Jammu, November 11

The terror infrastructure in Pakistan remains intact and around 160 terrorists are waiting across the Line of Control (LoC) to infiltrate into the Indian territory, a senior Army officer said on Sunday.

Lt Gen Paramjit Singh, who took over as General Officer Commanding of the Nagrota-based White Knight Corps, commonly known as 16 Corps, also said that cross-border terrorism would stop only if Pakistan changed its policy and intentions.

The officer, involved in the planning of the 2016 surgical strikes on the terror infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, said the Army was not letting up on “our preparedness and the counter-infiltration grid is strong enough to deal with infiltrators”.

Lt General Singh, who has served in all three regions of J&K, said: “As many as 140 to 160 terrorists at different locations in Pakistan are being pushed into the state.” “The terror infrastructure is intact, and Pakistan’s intentions have not changed. The Pakistan army and the ISI’s complicity in planning infiltration and terror attacks is evident and it continues,” said the GOC, who has a vast experience in high-altitude warfare.

To a question on the situation along the LoC, he said ceasefire violations had abated after the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO)-level talks. “For troops on the LoC, there is no ceasefire… periodic unprovoked firing by the Pakistan army and attempts to cause harm to forward posts continue. We do not initiate fire, but we give it back in adequate measure. There is no let-up on preparedness and our counter-infiltration grid is strong to deal with infiltrators,” he said.

Talking about challenges during winter, the GOC said the Army anticipated that Pakistani troops would make an attempt to push infiltrators through heavy snow-bound areas and non-traditional routes.

“We have all contingency plans ready. We have coordinated with all security agencies, and plans are being implemented smoothly,” said Lt General Singh, who commanded a special forces’ battalion that participated in the surgical strikes after the attack on an Army brigade in Uri in 2016.

Referring to the recent incident of firing of 107-mm rocket on the Poonch brigade, he said: “Despite the DGMO-level talks in May during which the two countries agreed to abide by the 2003 ceasefire agreement, Pakistani troops targeted these locations.” “In response, we conveyed that Pakistan must exercise caution before indulging in any misadventure,” the General said.

Replying to another question about casualties suffered by Pakistani troops in retaliatory fire by the Indian Army, the officer said, “Pakistan has never been open about its casualties unless the soldier is from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir”. — PTI