Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 1: Northern Army Command chief Lt Gen DS Hooda has called upon three Corps Commanders of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions to maintain relentless pressure on the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and keep on assessing the situation in their respective areas of operation.
Addressing three General Officers Commanding (GOCs) after the Army Commander’s Conference, Lt Gen Hooda is reported to have asked the GOCs of Jammu, Kashmir and Leh based Corps to remain part of the conflict resolution mechanism and keep strict vigil on the borders, where Pakistan continued to create trouble by trying to push-in the ultras to foment subversive activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
Army Commander Gen Dalbir Singh had recently chaired high level meeting of all Commands for five days to draw up strategy for the country’s borders especially with hostile neighbours-India and China. Lt Gen Hooda had attended the meeting as head of the Northern Command.
Later, Hooda called all three GOCs under his command to brief them. The GOCs included Lt Gen RR Nimbhorkar, head of Nagrota based 16 Corps, Lt Gen Satish Dua, who heads Srinagar based 15 Corps and Lt Gen SK Patyal, head of Leh based 14 Corps.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the GOC-in-C Northern Command told the GOCs that even under the most modern methods of war fighting, the Army should not forget that human dimension would remain the biggest battle winning factor.
“Hence, the focus must remain on training, equipments and character development of the soldier to ensure that our Army remained most modern, potent and combat ready force,” Lt Gen Hooda said.
Sources said the Northern Army Command chief briefed the GOCs that troops have to be ready to face any kind of situation on the borders in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We have to be ready every time both on the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan and Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. Our preparations have to be up to the mark. Our jawans must be prepared every time to face any kind of situation developing on the borders with Pakistan and China,” he was reported to have said.
Though the Sino-Indian border in China was gradually peaceful with occasional incursions reported from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), which too were sorted out by the two sides amicably, it was the Pakistan borders, which have become cause of concern for the troops due to reported presence of a large number of militants on the LoC, who were awaiting opportunity to sneak into the Indian territory.
Calling upon the Corps Commanders to continuously assess the situation both on the borders and hinterland in the areas under their control, the Northern Army Commander asked them to maintain relentless pressure on the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. He stressed upon all stake holders to be made part of the conflict resolution mechanism.
Sources said the Northern Army Commander also reviewed operational preparedness of the Army in entire Jammu and Kashmir especially along the LoC and reportedly called upon the GOCs to send a message to the Field Commanders that they have to be ready for major role to stop infiltration attempts and other kind of activities along the LoC with Pakistan.
According to sources, the Commanders of 15 and 16 Corps, whose Commands covered the LoC with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir regions and GOC of 14 Corps, whose area also falls along the LAC with China also briefed the GOC-in-C Northern Command on the situation in their areas of control.
It was felt that the Islamic State (IS) was not major threat in Jammu and Kashmir as it has failed to create its cadre like Taliban in the areas bordering Jammu and Kashmir but Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen were dubbed as potential threats both on the LoC as well as inside.
The LoC in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch has been generally calm barring one infiltration attempt last month after September 21 Brigade Commander level meeting between India and Pakistan. Last month, an Army Commando and a Pakistani militant were killed when the troops foiled an infiltration attempt in Krishna Ghati sector by a group of four to five militants.
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