Pakistan has not only not reduced clandestine cross border infiltration along the Line of Control, but has lately extended this nefarious design to the international border, which is well defined and is not a bone of contention between the two countries.
India has been inviting the attention of Pakistani authorities from time to time to desist from and stop illegal infiltration of Pakistani jihadis and nationals — militants in civilian clothes —in J&K. But our remonstrance has been ineffective. Contrarily Pakistan has accelerated the process of infiltration. Lately, many such attempts were aborted because Pakistan wanted to create disorder on the eve of Lok Sabha elections in the country. Our alert border security force thwarted many of their attempts in which some of the infiltrating personnel had to pay with their lives.
The Indian Home Ministry has been considering the situation for quite some time. Already certain measures are in place and their efficacy is being scrutinized. But, in order to streamline and upgrade border security with the tacit purpose of denying infiltrating jihadis any opportunity of succeeding in their vicious designs, the Home Ministry has draw a new plan of upgrading security to 3-tier system in about 118 villages situated along international border in Kathua, Samba and Jammu districts. The plan is to create a 135 wide corridor along these villages and then reinforce it with 3-tire security system that would make foolproof arrangement of checking and disallowing infiltration. Land acquisition in about 90 out of 118 villages has already been completed and the exercise continues for the remaining ones.
However, the Ministry of Home Affairs is taking up the creation of 135 feet wide corridor along only 15 villages by way of pilot project to assess the results and efficacy of the project from different angles. Only after the Ministry is satisfied that the pilot project has yielded the desired results, will the work on the remaining area continue. Land acquisition was a major task and the Union Home Secretary was personally monitoring the progress. The task has been formally completed in 90 villages and the consent of the villagers, and the local members of Legislative Assembly have already been obtained. It will be reminded that there was a persistent demand from the villagers living close to the border that security should be beefed up because Pakistani Rangers resort to indiscriminate firing when they intend to push through the jihadis for subversive designs in the State.
The Home Ministry has not divulged details of the 3-tier security system in the 135 feet wide strip that will be created under the scheme. However experts are of the opinion that it will not be easy any more for the jihadis to jump the fence and achieve their objective. The Home Ministry believes that even if a jihadi manages to infiltrate he will be caught up in the 135 strip and cannot manage to negotiate it.
The Ministry of Home Affairs and knowledgeable persons do not discard the possibility of Pakistan raising objections to the new security scheme along the international border. Pakistan would not want India to make jihadi infiltration ineffective. It is their patent plan of giving fire cover to the jihadis when they take the opportunity to infiltrate into our side. We may remind the readers that when initially fencing the border began, Pakistani Rangers opened fire on our security men which had to be returned for obvious reasons. This time also, there is every apprehension that Pakistan will try to derail the project. This cannot be allowed and the security authorities are determined to disallow infiltration in whatever ways possible.
Some times there are shrill notes to be heard on our side as to why we should not pay back Pakistan in her own coin. Some people speak of tooth for tooth treatment. Maybe many countries in our position would not hesitate to exercise that option. But what is important is the philosophy of a nation with regard to international behaviour and credibility. Pakistan has earned the sobriquet of the motherland of international terrorism. India is a peace loving country with the basic philosophy of resolving any dispute with any country including the neighbours through peaceful dialogue. That is why despite repeated violation of cease fire and international law, India does not reject bilateral talks with Pakistan to discuss outstanding issues. But India’s gestures of goodwill are not responded by Pakistan.
In final analysis, India will try all possible means of denying the jihadis even the smallest opportunity of illegally crossing the border and creating disorder on our land. Even if some of them do mange to sneak in, the security forces deal with them adequately. This means that India reserves the right to retaliate in any way needed to protect her national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
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