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Kashmir : Pak forces regroup on LoC while Musharraf talks of pulling out troops

	June 11, 2007

troops



There are reports that Pakistan forces are constructing bunkers and strengthening their defence positions along the line of control (LoC) and the international border in Jammu and Kash¬mir even while President Musharraf is talking about withdrawing his troops from the line of control as part of an overall settle¬ment of the Kashmir issue.



Reports from Jammu say that Pakistan used the ceasefire in place along the line of control and international border since Nov. 2003 to build over 200 concrete bunkers and embankments. The process of Pakistani forces consolidating their defences is still on with mud bunkers being replaced by fortified concrete RCC bunkers along the 740 km. lomg line of control and 191 km. long international border.



Reports say trips along the LoC in Uri and Baramulla and the International Border in Jammu provide a clear view of the con¬struction activity across the border. Though the security agen¬cies manning the border are tight lipped about these develop¬ments, they are willing to speak on condition of anonymity. “There is no denying the fact that Pakistan is strengthening its defences. We have been watching their activities since 2003 and reported these developments up the chain of command but, sadly, there has been no response,” said defence officials confirming the ‘concretisation’ of bunkers and other defence-related activi¬ties in the region.



“Initially they reconstructed all their mud bunkers along the international border, using concrete. Then, they covered the new bunkers with mud all over again so they retained their earli¬er look,” said an officer.



In Jammu division, in three sub-sectors of Akhnoor, Ranbir Singh Pura and Samba, Pakistan has raised over 3000 metres of Bandh (a very important mud defence)in Akhnoor, over 1000 metres in R.S.Pura and over 700 metres in Samba. The new constructions by Pakistan include RCC concrete bunkers and Observation Post Towers.



The OPTs allow Pakistani Rangers to closely monitor India’s forward positions and troop movement. In the same areas, 15-20 RCC bunkers have been constructed by Pakistan.





Musharraf’s offer



Again calling for demilitarisation of Jammu and Kashmir, Gen. Musharraf has offered to withdraw Pakistani troops from the line of control as part of an overall settlement of the Kashmir issue. In an article in Kashmir Affairs magazine, published from London, the Pakistan President spoke of his four point proposal including setting aside options unacceptable to either side to resolve the Kashmir issue.”



Musharraf recalled that he had earlier suggested that in the main cities of Jammu and Kashmir - Srinagar, Kupwara and Baramulla, “all troops could be moved out to the outskirts in order to demilitarise the cities.



He said the UN Security Council Resolution represents “a solemn commitment and promise by international community to the people of Kashmir.”



Interestingly, both former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and European Union rapporteur Emma Nicholson have clearly stated that the UN resolutions on self-determination were not implement¬able as Pakistan had failed to fulfill the grounds for implement¬ing them.



Musharraf said there ought to be institutional arrangements, which could accommodate the interests of India and Pakistan to ensure “self-governance” by the people of Kashmir.





Pakistan Army backing militants : Army Chief



The Army Chief, Gen. J.J. Singh has said that elements in the Pakistan Army are backing militants sneaking into the coun¬try. As a result, there is a spurt in infiltration bids across the line of control in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking to the media at a Defence Ministry function in New Delhi on June 6, Gen. Singh said, “we have reports to suggest that some elements of the Pakistan Army including the inter-services intelligence (ISI) are helping to push the militants across.”



Defence Minister A.K. Antony said there has been an unusual upswing in infiltration attempts during April. The Army has been asked to closely monitor the situation to check the pattern and strength of infiltration bids.





Centre probing Al Qaeda CDs



The Union Home Ministry has asked State and Central intel¬ligence agencies to conduct an in-depth probe into the veracity of the compact discs which have surfaced in Srinagar claiming that the Al Qaeda is present in the country. The CDs, circulating in Srinagar, threatened both mainstream and separatist politi¬cians. A veiled militant is shown in the CDs as threatening that Kashmir would be used as a gateway to intensify jehad all over India.



In the meantime, Pakistan based United Jehad Council (UJC), a grouping of militant groups, said that Al Qaeda does not exist in Kashmir and the group has no role in the State. A statement by the UJC, circulating in Srinagar, termed the Al Qaeda CD issue as a conspiracy by Indian agencies.



Hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has also questioned the veracity of the Al Qaeda statement.





Terrorist deaths come as relief



The mind-sets of people in Jammu and Kashmir are changing in the light of the death and destruction caused by terrorist ele¬ments. In the past, when a terrorist was killed, people would take to the streets to protest against the security forces. Reports say that now there is an equal possibility of residents handing out sweets in celebration when a terrorist is killed and women spitting on the body.



In a striking example of how people’s mindsets are changing in the conflict-ridden state, villagers of Gundoh in Thathri district distributed sweets when Atta Mohammad, a tehsil comman¬der of Harkt-ul-Mujahideen was killed by security forces in Doda. The 23-year old from Bonjowa in Doda attended a terrorist train¬ing camp in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and was known as an IED expert who had been involved in a number of terrorist incidents including the murder of special police offic¬ers.



Atta Mohammed had become a hated figure in the village where, they say, he harassed, molested and raped local women and tried to extort money from villagers. Sardar Hussein, a mili¬tant from Gugada Kara, Tehsil Thathri, who surrendered to the Army, said, “He was involved in three to four murders of the villagers.”