Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 23: The Defence Ministry has decided to set up high level Commission comprising top officers of three Services to undertake special audit of all defence installations and bases in the country especially in the border States of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, which have been facing brunt of terror attacks, to suggest measures for fool-proof security of the installations in the wake of January 2 terrorist attack at Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Pathankot and prior to that the attacks on security installations in J&K.
Official sources told the Excelsior that composition of the Commission, which will have officers from all three Services including Army, IAD and Navy and most likely some defence experts was likely to be announced shortly, may by after January 26 celebrations and it will be mandated to have comprehensive look on all vital installations of all three Services across the country including Jammu and Kashmir to pinpoint the shortcomings, if any, and suggest measures to boost their security.
This is for the first time that the Defence Ministry under the command of Manohar Parrikar is going to order such a vital audit of all defence establishments and bases across the country from top officials of three Services and defence experts. The major aim of security audit was to ensure that January 2 like terrorist attack at Pathankot airbase and prior to that Army installations in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts and the Kashmir valley didn’t recur.
The Commission was likely to be given a timeframe of two months and will submit its findings to the Defence Ministry, which will draw out a detailed plan with the help of 3 Service chiefs for implementation at all defence establishments and other bases to ensure their safety and protection from any terror act.
“Such an audit of defence installations from top officers of 3 Services and defence experts has been necessitated in view of growing threat of terrorism to the country especially the border State of Jammu and Kashmir, which has large number of military and Air Force establishments in view of security situation in the State,” sources said, adding the Central Government was concerned over radicalization of youth and their inclination towards the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Only yesterday, the National Investigating Agency (NIA) had conducted countrywide raids and arrested 13 ISIS militants, who were plotting terror attacks in the country.
According to sources, the Commission will visit a number of defence establishments all over the country and inter-act with the Commanders of all three Services to ascertain from them the security (of the installations) and steps required to give them further boost in the wake of increased terror threats to India from the ISIS, which has been targeting several countries and had recently threatened to carry out attacks in India including Kashmir.
Sources made it clear that the high level Commission being set up by the Defence Ministry will have no impact on the investigations being carried out in the Pathankot terror strike by the National Investigating Agency (NIA).
“While the NIA will carry out investigations in Pathankot terror attack and file chargesheet against the accused on the basis of three First Information Reports (FIRs) registered by them in the case, the Commission will only suggest the measures to prevent such attacks in future by intensifying security of all defence installations and bases,” sources said.
Pointing out that the Defence Ministry has taken serious view of terror strike on Pathankot airbase, which would have been catastrophe but for immediate elimination of six militants as the base had several fighters and other vital assets, sources said there had been reports that the militants were planning similar attacks to keep Indo-Pak Governments in the `fighting mode’.
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