Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 6: Pakistani militants have now directly been trying to target forward posts of Pakistan Army using `human bombs’, planting mines and resorting to sudden firing in the day light with a view to push militants into the Indian territory especially in this region of the State, where strength of the militants has dwindled considerably.
Senior Army officials told the Excelsior that a new strategy has been observed on the Line of Control (LoC) in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri during past few days in which highly trained militants sent from Pakistan and PoK have tried to target forward Army posts to cause casualties among them, divert focus of the troops and taking advantage of the situation push the infiltrators into this side.
“The motive of a `human bomb’ killed just few days back in Poonch sector was to target an Army picket to blast it and inflict casualties so that attention of the troops was diverted and, in the process, the group of militants managed to get through into this side,” they said.
Quoting a Pakistani newspaper, the Army officials said the `human bomb’, who was neutralized well before he could target an Indian Army picket at Sabjian sub sector of Poonch on July 1 morning, belonged to Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) outfit. Though the HuM was almost a non-existent outfit, its left out cadre like the slain `human bomb’ might be working for the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit.
“The claim by the outfits could also be a diversionary tactic,” they said, adding that while Srinagar ambush of the Army convoy in which eight soldiers were killed was owned by Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, it appeared to be handwork of the LeT.
Army has, meanwhile, traced data of two mobile telephones recovered from two slain infiltrators in Keri sector of Rajouri district and found that they were affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit. Last week, Army had killed two militants and injured another when they were trying to infiltrate into this side from Keri sector.
Sources said the activity along the LoC on Pakistan side has gone up considerably after the completion of election process in the neighbouring country in which PML (N) chief Nawaz Sharif was elected as Prime Minister.
“The activity of the militants and Pakistan Army have increased in the past few weeks. The infiltration attempts and other incidents like planting of mines have all gone up. The militants were getting desperate to sneak-in with the help of troops from across the LoC,” sources said.
Asserting that entire damaged border fence on the LoC in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri has been repaired minimizing chances of infiltration, Army officials were of the view that “it was in view of failed intrusion bids that the militants have now started other acts of violence like planting mines on the LoC, sending `human bombs’ to targets Army posts and open direct firing on forward picket. All these efforts were aimed at inflicting casualties of Army”.
Noting that all these incidents have created tension on the LoC, the Army officials said whenever the issue was taken up with Pakistan in the flag meetings or the hotline, they reiterated their `denial mode’ saying they can’t keep vigil on every inch of the border.
“The Pakistan Army was fully involved in aiding and abetting every act of violence on the LoC-be it the infiltration of human bomb, planting landmines and IEDs, targeting Army pickets and bids by heavily armed militants to enter into this side,” the officials said, adding that troops have put a well developed mechanism in place all along the LoC to thwart the designs of Pakistan Army and militants.
“We are fully alert on the LoC. We have put a mechanism in place to ensure that like the previous year, this year too the militants don’t succeed in infiltration from Poonch and Rajouri districts,” they said.
Pointing out that the militants making infiltration attempts these days were heavily armed, which was visible on the LoC, sources said some Over Ground Workers (OGWs) were also dumping consignments of arms and ammunition along the LoC to be picked up by the infiltrators. However, as the infiltration attempts have failed, the weapons were seized by the troops.
The Army officials were of the view that terror infrastructure remained intact in Pakistan, which was quite visible for increase in intrusion bids on the LoC. About 350 to 400 militants were camping across the LoC and International Border awaiting opportunities to sneak into this side.
Despite tension on the LoC, the sources said situation in the hinterland remained generally peaceful in Jammu region in the absence of infiltration. Though some militants were still active in few parts of Jammu region, they were not able to execute any major act due to pressure maintained on them by security forces and police.
On Rehabilitation Police, sources said, the Army was not opposed to it.
“It is a good idea but after return the militants should be properly scrutinized, interrogated, sent to rehabilitation centres and then to their homes to ensure that there was no foul play in their return from Pakistan,” they added.
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