Pattan (J&K): Noting that turbulence in
Afghanistan and Pakistan will have an impact on the situation
in Jammu and Kashmir, Indian Army on Thursday said 700 militants
were waiting at various lauchpads to infiltrate into the
state.
"India, Kashmir and Pakistan are all at the
peripheries of the problem area of Afghanistan. So if peace
does not exist in Afghanistan and there is turbulence in
Pakistan, obviously there will be turbulence around us,"
General Officer Command (GOC) of Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt
General S A Hasnain told reporters here, 30 kms from capital
Srinagar.
Lt Gen Hasnain was replying to a question about the
impact on Kashmir after the US forces withdraw from
Afghanistan.
"The problem is always that of turbulence. An area
that is turbulent will always send waves of turbulence into
the other areas," he said.
He said the Army has reports that militants across the
Line of Control (LoC) will attempt to infiltrate into the
state in the next few days.
"Snow is melting fast and we have recieved reports
that there is concentration (of militants) at the training
camps and lauching pads (on the other side) again," Lt Gen
Hasnain said.
He, however, said the counter-infiltration grid of the
Army is strong and any attempt by the militants to cross into
the region will be foiled.
"I want to assure you that counter-infiltration grid
is strong and we have sophisticated survaillance devices.. I
am hopeful that there will be no infiltration," he said.
"Our assessment is that there were about 600-700
militants at all the lauchpads (on the other side of LoC)
across the Kashmir, they even attempted to infiltrate but they
were not successful," he added.
Lt Gen Hasnain said "state of militancy" is not based
on the number of militants present in an area.
"Until they have the capacity to infiltrate and there
is the intent, militancy is present here," he said.
PTI
