Author: B L Kak
Publication: The Daily Excelsior
Date: April 16, 2002
Lifted out of strife torn Afghanistan,
hundreds of Al Qaeda men have been transported to several locations across
the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) to be eventually
inducted into Jammu and Kashmir. Field Intelligence Units (FIUs) on this
side of the Indo-Pakistan border have inputs, which put the number of J&K-bound
Al Qaeda guerrillas at around 2,000.
Once these jihadis are on the soil
of Jammu and Kashmir the ranks of 3000 to 4000 anti-India foreign terrorists
already in the State will get inflated. There will be no respite in infiltration
from across the border in the coming weeks and months, a senior Indian
defence official told this correspondent in a forward location in the western
sector. The search receivers available with the Army have picked up significant
messages from the other side of the border.
The intercepts have largely indicated
the preparations by the Pak regulars and paramilitary formations for pushing
into Indian territory fresh groups of trained infiltrators. The intercepts
have also revealed the intention of Pakistani higher-ups, including divisional
commanders, to continue the guerrilla war in J&K. With a view to preventing
infiltrators from sneaking into Kashmir via the northern gullies, Indian
security specialists have devised a new mechanism which commits only the
reserves to patrolling vulnerable sections along the border with Pakistan.
Similarly Indian deployment in the
crucial Tangdhar area of LoC's north-western corner have been strengthened.
This obviously followed the receipt of reports that Pakistani irregulars
planned to cut off the Tangdhar-Srinagar road with artillery support. This
correspondent was also told that Indian defence authorities had also received
reports which suggested that a similar enterprise was planned in the Uri
sector of Kashmir as well.
Have Pakistani soldiers occupied
Indian posts above Niril and Badgam, mountain villages perched above Kargil
town? Answering this question the Indian security officer said that 121
Brigade, charged with the defence of Kargil sector, insisted that all their
posts "are in position". It is a different matter that some Pakistani gun
positions have been moved forward to the LoC in Turtok. Since routine shelling
does not need artillery to be positioned so close to Indian positions,
India suspects that the Pak army wishes to be prepared to hit targets deep
on the Indian side.
Men of 20 Baluch Regiment of Pak
army are under orders to liquidate the most vital India position, known
as 'PP13', in the Pallanwalla area of Akhnoor in Jammu region. Pak regulars
stationed on the other side of the Pallanwalla section are also under orders
to make the maximum use of artillery barrage against Indian positions.
If a number of infiltration routes
in Kashmir continue to remain closed because of six to seven feet deep
snow, most of the entry and exit points along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri
districts are open for infiltrators from across the border. The only difficulty
for the intending intruders arises from the stepped-up vigil by the Indian
guards. That Pakistan has become anxious to know how much snow had melted
in the past 10 days or so was borne out by the new methodology of Pakistani
airmen, namely, the use of Remotely Piloted Vehicles (RPVs).
According to Indian specialists,
Pakistan's RPVs have not come up to the expectations of military strategists
stationed across the LoC in Kashmir. Reason, the pictures sent by RPVs
haven't given any clear information about accumulated snow along the infiltration
routes.
