National security Govt’s top priority: HM
*Zero tolerance towards terror, weapon smuggling
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 4: Amidst mounting tension on the borders with Pakistan following infiltration attempts by the militants aided and abetted by Pakistan army and smuggling of arms using drones, Union Home Minister Amit Shah today held high-level meeting to review security situation and operational preparedness on the borders with Director Generals of all border guarding forces and senior officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
After the security review, Shah declared that national security is Narendra Modi Government’s top most priority.
“Had a meeting with all Director Generals of the border guarding forces and senior officers of the MHA. Discussed in detail how to further strengthen our border security,” Shah said in a tweet after the meeting.
“National security is Modi Govt’s top most priority,” the Home Minister said.
According to sources, the situation prevailing along the International Border with Pakistan in Jammu where Pakistan was indulging in frequent ceasefire violations and Punjab where it transported arms, ammunition and explosives using drones came up for specific review in view of reports that Pakistan army and Rangers could try experiment of transporting weapons to this side using drones at some other places including Jammu.
The BSF has already sounded high alert along the International Border in Jammu and Punjab in anticipation of infiltration by the militants and smuggling of weapons using drones and other means.
The meeting was attended by Home Secretary AK Bhalla, Secretary (Border Management), Special Secretary (Internal Security) and Directors General of Border Security Force, Sashastra Seema Bal, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Assam Rifles, along with other senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
An official statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs after the meeting said the Home Minister stressed on Government’s policy of zero tolerance’ towards terrorism, insurgency, corruption as well as smuggling of weapons, narcotics and cattle.
“Shah directed the senior officers to take stringent measures against these practices. The Home Minister also directed the DGs to identify all issues affecting border security and submit a detailed action plan to the Ministry in this regard,” the statement said.
Shah also asked all DGs to ensure best facilities for housing, health and training to the security personnel who are posted on the border.
“We must keep in mind that 130 crore countrymen are safe because of these security personnel on the border,” Shah said, according to the statement.
“The heads of all border guarding forces including the Border Security Force (BSF) were reported to have given detailed briefing to the Home Minister on situation prevailing along the borders especially with Pakistan in view of ever increasing tension between the two countries since abrogation of special Constitutional provisions of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcation of the State into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh,” sources said.
The BSF guards International Border with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat while the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) mans the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
BSF and ITBP fall under purview of the Home Ministry.
Situation along the LAC with China has been peaceful while it was tense along the International Border with Pakistan as the enemy troops have been openly sheltering militants at forward launch pads close to the borders with a view to push them into the Indian territory getting an opportunity.
Sources said a detailed roadmap has reportedly been worked out by the Home Ministry to tackle situation along frontiers with Pakistan with a direction to the BSF to take all possible measures to ensure that the militants don’t manage to infiltrate into the Indian territory breaching the International Border.
There have been reports that some militants might have managed to infiltrate into the Indian territory using dormant routes on the LoC. High alert has already been sounded at some Airports of the North India and other sensitive places in anticipation of terror strike.
Sources said the Home Minister reviewed situation prevailing along the International Border in Jammu region where Pakistan Rangers have repeatedly been indulging in ceasefire violations especially in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district during past about 10 days.
Sources were of the view that Pakistan was desperate to facilitate infiltration attempts by the militants and ceasefire violations were aimed towards that. However, the BSF has been maintaining high alert all along the International Border and hasn’t allowed the Pakistani designs to succeed.
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