Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 20: In a significant statement, a top Army Commander said today that there was need for Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) to stay in Jammu and Kashmir saying that though the situation has been under control and level of infiltration was down, it (the level) has to be maintained by the troops for which the AFSPA was a must.
Addressing a press conference at Mamoon Cantonment in Pathankot after the conclusion of Western Command Investiture Ceremony, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Western Command, Lt Gen K J Singh observed that gains achieved by security forces in bringing down the levels of militancy and infiltration can reverse rapidly if the AFSPA and Disturbed Areas Act (DAA) were removed.
Lt Gen Singh, whose Command controls three strategic border districts of Jammu regions including Jammu, Samba and Kathua, said the Army has succeeded in significantly bringing down the levels of militancy and infiltration and these gains were required to be strengthened further. The Western Command also controls Pathankot, where the militants had struck at the airbase on January 2 killing seven security personnel.
Opposing any move to revoke AFSPA and DAA in Jammu and Kashmir, Lt Gen KJ Singh said: “we should continue with AFSPA and DAA. They should continue to be applied (in J&K)”.
His remarks came in response to a question about the demand for revocation of AFSPA by some political parties in Jammu and Kashmir.
“In present scenario, we must understand there is something called the Disturbed Areas Act. An area which is disturbed, it is promulgated and automatically AFSPA applies over there,” he said.
The Army Commander said his perception was “there is a kind of defining stage– there is now reduced infiltration. We have brought down the level of insurgency so we should continue this (AFSPA) to keep control of the area because there is a habit of rapidly going that to same old bad phase, so AFSPA should continue.”
Replying to a question on January 2 terror attack at Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Pathankot, Lt Gen Singh, who had closely supervised the operation, claimed “complete involvement” of people from across the border and said Pakistan should take action on dossiers concerning evidence of the militant strike.
He said a multi-agency response has been put in place to scuttle any terror attacks on security establishments in future. The multi-agency response was put in place after Pathankot terror attack in which seven security personnel including a Lieutenant Colonel were killed. All militants were gunned down by the security personnel.
“You know dossiers (on evidence of involvement of Pakistani elements in Pathankot terror attack) have been handed over to them (the Pakistan) twice. So they should take action,” Lt Gen Singh said.
“That (action by Pakistan) will foster good relation between two countries,” the Western Command chief said.
“Investigations are at primary kind of stage”, he said, adding, “While I share concern (over Pakistan investigation), but it may be better to allow diplomats and official agencies– they have empowered people– they are aware that they are taking all measures in this regard.
“I am sure that they will take measures to highlight this issue and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) will take it up and we hope to see that,” Lt Gen Singh said.
Taking a dig at Pakistan over classification of terrorism into “good and bad”, the Army Commander said: “the problem is that if you start classifying terrorism and use it as a strategic weapon, one day it is going to backfire.”
“So, we advice and counsel our neighbour that they must realize this that people who are terrorists should not be classified as good and bad terrorists or their agents. They (Pakistan) should be ruthless to them (terrorists),” The GOC-in-C Western Command said.
Replying to another question on Pakistan’s involvement in Pathankot terror attack, the Army Commander said, “There is a complete involvement. You have seen shoes (recovered from terrorists), food packets. You have seen a note of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) claiming that they have taken revenge (for the hanging) of Afzal Guru, from Udhampur to Samba and beyond.”
“There is complete involvement of people from Pakistan and whether it is the state agencies (involved in it), that still needs to be investigated,” Lt Gen Singh said, adding “Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) is there and there is complete involvement of their people.”
On reported goof up in security coordination, he said an enquiry was on.
“If I make any comment it will not be proper. The National Investigating Agency (NIA) is doing investigation. Army has also ordered a detailed probe. General Campose is holding a full investigation into it so whatever lessons will come out they will be shared with you,” he said.
“We have learnt lessons from the past. Our Prime Minister has also said lessons have been learnt from such incidents. Those lessons and corrections have been applied and some are being applied, so we are prepared,” Lt Gen Singh said.
To a question on threats by Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed to engineer fresh terror attacks in India, the Army Commander said: “there is multi-agency response which is in place.”
“There is grave threat. There are great concerns. What Hafiz Saeed is doing, it is dangerous. He has done it earlier. We should not take it lightly,” the Army Commander said.
“There is also a competition between militants of various terror outfits. If one incident was engineered by JeM another would be done of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). They fight for attention between themselves,” Lt Gen Singh said, adding that measures have been taken to tackle such threats with multi-agency response.
“The Border Security Force, the Army, the Police and technical surveillance are involved in it,” he said.
He said a couple of days back the Northern Army Commander had said there is a presence of considerable number of people (militants) who are on launching basis and staging areas, so there are regular inputs to that effect.
“We are concerned about it. We monitor it. We have inputs on that,” he said.
He said that elaborate measures have been put in place and security strengthened along the border following Pathankot terror attack.
He said 200-300 militants are across the border (waiting to infiltrate into India).
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