NEW DELHI: In one of the worst ceasefire violations by Pakistan, five civilians were killed and 34 others hurt on Monday in heavy mortar shelling and firing from across the International Border and LoC in Jammu and Poonch sectors.
According to a top Army source, as the LoC has been dominated by the Indian Army, Pakistan has shifted its focus to the International Border and in view of the Assembly polls in J&K, Islamabad is making a last ditch effort to infiltrate militants before the winter sets in.
If military intelligence is to be believed, over 200 trained militants are waiting to cross over from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) into India. More than 170 ceasefire violations have taken place so far this year, including 120 along the LoC.
Amid the tension on the border, the Directors General of Military Operations from both sides will discuss the issue over hotline on Tuesday and killings of civilians on both sides will prominently figure in the talks, an official said.
Lt Gen P R Kumar from India and his Pakistani counterpart Major General Sarfraz Chaudhary will discuss the border situation.
A senior defence ministry official told Express that a ‘drastic check on infiltration from across the border is one of the key factors of repeated violations of peace pact by the Pakistan army’.
According to figures compiled by the Army HQ, compared to 270 infiltration attempts along the LoC last year, this year 90 have been made from PoK. While in 2013, 90 militants reportedly managed to sneak into the hinterland, this year only 24 have been successful. In 2012, about 100 militants managed to enter in more than 200 infiltration bids.
Military intelligence inputs have further suggested that with Assembly polls due, Pak-based militants are desperate to push in a large number of militants into the Indian side under the cover of heavy firing to carry out terrorism-related activities.
“Infiltration attempts are always high between the months of August-November before the snow makes the area inaccessible,” said an officer.