However, during the last one month the Pak troops have indulged in unprovoked heavy shelling. The heaviest shelling was reported from Poonch and Rajouri sectors.

Defence Ministry sources said that during the month of January 2002, Pakistani troops fired over 63,000 rounds from small arms on the Indian border villages and posts in various sectors. About 12,000 artillery shells and over 16,000 mortar shells were fired during this period.

As a result of heavy exchange of fire, Pakistani troops suffered heavy losses. In January, at least 75 Pak soldiers were killed and more than 60 bunkers were destroyed. The Indian troops also lost 20 soldiers.

However, civilians suffered the most. Two dozen civilians were killed. More than 80,000 people had to migrate from the border villages in J and K. These migrants have been forced to lead a miserable life in make-shift camps.

It was because of a massive military buildup across the LoC and the IB that India had to move additional troops to the border alongwith heavy war machines to meet any challenge. However, anti-insurgency operations within the state were not affected. During the month of January, more than 170 militants were killed. About 100 had been eliminated in the Kashmir valley alone.

Foreign mercenaries had begun to arrive in Kashmir in 1990 when Pakistan’s proxy war first took shape. However, it was only in 1993 that the number of infiltrators increased manifold. The increasing number of foreign mercenaries killed by Indian security forces is proof of their presence in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to official data, 14 foreign mercenaries were killed in 1990. The number rose to 139 in 1996 and 305 in 1999. In 2000 and 2001, the number swelled to 436 and 626, respectively. These figures indicate that Pakistani agencies have been banking on foreign mercenaries for sustaining a low-intensity war in Kashmir after Kashmiri youth, feeling disillusioned with their armed campaign, began surrendering in big groups before the security forces. As many as 3,000 militants have surrendered before the security agencies in different parts of the state between 1991 and 1999. More foreign mercenaries were therefore pushed into the valley to fill the gap. Also, Pakistani agencies, which monitored the day-to-day progress of the militants, realised that Kashmiri youths were not strong enough to handle rocket launchers and rifle grenades.

Senior functionaries of the Defence Ministry and the state police are of the opinion that despite the killing of 2,359 foreign mercenaries between 1990 and 2001, there are about 2,000 to 3,000 Pak and PoK guerrillas operating in Jammu and Kashmir. The majority of the foreign mercenaries killed or still operating in Jammu and Kashmir, belong to Pakistan and Occupied Kashmir. Some guerrillas from Sudan, Afghanistan, Libya and Egypt have also crossed into Kashmir. While the terrorists from Sudan, Libya and Egypt, according to police sources, were few, those from Afghanistan came in fairly large numbers. The sources said that these foreign mercenaries were engaged by official agencies in Pakistan and later pushed into Kashmir by the ISI.

The second significant feature of the 12-year-long Pak-sponsored terrorism in Kashmir has been the direct aid that the militants have received in the form of arms and ammunition. Each group of militants carried sacks filled with assault rifles, explosives and ammunition. Arms and ammunition recovered from militants between 1990 and 2001 would be enough to arm two army divisions, says a senior Army officer.

Between 1990 and 2001, 2,314 rifles of AK series, 9,079 pistols, 985 UMGs, 942 rocket projectile guns, 80 LMGs and SLRs, 326 sniper rifles, 706 rocket launchers and 2121 rocket boosters were recovered from the militants.

When the militants realised that grenade attacked were more effective than fighting Indian soldiers with assault rifles, the agencies across the border supplied large quantities of hand grenades. This is evident from the seizure of 28,008 hand grenades between 1996 and 2001. More than 22,876 kg of explosives, including 6,136 kg of RDX, were seized from the militants. About 3,413 IEDs were recovered and, during the last six years, the militants have made reckless use of IEDs in blowing up vital government installations and convoys of security forces.

These explosives were used by militants in "destroying" government and private property. Between 1990 and 2001, 6,333 school buildings were torched, 333 bridges were damaged and 1,137 government buildings were destroyed.

While 3,148 houses and shops of the minority community were damaged as part of the militants’ plan to carry out "ethnic cleansing," those that belonged to the majority community were also not spared. Between 1990 and 2001, 7,160 houses and shops of Muslims were damaged. The maximum damage to private property was witnessed in 1990, 1992, 1993 and 1995, when all together 6,478 houses and shops belonging to the majority and the minority communities were damaged.

School buildings were targeted to put an end to academic activity, and pushing the youth to join militancy. Besides government buildings, houses and shops were torched and destroyed to paralyse the government and create a scare among the people so that they would support and donate money liberally to militant groups.

In a bid to demoralise political parties and in order to stunt any political activity, militants eliminated activists belonging to different organisations. Between 1996 and 2001, 307 political activists were killed. Out of these, 229 (one minister, several former ministers and legislators) belonged to the National Conference, 44 to the Congress, seven to the PDP, six each to the BJP and the JD and four to the CPI-M.

The National Conference remained at the receiving end because the militants considered it as its main political enemy. They were aware that the ruling party, which had the support of the masses, could create many hurdles in the "liberation" struggle if its workers were not tamed.

Besides killings, there have been a number of kidnapping cases in the state. Between 1989 and 2001, as many as 4,055 persons, including 205 women, 139 politicians, 306 security personnel and 312 government officials, were kidnapped by militants. Out of them, 1,583 persons were killed, 1,111 were released and the whereabouts of over 190 persons are not known. As many as 21 foreigners, most of them tourists, were kidnapped.

Though 14,356 militants have been killed between 1990 and 2001, several thousand of them are still operating in the state. According to security experts, 99 per cent of the militants have entered the state by crossing the border. The rest have come from Pakistan via Nepal.

The authorities admit that the border terrain, dotted by mountains, deep ravines and dense forests, is difficult and hence a human wall cannot be raised to check infiltration.

The security forces have tightened surveillance in Kupwara district. It has a total area of 2,379 sq km. As many as 20 infiltration routes, including Shalhathu, Lashdat, Rawat Gali, Budnambal, Reshi Nar, Mathal Gali, Kakaw Gali, Budbangus, Domari Gali, Poshwari, Kafar Khan Nallah and Dardpora have been identified in this district. It is believed that from these points the militants sneak into Namoosa, Kalangam, Manzhar and other areas. In Baramulla district, the agencies have identified seven infiltration routes, including those from Noorpur Gali, Malangam Uri, Laghama Uri, Bijhama Uri, Nambla and Hathlanga.

Though for the past 12 years militants have been entering Jammu and Kashmir, the Army and the paramilitary forces have not been able to put an end to the infiltration and in spite of elimination of militants on a large scale, the rate of infiltration has never witnessed a major decline. Pakistan, therefore, finds it politically and militarily convenient to continue the low intensity war, and its attempt to escalate tensions recently ignoring international opinion is a pointer to the gameplan that it has in mind for the immediate future.