Fayaz Bukhari
Baramulla, Aug 8: “The internal trouble in Pakistan, changing situation in Afghanistan and depleting number of militants in Kashmir is the main reason for the increased infiltration attempts along the Line of Control (LoC) this year”, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) North Kashmir J P Singh said here.
Singh said that for last few weeks there have been increased attempts by militants to infiltrate into North Kashmir along the LoC through Macchil, Keran, Uri sectors but Army has been able to successfully foil most of these attempts by gunning down around two dozen militants.
The DIG said that militancy in Kashmir has been put under control by successful operations by the security forces. “We have achieved major successes against the militants recently. We gunned down Jaish-e-Mohammad Chief commander Qari Yasir and busted a militant module of Hizbul Mujahideen by arresting their 5 members. They were responsible for the killing of Panchayat members and Police men in North Kashmir”, he added.
“The number of militants has gone down and it does not go well with the militants organizations and they are trying to send it more militants into Kashmir. This is one of the reasons for the increased attempts of infiltration”, the DIG said.
Singh said that the militant organizations want to revive militancy in Kashmir by sending more and more militants into Kashmir. “Pakistan wants to create trouble in Kashmir as it suits their agenda”, he added.
The DIG said that Pakistan army and Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) were resorting to ceasefire violations along the LoC to divert the attention of the troops for facilitating the infiltration of militants into Kashmir.
Singh said that one of the reasons for increased infiltration along LoC is the internal trouble in Pakistan and they want to divert some of these militants towards Kashmir. “Another reason is the changing situation in Afghanistan and militants focus is now changing towards Kashmir”, he added.
According to figures provided by the Army there have been 57 ceasefire violations this year by Pakistan which is 80 per cent increase in the number of ceasefire violations as compared to last year. The infiltration bids have doubled than the last year. “There have been 57 ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops this year and Army foiled 17 infiltration bids”, the army figures revealed.
Army eliminated 19 militants in the recent months of July and August along the LoC and in the hinterland in Jammu and Kashmir.