Jammu, May 9
Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee today rejected the demand for the demilitarisation of Jammu and Kashmir and said that the "numerical presence" of security forces could not be reduced in the state because of the continuing incidents of terrorist violence.

Mr Mukherjee was talking to mediapersons here after visiting Basantgarh and Kulhand villages, where terrorists had massacred 32 Hindus last week. Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Defence Secretary, Mr S.Dutt, Army Commander of the Northern Command, Lt-Gen Deepak Kapoor and the DGP, Mr Gopal Sharma, accompanied him to assess the situation.

He categorically said that there was no question of reducing the number of security forces in the state when this type of activity has been stepped up by the militants.

He said the UPA government voluntarily pulled out the troops at various places, but keeping in view the inhuman activities of terrorists, there would be no further reduction in the strength of security forces.

Mr Mukherjee said we have not militarised any zone in the sense of the international law, so there was no question of demilitarisation. He said Pakistan should realise that terrorists are friends of nobody and patronising cross-border terrorism was the biggest threat to peace. Pakistan should adhere to its commitment of not allowing its land for terrorism and immediately demolish the 59 terrorist training camps operational in the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

By demolishing the terror infrastructure, Pakistan would send a clear message to terrorists that they have lost support from all quarters. No country should support terrorism and secessionism as part of its policy.