Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 2: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today held high level review of security situation in Jammu and Kashmir apart from discussing various other internal and external issues at a meeting with top officers of his Ministry including Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and Intelligence Bureau (IB) head Dineshwar Sharma among others. National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval was also present for special briefing.
Highly placed sources told the Excelsior that yet another review of security situation by the Union Home Minister came just a day before he is scheduled to leave for Pakistan on a two-day visit to attend SAARC nations’ conference.
According to sources, Rajnath was briefed on various aspects of situation in Jammu and Kashmir including the external dimensions, which the situation has assumed following frequent interference of Pakistan, the latest one being the march taken out jointly by Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen from Lahore to Wagah border in Amritsar a day before.
“The reported presence of militants in some of the processions and rallies was a cause of concern and has been viewed very seriously,” they said, adding that Rajnath Singh also wanted to get detailed briefing on the situation on the eve of his Pakistan visit as he was likely to touch the subject of terrorism and support by some countries to it in his address to the SAARC countries, which are meeting in Islamabad on August 3 and 4.
On Jammu and Kashmir, sources said, the Intelligence agencies have reports that Pakistan was now directly involved in fuelling the unrest, which was evident from the statements coming from the leadership of the neighbouring country and protection given to the march taken out jointly by the LeT and HM militant outfits from Lahore to Wagah border in Amritsar district a day before.
The Home Minister, according to sources, was reported to have repeated his direction to the para-military forces to exercise maximum restraint while dealing with the protests and use pellet guns under rarest of rare circumstances to avoid civilian casualties, both fatal and non-fatal.
The top officers reportedly briefed him that situation was “grim” with protests going on unabated but civilian casualties have been avoided to great extend during past about 10 days due to restrain used by the CRPF and police.
Apart from Jammu and Kashmir situation, sources said, Rajnath Singh also had detailed review of various internal and external dimensions including role of Pakistan in fuelling terrorism not only in Jammu and Kashmir but other parts of the country as he was likely to speak threadbare on terrorism in his address to SAARC nations including the support being extended to it by India’s neighbours, both directly and indirectly.
Meanwhile, undeterred by the threat given by of Jamat ud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed and Hizbul Mujahideen and the prevailing tension over the incidents in Kashmir, Rajnath Singh is leaving for Pakistan tomorrow to take part in the SAARC Home Ministers’ meeting in Islamabad on August 4.
Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi left today itself to do the preparatory work for the meeting.
The two countries have for the past few weeks indulged in frequent war of words over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter and the ensuing violence and deaths of civilians in action by security forces.
Sources insisted that Rajnath Singh was going for a regional forum as part of the country’s effort to promote peace and security in the region.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju has already justified the Government decision to send the Home Minister for the SAARC meeting, said that Singh was going for a multilateral event and not a bilateral meeting with anyone in Pakistan.
And as far as the threats of JuD were concerned, it was the duty of the Pakistan Government to tackle it.
Meanwhile, last week the BSF and Pakistan Rangers held a meeting during which they discussed issues related to border management. Earlier, meeting of the coast guard of the two countries was also held.
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