M A I N   N E W S

Situation not alarming: Malik
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, April 11 — The Chief of Army Staff, Gen V.P. Malik, today said the situation in the Sir Creek area of Gujarat was under control despite reports of “accretion” of Pakistani troops there.

Talking to reporters after welcoming the 12-member ‘Trishna’ expedition team here the Chief of Army Staff said, “There have been some reports of accretion and some reorganisation of (Pakistani) troops in that area (Sir Creek) but I would not call the situation alarming. The situation is fully under control.”

He said the situation was being monitored and one did not have to worry about it. Sir Creek, in the Rann of Kutch region of Gujarat had last year witnessed the shooting down of the Pakistani spy plane, Atlantique, by the Indian Air Force.

Both India and Pakistan have always maintained the presence of troops in the region, specially being the border area. However, yesterday there were reports that Pakistan had been amassing its troops along the border in the Sir Creek area along the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat.

Asked whether this was expected after the visit of US President Bill Clinton, he said he did not find any link between the US President’s visit and the development.

He declined to comment on reports of militants across the border waiting to cross over to India.

The Indian Coast Guard has stepped up patrolling to prevent infiltration along the Kutch and Saurashtra Coasts in Gujarat, officials said. This was done after the Coast Guard apprehended a Pakistani vessel with five crew members 36 Nautical Miles off Okha in Gujarat inside India’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The vessel “Al Imran” which was apprehended on Sunday, was handed over to the local police along with the crew. General Malik declined to elaborate on reports that Pakistan had moved about 2000 trained militants to Umarkot and a large number of militants to the Nawakot area.

Sir Creek, a 100-km channel separating Gujarat from Pakistan, is another bone of contention between the two countries. The seabed in the area is believed to have rich reservoirs of oil and gas.

The Army chief while complimenting the “Trishna” crew, said the adventure undertaken by the Indian Army jawans added in projecting a better image of the Indian Army and the country. It had not only contributed to “sports and spirit” but was also a “goodwill mission.”

The 12-member team led by Brig T.P.S.Chowdhary, sailed off Mumbai on November 29, 1999, and returned on March 26, 2000, covering a distance of 5835 Nautical Miles. The team went from Mumbai to Kochi, Male (Maldives), Galle (Sri Lanka), Campbell Bya (Andaman and Nicobar), Penang and finally to Singapore.

On their return from Singapore they went to Phuket (Thailand), Port Blair, Colombo, Goa and back to Mumbai.