M A I N   N E W S

More special forces for J-K
Proactive approach to be adopted
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Jan 17 — The Centre today decided to set-up an additional Unified Headquarters (UHQ) for north of Zoji La and divide the counter-insurgency into 49 sectors as part of the three-tier command and control structure under the UHQ while it accused Pakistan for spurt in militant activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

The decision on the security-related measures was taken at a review meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir situation, chaired by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, here this evening and attended among others by the Union Home Minister, Mr L. K. Advani and the Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes.

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, the state Governor, Mr G. C. Saxena, the Foreign Secretary, Mr Lalit Mansingh, the Chief of the Army Staff, Gen V. P. Malik and top officials of the Centre and state government also attended the meeting.

The meeting assumed importance since it was the first time that the Prime Minister had chaired it on the subject after the BJP-led government came to power.

Noting that there had been a spurt in

militant attacks especially by suicide squads on defence camps, the Home Minister pointed an accusing finger at the military regime of Pakistan as being responsible for increased cross-border terrorist activities.

Addressing mediapersons after a two-hour meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence, the Home Minister said while there was no reference to the recent handling of the hijack-crisis there was a feeling that the past three months especially after the Kargil conflict and change of government in Pakistan proxy war had been stepped up.

Summing up the outcome of the meeting, he said, it was most fruitful and worthwhile exercise undertaken and the upshot was the resolve that “just as we won the Kargil war we will win the proxy war also”.

“Pakistan has not declared a war. Pakistan has unleashed undeclared war” he said and appealed to the Press to contribute in “your own way” to further the resolve to win this war.

Mr Advani said broad parameters were formulated at the meeting to effectively counter the “nefarious designs of the terrorist groups being aided and abetted from across the border for escalating the level of proxy war”.

He said it was decided that as part of an offensive strategy to counter terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, it was imperative to raise more specialised battalions of central police forces specifically trained for waging counter terrorist operations and also enhance deployment along the Line of Control and international border.

While the state police and the intelligence apparatus was already being strengthened, security forces had been asked to adopt a proactive approach against terrorists in the hinterland and to “establish area domination both during day and night”.

Security in Srinagar city has been beefed up and the security forces have been asked to carry out round-the-clock operations based on pin-pointed intelligence to neutralise terrorist modules in the city.

A special operation will be launched with the help of retired soldiers and members of village defence committees (VDCs) in order to effectively curb infiltration and exfiltration along the LoC/IB.

For the protection of civilians, it has been decided to integrate the VDCs with the counter-insurgency grid. Apart from discussing the security operations, the meeting also decided to evolve special programmes to supplement the border area development programme and the basic minimum services programme.

Special funds will be provided for border roads, and to tackle unemployment among youth, new job generating projects will be put into operation.

SALIENT POINTS

• Specialised battalions of central paramilitary forces will be raised for counter-terrorist operations.
• Counter-insurgency grid has been divided into 49 sectors as part of the three-tier and control structure under the unified headquarters (UHQ).
• An additional UHQ will be set up at Zoji La
• Security in Srinagar city further beefed up
• Security forces to carry out round-the-clock operations
• A special operation is being launched with the help of retired soldiers and members of village defence committees
• Village defence committees (VDCs) will be integrated with the counter-insurgency grid for the protection of civilian operations.
• Sophisticated arms and modern communications equipment will be provided to VDCs
• Special funds will be provided for border roads
• New job-generating projects will be put in operation.