Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 1: Ahead of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan Army has reactivated 17 training camps for the militants in Pakistan and PoK to train fresh militants and try to push them into the Indian territory from both Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB). The camps have been activated during ongoing 45 days long hostilities between Indo-Pak troops on the IB.
Top Intelligence sources told the Excelsior that 11 training camps have been revived in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and six in Pakistan. The details gathered by the agencies revealed that five training camps have been reactivated in PoK’s capital of Muzaffarabad and six in Kotli while four training camps have again come up at Manshera and two in Mankoot in Pakistan.
“About 500 militants, mostly Pakistanis, were being trained in these camps,’’ sources said, adding that some of the already trained militants were being given advanced training in these 17 camps. Apart from Pakistan Army, the camps were being manned by Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militant outfits.
Almost all 500 militants being trained in the camps were Pakistanis as Pakistan Army and militant commanders haven’t been able to find youths from Jammu and Kashmir for arms training due to blockade of exfiltration routes by the Army in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to sources, there had been credible inputs that Pakistan had tried to push some already trained militants into the Indian side during ceasefire violations by the Rangers on the International Border during past over one and a half months but didn’t succeed due to effective retaliation by the BSF.
The BSF had confirmed that they had killed two militants trying to infiltrate into the Indian side under covering fire of Rangers on the IB.
In addition to 17 terror training camps, Pakistan has also activated 25 to 30 launching pads along the IB from where the militants could be pushed into the Indian side.
Sources said Pakistan Army and militant commanders have been giving short but rigorous training to the new militants in 17 training camps to keep them ready for infiltration in the next few days.
Describing the situation as “alarming on the borders’’ despite cessation of hostilities between BSF and Rangers, sources said the BSF continued to maintain very high alert on the IB as BSF Headquarters itself have inputs that Pakistan has activated 25 to 30 launching pads on the International Border to push the trained militants into this side ahead of the Assembly elections.
“Having failed to send the militants from the International Border despite 45 days long hostilities, Pakistan could now try to push the militants from the Line of Control (LoC) in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region and Kupwara districts in the Kashmir Valley,’’ sources said.
They added that Pakistan’s all out attempts were aimed at disturbing Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which were scheduled to be held in November-December. Security agencies have already geared up themselves to face threat of the militants both on the borders as well as the hinterland.
When approached for comments, sources within the security agencies while confirming training of fresh militants and activation of new terror camps and launching pads said they were prepared to meet any threat from Pakistan side and wouldn’t allow designs of the neighbouring country to disturb peace in Jammu and Kashmir to succeed.
Follow our WhatsApp channel