Militants fortify border hideouts
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

SUNDERBANI, Oct 20 — There is fear writ large on the faces of the majority of residents of this subdivision of this border district. The killing of 20 security personnel, including 11-soldiers the gunning down of 40 civilians during the past two months alone and bomb and grenade explosions which wrecked government buildings and security personnel's vehicles have merely heightened the sense of anxiety.

If eyewitness accounts are anything to go by, militants, especially foreign mercenaries have taken the upper hand in the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri moving about freely while law-abiding citizens walk in fear. Pakistan Army officers, camping in the forest belts from Lossana to Kalai Bridge and in villages including Snehi, Dhundak, Mandi, Loren and Plara, have reportedly taken direct control of militant operations. For foreign mercenaries or Pak-trained militants alike their "posting" is decided by Pak Army officers. In recent weeks militant groups were ordered to move from one place to another by minders across the border.

According to Mohammed Hafiz and Khalid, residents of Surankot, orders for change of places to militants "are issued on wireless sets. "They confirmed reports that the militants' writ runs in both Rajouri and Poonch districts. Those who had dared to oppose them or inform the security forces about their hideouts or plans have now opted for "silence" after militants eliminated between 15 and 20 police informers over the past three months.

At present the main target of the militants is mainstream political activists, special police officers and informers.

Ashok Kumar and Daljit Singh of Poonch say that a 25-km area beyond the river that flows through Surankot is infested by militants. These mercenaries have constructed sanctuaries in the mountain belts at present covered with clouds which hide the cliffs.

Anyone found unhelpful is either killed or given money to leave the mountain villages. Under this operation more than 250 people have migrated to Surankot and Poonch towns from the upper reaches in recent weeks.

A senior Congress leader, Mr Raman Bhalla, who spent a week in Poonch and Surankot is critical of a section of the district administration for providing "help" to militants. He said senior government functionaries in Rajouri and Poonch districts transfer out employees not acceptable to the militants.

Reports with the state government suggest that more than 2500 militants including over 1500 foreign mercenaries equipped with highly sophisticated weapons have established bases in different parts of Poonch and Rajouri districts. The state administration, which has no knowledge about the future plans of these militants is seriously worried.

Except for occasional strikes against the security forces and against "enemies of the Jehad" the militants are said to be fortifying their position so that they can hedge in Indian troops and paramilitary forces on the border if Pak troops kick up a major border row. In order to strengthen local support a fresh recruitment drive has been launched. Under this drive youths are lured to arms training camps established in the alpine forest belts in Poonch and Rajouri. The Kerni and Mandi area of Poonch are the main route for infiltration across the border.

Police sources say that operations against the militants hiding in camps in the forest belts are not easy to conduct as the mercenaries now hold all the vantage points. They "see our movement and open fire on us," the sources said.

Several incidents of torturing of innocent civilians to death in remote villages have gone unreported. Earlier residents would demand setting up of police post whenever a single person was killed by the militants. They raise no such demand nor any hue and cry now even if more than three people are killed out of fear.

Work in several dispensaries, educational institutions and government offices situated in remote villages has been paralysed as the employees have abandoned their point of postings for whenever any militant was injured or hideout required medicare' the concerned doctors or compounders were simply kidnapped. Such incidents too are seldom reported.

Besides vantage points the maize crop now maturing has hampered security operations. Reports said that both the Union Home Ministry and the Defence Ministry have formulated a joint plan for combating militancy. Under this plan additional troops are to be deployed within the next one month.

Gen. Beg admits Pak incursions in J&K

LONDON, Oct 20 (PTI) — A former Pakistan Army chief Gen Mirza Aslam Beg, has admitted to Pakistani troops making incursions into Jammu and Kashmir in 1990 when the Islamabad-sponsored militancy in the state was at its peak.

While sharply criticising the Pakistani Premier Mr Nawaz Sharif for forcing the Army chief Gen Jehangir Karamat, to quit his post ‘’unceremoniously’’. General Beg, writing in a Pakistani newspaper, admitted that he was confronted with similar hard decisions when during his stewardship of the Army one of his Divisional commanders had sent his ‘’contingents into the enemy territory’’.

Writing in News International’’ he said the change of guard in the Army was “hastily executed and triggered ominous interpretation.’’

General Beg cited the incident of incursion by Pakistani troops into Jammu and Kashmir to claim that Mr Sharif should have taken decision like him with grace and propriety to ensure that no ripples were created in the Army.

General Beg said it was in 1990 when a Corps Commander entered his office in utter desperation and anxiety, and “to my query, he replied that he had come to seek removal from the command of one of his Divisional commanders.’’

“As per his (Corps Commander’s) narration, the Divisional Commander had transgressed the policy and crossed the Line of Control in Kashmir. He had sent his battalions into the valley,”

General Beg said when he asked the Corps Commander whether the action by one of his GOCs had caused any loss of life or setback, he replied in the negative even claiming that intruding Pakistani forces had resisted a brigade-size counter attack by the Indian Army.

“I told him the GOC and his men needed to be congratulated for their bold action and at the same time some action had to be taken as the GOC had violated the orders of the GHQ, “beg said, admitting that he had handled the situation by transferring the divisional commander, who had almost reached the end of his field tenure.

This is the first time that a senior Pakistan Army officer has admitted to Pakistani forces being the aggressor in the widespread border flare-ups, particularly across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Pakistani authorities have been trying to project the Indian forces as provocateurs for these border skirmishes.

The former Pakistani Army chief did not elaborate in which sector of Line of Control the Pakistani incursion took place. But, Military observers said the incursion by two battalions was a major one.

General Beg sought to cite the incident to attack the Pakistani Premier, calling the removal of General Karamat as immature. He warned that General Karamat’s exit would bring in political and ideological conflicts which with bad governance may become harbinger of a violent change in Pakistan.

Pak attack at Siachen repulsed

NEW DELHI, Oct 20 (UNI) — A multi-directional attack by Pakistani troops on a tactically important post on the Siachen glacier was repulsed by the Indian forces on Sunday, Army sources said here today.

Two groups of eight to 10 Pakistani soldiers closed in on the Indian post from the East and West, taking advantage of the poor visibility conditions, but their movement was detected by alert Army sentries.

The entire post was alerted and when the Pakistanis were about 150 metres away, the Indian troops opened fire, forcing the attackers to withdraw.

The sources said Pakistani troops were seen dragging two or three bodies to their side. At daybreak, footprints were seen 200 metres from the post.

Last year, three attempts by the Pakistani troops to capture posts at the Siachen were foiled successfully.