Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 3: Terror outfit Islamic State (IS) is trying to gain a foothold in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) while the militants continued to make attempts to infiltrate into this side from the Line of Control (LoC).
“Whatever inputs we have, IS has not taken in a major way, but they are definitely trying to gain foothold in the area (PoK)”, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 16 Corps, Lt Gen K H Singh told reporters on sidelines of an Army function to observe `Jhangar Day’ at Jhangar in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district today.
He was replying to a question on the threat perception of IS in PoK amid media reports about the terror outfit’s presence in the Valley.
Lt Gen Singh said that there were around 200 to 225 militants in 36 launch pads across the Pir Panchal range waiting to infiltrate into the Indian side. All launching pads have been once again operationalized across the LoC, he added.
The terror infrastructure across the border was intact and training camps were still active, he added.
To a question on whether the terrorists were planning to target the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, he said that there were general inputs about the possibility of such an attack.
“I cannot share specific inputs with you, but yes there are general inputs that terrorists might try to attack the Yatra. There are 13 to 14 Yatras going on in the region but cannot share specific details with you,” he said.
He said that the terrorist from across the border were planning to infiltrate and create problems during the ongoing Yatra period.
Lt Gen Singh said that Pakistan side continued to support the terrorists and the terror infrastructure across the border was intact, but there was relatively less number of ceasefire violations so far in this year as compared to the same period in the previous year.
“There are 36 launching pads in our area of responsibility (south of Pir Panchal Range) where more than 200 to 225 heavily armed terrorists are waiting to sneak into the Indianan side. There is no reduction in the Pakistani support to the terrorists,” he said.
The GOC said that situation on the Line of Control (south of Pir Panchal Range) was relatively calm as compared to last year, but still terrorists across the border were taking time to reenergize themselves.
“Though there were fewer incidents of ceasefire violations this year as compared to the previous year, but we have credible inputs that terrorists are taking time to reenergize themselves to infiltrate and launch attacks in Indian side,” he said.
When asked to comment on a recent report in which a terrorists group was reported to have infiltrated into the Indian side through the Line of Control in the Rajouri sector, Lt Gen Singh said, “As per our multi agency inputs there are no such confirmed inputs of a group having gone through and entered our side”.
Replying to a question on the recent report released by the Amnesty International India in which the security forces are accused of not punishing the guilty soldiers who commit grave human rights violation, he said that the Army does not tolerate any type of human rights violation by its men.
“Let me be clear that Army does not tolerate any human rights violations committed by our men, all the cases that come to us are investigated by an independent agency, in the past 10 years there were more than 300 allegations of Human rights violation made against the Army and in only five or six odd cases the complaints were found to be genuine and the guilty were punished,” he said.
To another question on whether the militant outfits operative in Kashmir valley were trying to recruit youth in Jammu he said, “they may be planning to recruit volunteers to join their ranks in Jammu as well to increase their area of operations.”
Lt Gen Singh said that while the terrorists were planning to infiltrate and create problems in the Indian side, the Army was prepared to deal with them.
“Indian Army is prepared to defeat the designs of the terrorists, the counter terror operations are effective and the Army is making the Indian nation proud,” he said.
Lt Gen Singh added that the Army won’t allow the militants to return from the Line of Control (LoC) under the Rehabilitation Policy as this was not the route specified in the Policy.
Army today observed “Jhangar Day” to commemorate the sacrifice made by Brigadier Mohammad Usman, who was martyred during the 1947-48 operation in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district.
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