For last five days, cross firing along International Border in Arnia and R.S. Pora has been going on between BSF and Chenab Rangers of Pakistan. As usual, it started with unprovoked firing from Pakistan’s Sialkot sector. Actually, villagers close to this sector on our side in Arnia were engaged in cutting the sarkande grass to prepare the field for cultivation of paddy. Pakistani Rangers have always shown hostility when Indian famers are engaged in cutting the tall grass. Since tall grass or sarkande helps infiltrators to sneak in hiding, the Ranger would not like cutting of the grass as it exposes the infiltrators to the vision of BSF manning the border.
BSF returned the fire from its side of the border. Obviously, exchange of fire causes casualties and damages. On our side also, detailed reports of the damage caused has come in. In latest firing that happened on Sunday, Pakistani Rangers targeted about 15 Border Posts along the 30 km long International Border in Arnia and R.S. Pora sector. Pakistani forces used mortar shells which caused large scale damage to a large number of house and cattle though there was no human casualty. However the panic stricken villagers ran for shelter while mortar shells landed on houses and compounds or the cowsheds causing them damage. Civil authorities have rushed to the spot and made an assessment of the damages done. Some unexploded shells were found in the compound which our expert team detonated later on.
This is not the first nor shall be the last cease fire violation by Pakistani troops of the agreement of 2003 between the two countries. India has repeatedly told Pakistan that cease fire agreement should not be violated because cross border firing inflicts much damage to life and property and vitiates the atmosphere for peaceful talks between the two countries. The precise problem with Pakistan is that the restive non-state activists or better calls them by their proper name of jihadi legions are goaded into sneaking into Indian Territory to carry on the tempo of violence in J&K. Rangers resort to fire to divert the attention of Indian BSF personnel and then push the jihadis across the line. Many of them get killed in their dangerous adventure though some of them escape with their lives.
During past two years and more, security forces have achieved much success in liquidating the infiltrators either on the border or later on when they moved deep inside the valley. The result is that many top commanders of the LeT and other militant outfits have been done away with. Firing by Pakistani Rangers is closely linked to the situation in Kashmir valley.
In recent months, insurgents have been re-surfacing in parts of Southern Kashmir and in Sopor area of North Kashmir. They were engaged in fierce gun battle with the security forces. Several bids of infiltration have also been foiled during past couple of months. Unprovoked firing on International Border in Arnia and RS Pora could be an attempt at boosting the sagging morale of jihadis in the valley whose ranks are fast shrinking.
At the same time, Pakistan must be trying to cash on the massive protest rallies across the valley against Israeli bombing of Gaza. Pakistan, fully aware that Kashmiris are a mass of sentimentalism, always looks out for such opportunities to add fuel to fire.
It will be remembered that during their short meeting on the occasion of swearing in ceremony in New Delhi, Narendra Modi had told Mian Nawaz Sharif that when guns were booming, dialogue would be lost in the deafening din. It was clear that India would want a dialogue to be resumed but the condition certainly was that firing on the borders or inside our territory in Kashmir should cease. Ceasing of firing inside our border was only possible if Pakistan stops sending infiltrators into our side of the border.
Though the field commanders have talked on the hot line for a few minutes and are willing to silence the guns, the fact remains that Indian security forces cannot trust when and where Pakistani security personnel would strike. They want to keep the pot boiling thinking that this keeps the moral of the jihadi insurgents boosted. The Government has rushed 2000 additional BSF jawans to the scene of firing along with upgraded weapons and equipment that is meant to control border infiltration and skirmishes. We cannot afford to be complacent with what we have in hand so far. We need to be very cautious. We need to keep our powder dry.
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