New Delhi: Pakistan-based terror outfits are preparing to push as many terrorists as possible into Jammu and Kashmir before infiltration routes get blocked by snow. They have planned to sneak in around 60 Punjabi Taliban fighters — professionally trained in asymmetrical warfare, guerrilla tactics and sabotage — to create fresh trouble in the state.
According to latest intelligence inputs, the terror groups are also plotting to carry out some big attacks coinciding with the shift in J&K capital from Srinagar to Jammu. There is a possibility that the terrorist outfits may take advantage of the state government and other agencies’ preoccupation with the switchover to launch fresh strikes.
According to reports, as many as 600-700 terrorists are currently holed up in J&K, of which at least 400 are active. This explains the rise in encounters of late between security forces and terrorists.
A move is on to add to the terrorist numbers by pushing in as many reinforcements as possible before the passes become snow-bound. Intelligence inputs indicate that fighters from the Punjabi Taliban network — a loose conglomerate of terror factions such as Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashker-e-Jhangvi — are waiting at the launching pads in PoK with a brief to cross over to North Kashmir in the next 10 days.
Punjabi Taliban operatives, trained in the 90s under ISI patronage for proxy wars in J&K and Afghanistan, have close links with Tehreek-e-Taliban and Afghan Taliban and have been offering these hardcore Taliban outfits logistical support to carry out attacks in Pakistan.
Apprehending a fresh move to stoke terror fires in J&K, which of late has been relatively peaceful, the government has intensified vigil along the LoC to plug the gaps that may be exploited by terrorists, including Punjabi Taliban elements, to sneak into Indian territory. The armed forces and BSF have been told to be alert and foil any infiltration bids. A security review meeting held in Srinagar during Cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar and Union home secretary G K Pillai’s two-day visit to J&K, which ended on Tuesday, discussed the intelligence inputs as well as the preventive measures needed to guard against fresh trouble in the state.
The review was attended by top state government functionaries, besides Army, CPMF, state police and intelligence brass.
As for dealing with the possibility of terror attacks within J&K, CRPF and the state police have been told not to lower guard during the shift of J&K capital from Srinagar to Jammu.
Continued strict vigil, the forces were told, will act as the ultimate deterrent against terror designs.
