human intelligence (HUMINT) networks across schools, mosques, and community hubs. Local police, CRPF, and administrative units now combine traditional surveillance with community engagement, encouraging citizens to report suspicious but non violent activity.

Digital monitoring has also intensified. Social media platforms, WhatsApp groups, and Telegram channels are scanned for coded language, radical imagery, and coordinated disinformation. Artificial intelligence tools help identify behavioral clusters indicative of early radicalization.

But India’s approach is not limited to surveillance. Recognizing that hybrid OGWs operate in both physical and psychological spaces, the state has begun deploying preemptive disruption measures, community outreach, youth mentorship, and digital literacy programs to inoculate society against extremist influence.

The battle today is as much online as it is on the ground. Hybrid OGWs use digital anonymity to spread propaganda, recruit sympathizers, and organize logistics. In response, cyber cells of the J&K Police, CERT In, and national intelligence agencies are collaborating to dismantle these online ecosystems.

When radical influencers are identified, their networks are mapped using metadata and financial trails. Many interventions at this stage are non punitive, focusing on counseling, awareness drives, and parental engagement rather than immediate prosecution. Only when behavior crosses into criminal intent are legal provisions under UAPA or BNS invoked. This graded response ensures that counter terror measures do not alienate communities but instead strengthen trust between citizens and the state.

Perhaps the most creative counter to hybrid OGWs lies in reclaiming the narrative. Extremist propaganda thrives on emotional appeal, portraying militants as heroes and India as an oppressor. To dismantle this psychology, the government has turned to trusted influencers, local artists, entrepreneurs, social media creators, and sportspersons who articulate an alternative Kashmiri identity rooted in development, pluralism, and peace.

Through songs, short films, and digital campaigns, these voices counter extremist messaging with stories of progress, humor, and hope. They offer cultural antidotes to radical rhetoric, redefining pride in being Kashmiri as pride in coexistence, resilience, and opportunity.

This soft power strategy, combined with civic empowerment, has begun eroding the appeal of extremist propaganda among youth audiences.

Hybrid OGWs often facilitate small but critical financial flows, storing cash for weapons purchases, aiding militant families, or raising donations under social pretexts. Financial Intelligence Units and police now track such micro transactions, linking them through data analytics between banks, digital wallets, and unregistered trusts.

The integration of RBI and Central FIU systems allows security agencies to trace unusual cash patterns and cut off the financial oxygen that sustains hybrid networks. Every disruption in funding prevents a potential act of violence downstream.

India’s counter OGW framework increasingly balances enforcement with rehabilitation. Young offenders identified at early stages are offered pathways to rejoin mainstream life through skill training, education, sports, and mentorship. Families are engaged as partners, not targets.

This approach prevents stigmatization and breaks the cycle of alienation that extremist networks exploit. Rehabilitation is no longer an afterthought, it is a frontline counter radicalization tool.

The hybrid OGW model did not evolve in isolation. Pakistan’s intelligence apparatus actively promotes such tactics because they are low cost, high impact, and deniable. Diaspora based propagandists and radical media channels abroad produce extremist content tailored for Kashmiri youth.

India has responded by working with foreign governments and tech platforms to identify and remove such content. Diplomatically, New Delhi continues to highlight Pakistan’s state sponsored information warfare, pressing for greater global accountability in cyberspace.

At the grassroots, the government’s investment in sports and cultural infrastructure has proven a subtle but powerful counter measure. New sports arenas, art studios, and digital learning centers across J&K engage thousands of young people who might otherwise be idle or frustrated.

These are not just recreational spaces, they are safe nodes of social reintegration. Coaches, trainers, and mentors act as early warning observers, identifying behavioral shifts and offering guidance long before radical influences take hold.

By filling psychological and social voids with purpose, these centers quietly dismantle the recruiting ground that hybrid OGWs depend upon.

India’s evolving response to hybrid OGWs represents a multi layered security doctrine that combines intelligence precision, social inclusion, and digital innovation. It recognizes that the battlefield has moved from mountains to minds, from bunkers to browsers.

The strategy rests on five pillars: preemptive intelligence, digital counter narratives, financial disruption, rehabilitation, and community resilience. Each success story, each intercepted network or reintegrated youth, adds to a growing body of learning that refines future interventions.

Yet challenges remain. Hybrid OGWs are adaptive and decentralized. Legal frameworks must keep pace with non violent extremism, and digital regulation must balance security with privacy. Vigilance must never slide into vigilantism.

But India’s greatest strength lies in its pluralism, democracy, and youth driven optimism. If these values continue to guide policy, Jammu and Kashmir could soon stand as a global example, a region that defeated hybrid warfare not just with force, but with foresight and faith in its people.

The goal is not merely to eliminate OGWs, but to transform them, to redirect misled energy toward civic engagement and nation building. A youth once radicalized through a WhatsApp channel can become a cyber mentor; a local propagandist can turn into a peace educator.

When hybrid threats are met with hybrid responses, where intelligence meets empathy and technology meets trust, India demonstrates a new model of democratic strength in the age of asymmetric warfare.

The code of hybrid OGWs is complex, but India’s approach is clear: fight the shadow with light, and build peace not only through deterrence but through dignity.