Hurling accusations: Pakistan ‘terrorist’ structure still intact, alleges India
Pakistan-based militants made 249 infiltration attempts to sneak into Indian territory this year: Indian minister.
NEW DEHLI:
Despite peace overtures, India levelled serious charges against Pakistan on Tuesday, alleging that there were more than 40 training camps in Pakistan for militants who make regular attempts to cross the heavily fortified de factor border between the countries.
However, its top security man has also said that there have been no cases of infiltration this year.
India says it has identified 25 camps in Pakistani administered Kashmir and 17 in Pakistan containing around 2,500 militants, Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran told parliament in a written reply today.
“The terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan or Pakistan-administered Kashmir remains intact and infiltration attempts from across the border still continue to pose a challenge to the security forces,” Ramachandran alleged.
He charged that Pakistan-based militants – with the alleged support of Pakistan’s army – have made 249 attempts to sneak into “Indian territory” so far this year – two more than last year but far below the 489 in 2010.
Intelligence inputs indicate “active support” of Pakistani intelligence and security agencies to push terrorists into India, the minister added.
The border area – particularly the Jammu region in Indian-administered Kashmir – “is highly vulnerable to infiltration from Pakistan side”, he further alleged.
But due to a “high degree of alertness, BSF (Border Security Force) personnel foil every attempt of infiltration by Pakistani terrorists. There has been no case of infiltration by terrorists,” Ramachandran said.
The lack of successful infiltration attempts was due to better border management, including border fencing and better intelligence, he said.
Separatist violence in Indian Kashmir has dropped over the last few years but occasional gunfights still erupt between militants and the security forces in the scenic Himalayan region.
(With additional input from AFP)
Published in The Express Tribune, December 5th, 2012.
Despite peace overtures, India levelled serious charges against Pakistan on Tuesday, alleging that there were more than 40 training camps in Pakistan for militants who make regular attempts to cross the heavily fortified de factor border between the countries.
However, its top security man has also said that there have been no cases of infiltration this year.
India says it has identified 25 camps in Pakistani administered Kashmir and 17 in Pakistan containing around 2,500 militants, Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran told parliament in a written reply today.
“The terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan or Pakistan-administered Kashmir remains intact and infiltration attempts from across the border still continue to pose a challenge to the security forces,” Ramachandran alleged.
He charged that Pakistan-based militants – with the alleged support of Pakistan’s army – have made 249 attempts to sneak into “Indian territory” so far this year – two more than last year but far below the 489 in 2010.
Intelligence inputs indicate “active support” of Pakistani intelligence and security agencies to push terrorists into India, the minister added.
The border area – particularly the Jammu region in Indian-administered Kashmir – “is highly vulnerable to infiltration from Pakistan side”, he further alleged.
But due to a “high degree of alertness, BSF (Border Security Force) personnel foil every attempt of infiltration by Pakistani terrorists. There has been no case of infiltration by terrorists,” Ramachandran said.
The lack of successful infiltration attempts was due to better border management, including border fencing and better intelligence, he said.
Separatist violence in Indian Kashmir has dropped over the last few years but occasional gunfights still erupt between militants and the security forces in the scenic Himalayan region.
(With additional input from AFP)
Published in The Express Tribune, December 5th, 2012.