Author: PTI
Publication: Times of
India
Date: July 31, 2000
JAMMU: Following Kargil
reverses and dwindling local support, the Pakistani Army has taken direct
control of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), militant outfits and
proxy war to reestablish secessionism in the Valley, an Indian Army official
said on Sunday.
``The Pakistani Army,
which was involved in proxy war, has taken direct control of ISI and terrorist
outfits operatin in the Valley,'' operation chief, brigadier general staff
of 16 corps headquarters, Nagrota, Brig. Randir Sinh, said.
He said the control over
militancy had slipped away from the Pakistani hands for some time due to
the change in situation, increasing number of militants' killings and recovery
of weaponry and ammunition.
Over 400 militants have
been killed, Rajouri and Poonch accounting for about 180 deaths, during
the last six months, he said adding this dealt a severe blow to the militants
in the Jammu region.
The Pakistani Army has
now kept mercenaries in their own posts along the Line of Control (LoC)
and named them activists of `Border Action Teams' or `Tehreek Jehadi'.
Over 3,000-odd armed
border action teams are waiting to cross over and foment violence in the
Jammu region.
Indian villagers are
wooed with money to work as guides, porters and couriers for militants
in the Pir Panjal ranges in the Jammu region, Sinh said and added, ``Over
400 Indian border people and their families have been forced to cross over
to Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) to send them back along
with the militants.''
Turnmandi and two other
villages are now deserted after 300-odd families shifted to Pakistan after
being tempted by the ISI with money, he said. (PTI)
