Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 24: With infiltration and militancy already going up in Kashmir, multiple security agencies engaged in anti-militancy operations across the State have been bracing up to meet post-US withdrawal scenario in Afghanistan that could fuel fresh trouble as Afghan and Pakistan militants fighting in Afghanistan could divert towards the Valley.
“We are bracing up to face post-US withdrawal from Afghanistan. The multiple security agencies were concerned about the situation developing in the sub continent especially the reports that United States planned to pull out its troops from Afghanistan after over a decade long operations there to rout out Taliban,’’ official sources said.
They added that the issue has already been debated in the meeting of Unified Headquarters threadbare. All security agencies including Army, BSF, CRPF, JKP and Intelligence wings were concerned but not worried about the fallout of US decision to fasten withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan.
Sources said the security and Intelligence agencies were of the view that Pakistan Army and militant outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) would make all out attempts to divert some of their cadre operating along with Taliban in Afghanistan to the Kashmir valley after the pullout of US troops.
The Afghan Army took over the lead combat role across their country few months back and has been trying to keep the Taliban at bay. Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai had confounded some skeptics by signing a new electoral law that could set the stage for the first peaceful transfer of power in the country’s history next year.
According to sources, security forces have decided to further strengthen Security Grid along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir, which could be used by the militant outfit to push their cadre in the State.
The Home Department of the State Government, headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, has already briefed multiple security agencies about the situation that could develop post-US pullout from Afghanistan.
Sources said different wings of security and Intelligence agencies were keeping a close vigil on the situation developing in Afghanistan after announcement by United States President Barrack Obama that United States and its allies would pull out from Afghanistan.
“The most affect of the pullout could be on Jammu and Kashmir, which shared a large boundary with Pakistan, whose nationals were active in Afghanistan fighting US troops along with Taliban for past over a decade,’’ sources said, adding that the Government of India has already sounded troops, para-military forces and Intelligence agencies, operating in Jammu and Kashmir under the command of Defence Ministry and Union Home Ministry, about the dangers of situation that could develop post pullout and immediate steps the agencies required to take well in advance to meet with any eventuality.
They added that already the State has witnessed increased infiltration in the Kashmir valley this year and unsuccessful attempts in twin border district of Rajouri and Poonch this summer. Number of the militancy related incidents has also gone up in the Valley in the past couple of months.
Sources said Pakistan based militant outfit would make all out efforts to push as many militants as possible into Jammu and Kashmir but added that security forces were full geared up on the LoC and IB to counter the moves and keep the infiltration at minimum level to ensure that incidents of violence didn’t go up in the State.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel