Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 11: Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde is arriving here tomorrow morning on a three days visit of the State during which he would hold first high level security review of the situation with Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah besides top brass of police, para-military, civil and Intelligence officials.
This would be first visit of Mr Shinde to Jammu and Kashmir regions after taking over as the Home Minister. He had visited Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh region last week including border areas along China and Pakistan.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Mr Shinde would reach Jammu Airport at 8.30 am tomorrow and would be received by the Council of Ministers and top bureaucrats. He would then fly to Chakan-Da-Bagh (CDB) cross-LoC point in Poonch district, where he would meet civil and police administration and top officials of security agencies besides a 12 members delegation of traders headed by Cross-LoC Traders Association president, Pawan Anand.
Worthwhile to mention here that a bus plied between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) every Monday while trade between two parts of divided States takes place four days a week from Tuesday to Friday through Chakan-Da-Bagh.
Sources said Mr Shinde would hold separate meetings with the traders and authorities.
In the meeting with the traders, he would discuss measures required to be taken to boost cross-LoC trade and travel on Poonch-Rawlakote route. The travel and trade have virtually been dying down with very few visitors and very low trade in view of restrictions on various items on both sides and cumbersome procedure on grant of permit to travel to each other’s territory.
The Union Home Minister would meet top brass of police and civil administration and security agencies at Chakan-Da-Bagh to review with them the security scenario prevailing on the Line of Control (LoC) in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, sources said.
The LoC in Rajouri district has remained peaceful all along this year barring few incidents of ceasefire violations or infiltration attempts. However, the LoC has been very active in Poonch especially in Krishna Ghati and Mendhar sectors with repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan Army, majority of which were aimed at pushing infiltrators into this side.
During the current year, no successful infiltration attempt has been reported on the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts.
Sources said Mr Shinde would fly from Poonch to Suchetgarh and visit Octroi Post on the International Border around 12 noon, where he would meet top officials of the Border Security Force (BSF), manning the IB in Jammu sector.
He was expected to review the situation on the IB especially in the context of a tunnel dug by the Pakistan authorities about 540 meters deep inside the Indian territory at Chechwal in Samba sector. After detection of the tunnel on July 27, a number of incidents of firing by the Pakistani Rangers on the BSF and the civilians have been reported from Chechwal and Khwara in Samba sector, Arnia and Abdullian in RS Pura sector.
Sources said the Home Minister was likely to stay at the Octroi Post for about an hour and visit some of the forward pickets to inter-act with the BSF commanders and jawans, deployed there.
Mr Shinde would have lunch at the Guest House and meet some delegations. Later, he would visit Ragunath temple and offer obeisance to the God. He would fly to Srinagar, the summer capital of the State tomorrow evening.
Mr Shinde would have separate meetings with Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to review security scenario and other aspects of the situation in the State.
On October 13, Mr Shinde would preside over a high level security review meeting at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) at Srinagar. The meeting among others would be attended by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and top brass of civil and police administration, security and Intelligence agencies.
The security agencies would brief the Union Home Minister about situation prevailing in the State, infiltration attempts by the militants, Rehabilitation Policy and ultras camping across the LoC and IB with a view to cross into this side.
The Home Minister would visit Neeru Post in Gurez sector where he would meet the BSF officers and jawans. He would also receive some delegations and meet political leaders during his stay in Srinagar. He would have night halt at Srinagar on October 13 and return to New Delhi in the morning of October 14.
Prior to his three days visit to Jammu and Kashmir regions, Mr Shinde had last week visited Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh region for two days. He had visited the areas bordering China and Pakistan in Leh and Kargil respectively.
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