Former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar on Monday said that the United States’ plan to pull out of Afghanistan may embolden terrorist organisations in the Valley, PTI reported.

“Now USA is exiting Afghanistan. It has its implications in Kashmir,” Kumar said while delivering the Lalitaditya Memorial Lecture in Pune. “It is a matter of time that we will be feeling its implications in the Valley. After the US withdrawal, terrorist organisations would feel pumped up, emboldened.”

Earlier this month, reports said United States President Donald Trump had ordered the military to start withdrawing nearly 7,000 troops from Afghanistan. A defence official said that Trump made the decision to pull out nearly half the troops from Afghanistan the same time he decided to withdraw US forces from Syria.

Since terrorists will be emboldened by the US’ step, India must have a “clear-cut roadmap” to deal with extremism, and must also deal strongly with Pakistan in connection with terrorist training camps and terror launchpads, Kumar said.

“A stern message needs to be sent to Pakistan in terms of retaliation,” he said. “We need to make it more costly for Pakistan because today Pakistan is not feeling the pinch it should feel.”