Pakistan's ceasefire violations part of larger conspiracy: Army
Security officials say they are sure the ceasefire violations are linked with infiltration, that the rain of fire may just be intended as a distraction tactic to allow militants passage into Indian territory as Jammu and Kashmir prepares for polls.
The guns might have fallen silent momentarily as Indian security personnel held a flag march with their counterparts from across the border on Wednesday, but India's defence establishment is convinced that the recent spurt in ceasefire violations was part of a larger design.
More than 3,000 residents of villages along the border had to be moved from their homes last week as Pakistan breached the 2003 with a renewed intensity, targeting as many as 22 border outposts and 13 villages on Saturday alone. Such has been the frequency of ceasefire violations that the Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF), entrusted with surveillance along the International Border, described it as the worst spell of firing since the 1971 war.
Wednesday's flag meeting between the BSF and Pakistan Rangers, at the Pargwal forward area in Akhnoor, was held in this backdrop with the aim to defuse tension. Another round of meetings is expected to be held at the local level as Pakistan border troops had targeted even civilian locations.
But even as they attempt to restore peace along the tense border, security officials say they are sure the ceasefire violations are linked with infiltration, that the rain of fire may just be intended as a distraction tactic to allow militants passage into Indian territory as Jammu and Kashmir prepares for polls. Army sources say the spurt in firing could also be an expression of Pakistan's frustration at India calling off dialogue recently.
Officials point to the recent shift in strategy, which has seen Pakistan open fire along the International Border in a big way for the first time in many years. The Jammu region has been a particular target.
The increase has been most notable in the segments of RS Pura and Arnia. There have been reports of infiltration attempts from these areas as well. Sources added that there is a difference in the modus operandi adopted on the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB). The ceasefire violations along the LoC, they say, target a select few areas and are carried out with specific purposes because of the terrain. But in the flat plains along the IB, several posts are pounded indiscriminately.
However, thanks to the fact that India has implemented a multi-tier anti-infiltration grid, including sensors and night vision devices, infiltration across the LoC has become far more difficult. Consequently, officials said, infiltration attempts are now made on dark moon-less nights. But since most of the LoC is fenced and illuminated at night, these bids seldom fructify. Nevertheless, the mountainous terrain with dense vegetation does make escape easier for infiltrating militants.
Statistics back the claim. This year, only around two dozen attempts were made in the infiltration hotspots along the LoC, stretching from Kupwara-Machhal-Keran to Tangdhar and Poonch-Mendhar-Hamirpur-Bimber Gali sections further down.