NEW DELHI: After 50 days of ‘uneasy calm’ at the western border with Pakistan, chatters intercepted by military intelligence have indicated a possible major terror strike in the area. According to intelligence reports, massive build up has been seen close to the border in PoK with massive arms and ammunition.
“This ‘calm’ cannot be interpreted as enduring peace at the border. We are getting inputs of massive terror regrouping in camps as well launch pads situated in PoK. Collaborating inputs with intercepted chatters suggest a possible major terror strike. Though forces are well prepared to thwart any such attempt,” a senior official said.
Since November 23, when Pakistan Director General Military Operation dialed his Indian counterpart, no major incident of terror strike has happened and even the Line of Control and International Border are relatively calm with no serious incident of ceasefire violation. Six days later, Pakistan army got its new Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa, whose expertise is to infuse terrorism in India, as he has commanded Rawalpindi based X Corps looking after Line of Control with India.
“Pakistan army as well as terror groups are under tremendous pressure to strike back. Moreover, newly appointed Qamar Javed Bajwa also has to prove himself. Peace at the border for such a long period is unusual,” observed a senior official. 2016 was termed as the bloodiest year, as at least 75 security personnel have lost their lives in terrorists operations in Jammu and Kashmir since 2009. While 2016 witnessed over 300 incidents of successful infiltrations by terrorists from Pakistan, the number was less than 150 in 2015. Large number of successful infiltration attempts led to nearly 100 attacks by terrorists in 2016. Terrorists initiated strikes were less than 50 in 2015. 2016 started with Pathankot ended with Nagrota base attack by Pakistan sponsored terrorists.
Despite repeated assurances by Pakistan that it is not supporting terror activities, military operations officials here in Army headquarters maintain that there has been no indication of winding up of terror infrastructure and camps in PoK.
Newly appointed Army chief General Bipin Rawat said that “surgical strikes” against Pakistan were meant to deliver a message, and the possibility of similar action in future could not be ruled out. The General added that India’s armed forces would not “shy away from flexing their muscles, if need be.”