Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 16: Frustrated over the wiping out of terrorist leadership across the Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan has been making attempts to revive major outfits and the continuous ceasefire violations are aimed at ensuring infiltration of terrorists to infuse new lease of life in such groups. But Army is well equipped and ready to face any challenge.
This was stated by Lt Gen D S Hooda, General-Officer-Commanding (GOC) of White Knight Corps in an informal chat with the media-persons on the sidelines of a function at Usman Auditorium, Nagrota. “The continuous cease-fire violations in the Krishna Ghati sector are aimed at pushing in armed militants in order to infuse new lease of life in the wiped out terrorist outfits. But our jawans have successfully thwarted each and every attempt and are well equipped to face any such challenge from across the border in future also”, he said.
Lt Gen Hooda further said, “not only their mentors on other side of border even the left-over militants in the State are desperate to revive the major outfits following elimination of entire top leadership in Jammu region as well as in Kashmir valley”, adding “the leftover militants in the hinterland are on the run because of intense pressure maintained on them by the Army and other security forces”.
In response to a question, the GOC of White Knight Corps said, “presently, the militant activities are only confined in Kishtwar and Gool areas besides in depths of Rajouri but the number of terrorists is very less”, adding “it is due to the continuous pressure of the security forces on these militants that they are unable to carry out any subversive activity”.
Replying to another query, Lt Gen Hooda said, “Krishna Ghati has always remained focused area for the terrorists to infiltrate because of terrain and dense forests”, adding “at present they are focusing more on Rajouri-Poonch for infiltration as the mountainous passes in the Kashmir valley are closed because of the heavy snowfall”.
The motive behind continuous ceasefire in KG sector could also be to completely attract the attention of the Army towards this area and ensuring infiltration from other sectors. But, they would not be allowed to succeed in their nefarious designs as Army jawans were keeping close vigil in all the sectors, he said.
Admitting that infiltration attempts were more this year as compared to previous year, Lt Gen Hooda said, “no successful infiltration has been reported so far and this indicates that our jawans are maintaining hawk’s eye on the borders”, adding “as per the estimates of all the agencies no infiltrator could succeed in entering our territory in Jammu region”.
About the number of militants waiting to sneak into this side, the GOC of White Knight Corps said, “it is impossible to make estimates. The figure keeps on changing. But terrorists are certainly present on the launching pads across the border”.
Lt Gen Hooda refused to comment on Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) terming it a political issue.
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