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Around 300 terrorists are present in Jammu and Kashmir, while 160 others are waiting at launch pads to infiltrate into this side from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan, a top Army commander said on Tuesday.
However, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi said that after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, there has been a major change in the security situation in the Union Territory and terrorist activities have been brought under control to a great extent. has been found.
“Around 300 terrorists are present in Jammu and Kashmir, but we are ensuring that they are not able to take any action,” the army commander told reporters on the occasion of the platinum jubilee of the historic ‘Poonch Link-up Day’. Here.
The platinum jubilee of the Poonch Link-up Day, marking ‘Operation Easy’ conducted by the Indian Army in 1948 to defend the border district from Pakistani raiders, was celebrated with traditional gaiety and enthusiasm by the people of Poonch and the Army.
Asked about the number of terrorists present on launch pads in Pakistan, Lt Gen Dwivedi said around 160 terrorists are present across the Line of Control – 130 north of Pir Panchal (Kashmir Valley) and 30 south of Pir Panchal.
“As per our data, 82 Pakistani terrorists and 53 local terrorists are active in the hinterland, while the area of concern is the criminal activities of 170 others who have not been identified,” he said.
Responding to Defense Minister Rajnath Singh’s recent statement hinting at recapturing Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Lt Gen Dwivedi said there is a parliamentary resolution on the subject, so it is nothing new .
He said, “As far as the Indian Army is concerned, it will carry out any order given by the Government of India. We are always ready for that.”
The Defense Minister, while addressing the Infantry Day function in Srinagar on October 27, had said that the people of PoK are victims of human rights violations and Pakistan has to pay the price for it. He said the Indian government was committed to implementing the 1994 resolution passed in Parliament to take back the part of Kashmir “under illegal occupation of Pakistan”.
On the security situation in Kashmir, the Army Commander said there has been a sea change after the abrogation of Article 370 and the civil administration is doing a great job in ensuring peace and development and keeping terrorism on the back seat.
“All the trend lines that were there are coming down (after the abrogation of Article 370), to an extent, and today peace and development have taken center stage and there is a bigger space to fulfill the aspirations of the people. The civil administration is doing a great job in occupying that space and ensuring that terrorism is put on the back seat,” he said.
Asked whether terrorism has been brought under control, he said, “Yes, to a large extent.” However, he condemned the targeted and selective killings, saying it reflected Pakistan’s desperation.
He said, “People from outside the neighboring country are adopting other methods like smuggling of pistols, grenades and drugs to do petty things – targeting innocent and unarmed people who have come here to earn their livelihood and support Kashmiris.” Have been.”
The Army Commander said that it is very sad that such incidents are happening but the police, security forces and citizens have come together and decided that they will not allow such acts to happen.
Lt Gen Dwivedi said, “Whatever is happening is very less and efforts are on to further reduce such incidents. Whoever is involved in such misdeeds is getting a befitting response.”
Referring to Pakistan, he said that when nothing was achieved by sending big arms and taking up the Kashmir issue with the United Nations, OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) and other countries, they resorted to measures like targeting innocents and sending small arms and drugs. action taken. ,
Drugs worth Rs 45 lakh were seized along with other weapons and grenades in Baramulla (North Kashmir). Similarly, huge quantities of drugs are being seized in other border areas. Terrorists are being killed but they say you are killing smugglers, which means they accept that they are sending drugs. This is very wrong on the part of Pakistan.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and was auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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