M A I N   N E W S

Pak move underway to repeat Kargil
First batch of women infiltrators in Srinagar
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, April 12 — Over 1,000 youths belonging to Pakistan and occupied Kashmir have been enrolled for receiving arms training in 12 camps across Poonch, Rajouri, Kupwara and Bandipora. After completion of their training in handling of highly sophisticated weapons in centres at Amber, Manak, Kamsar, Neeli, Athmuqam, Showkat Lines, Mirpur, Kail and Gora Patika in the border belts of Pakistan, they will join three militant outfits — Lashkar-e-Toiba, Harkatul Mujahideen and Hizbul Mujahideen.

Senior government functionaries said as activists of these three terrorist groups, the new recruits would join over 3,000 rebels, 70 per cent of them being foreign mercenaries, who have been brought close to the LoC at Bagh, Kotli, Nakiyal, Haji Pir, Khwajabandi, Lassi Ban, Lippa Valley and Kalsan.

According to these functionaries, Pak ex-servicemen and serving army men would also infiltrate along with the rebels into Jammu and Kashmir for kicking up further subversive violence. Various conventional and non-conventional border routes are being used for pushing into Jammu and Kashmir militants in small groups. Wherever infiltration would be slightly difficult, the Pakistani troops have been directed to provide fire cover to the infiltrators.

The official sources, basing their information from field sources across the border, said the Pakistani agencies had again used unmanned belts on the Indo-Pak and Indo-Nepal borders for sending militants and mercenaries into Jammu and Kashmir and other areas of the country.

The sources said Pakistani agencies had trained about 200 women in sabotage and for hooking security officials for passing on vital information to them. The first batch of 10 women had recently travelled to Bangladesh on valid Pakistan passport. From Bangladesh they crossed into West Bengal and later from Jammu they boarded a Tata Sumo for Srinagar. By the time the security agencies had received information about their infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir, these women had already reached Srinagar.

These “women terrorists” have been, according to official sources, assigned the task of preparing Kashmiri women for ‘jehad’ and sneaking into the security camps to secure information regarding vital installations and other security plans.

Of late, border routes across Kargil and Dras are again being explored for sending militants into Jammu and Kashmir. The infiltrators will carry sophisticated weapons with them and consignment of explosives and ammunition will be smuggled into the state with the help of the trans-border smugglers.

In addition the agencies across the border have set up what is known as the Jammu and Kashmir Combined Liberation Army. This army has been given the task of coordinating the activities of Lashkar-e-Toiba, Harkatul Mujahideen and Hizbul Mujahideen.

A senior officer said the rate of infiltration had increased with the melting of snows in the north-west border belt from Uri to Poonch.

Moves were afoot to repeat Kargil in other sectors to force India to resume bilateral talks and secure international intervention once the border scene became volatile.