Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 25: Amidst escalation of tensions along Line of Control (LoC) in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat today briefed Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on the situation prevailing on the LoC, operational preparedness of the troops, steps taken to counter infiltration attempts, BAT actions and intense activity on Pakistan side.
Sources told the Excelsior that the Defence Ministry and the Army have formulated strategy to meet with any kind of situation developing along LoC, which albeit was calm for the past few days but Army was strengthening its positions following reports that Pakistan has deployed the jawans of Special Services Group (SSG) in some areas of the LoC, who are known as para-commandos.
According to sources, the Army chief has given an overview of the situation along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir with particular reference to Rajouri and Poonch districts in Jammu region, where Indian troops have undertaken two major counter-terrorism strikes against Pakistani troops and the infiltrators recently smashing enemy posts and bunkers and eliminating the militants, who were camping in the posts awaiting opportunity to infiltrate into this side.
Sources said the Defence Minister and the Army chief were reported to have finalized the strategy to meet with any kind of retaliatory action from Pakistani troops in the wake of two major ” pro-active” and “pre-emptive” strikes undertaken by the Army in Nowshera and Krishna Ghati sectors to target the Pakistani posts, which were being used to facilitate infiltration attempts by the militants, though no successful intrusion bid has been reported so far in this sector.
Sources said the Defence Minister has backed the Army to take decisions during situations of emergency.
The emergency briefing by the Army chief comes in the backdrop of a report, which indicated that about 200 militants were camping on Pakistan side of the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir and could try to infiltrate into the State under the garb of covering fire from the enemy troops.
Gen Bipin Rawat is reported to have briefed Arun Jaitley, the Finance Minister, who is holding additional charge of the Defence Ministry since the exit of Manohar Parrikar, about the Indian Army’s course of action over the next few days, as it has now become clear the Pakistan has also started shifting its strategy from defensive to offensive with deployment of SSG in some of the forward areas and flying jets over Siachen.
There have been several reports indicating that the forward operational forces of Pakistan have become vigilant with deployment of additional men and machinery, sources said, adding that the Indian Army has already strengthened its positions after mutilation of two Indian soldiers in Krishna Ghati sector of LoC in Poonch district and was prepared to meet with any kind of strike by Pakistan.
Though Pakistani troops, as per the revised strategy, has shifted some of the militants from launching pads in forward areas, majority of others continued to camp in the launch pads as the months from May to September are more prone to infiltration due to opening up of the passes and melting of snow.
Sources said the Army could take more aggressive strikes along the LoC to prevent infiltration attempts by the militants along LoC to ensure that number of the militants don’t increase in the Kashmir valley. At the same time, troops would go all out against the militants operating in hinterland of the Kashmir valley to eliminate them to reduce their numbers, which, in turn, could lead to restoration of peace and normalcy in the Kashmir valley.
Sources said Pakistan army has clearly been shaken and rattled by the Indian retaliatory actions on the LoC. It was in this context, that Pakistan has now deployed SSG in some of the forward areas and increased strength in other parts of the LoC.
In one of the retaliatory actions by the Indian Army in Nowshera sector, the video footage of which was released the other day, Pakistani troops were reported to have suffered heavy losses. Not only its jawans, but at least four to six militants, who had been stationed in Pakistan army’s forward posts for facilitating their infiltration attempts on the LoC, were eliminated in the retaliatory fire.
Sources, however, said that an uneasy calm was prevailing along LoC in entire Jammu and Kashmir with Indian troops maintaining high alert in anticipation of infiltration attempts or Border Action Team (BAT) attacks. They added that Pakistan army could target civilian areas in violation of ceasefire agreement in utter frustration.
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