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Army expects increased Pak action along J&K LoC

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

Pakistan is expected to escalate firing along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and try to capture Indian positions this year, a senior army official said on Monday.

Addressing the media in Srinagar, officiating Corps Commander Major General Sihota said that firing along the LoC increased manifold during 1998. He added that Pakistan would try to escalate its attacks this year to focus international attention on Kashmir and to infiltrate militants.

However, the army now was on a high state of alert. "We will frustrate all the attempts of Pakistan," the major general said, "There is a possibility of a little action from Pakistan this year to grab some of our posts in Siachen glacier. But we are ready and will foil their attempts."

The Indian Army gave details of the damages on both sides during the escalation of the situation on the LoC during 1998. Major General Sihota said that Pakistan suffered heavy damages in the Kargil and other sectors -- a total of 202 casualties and 822 Pakistani bunkers and field fortifications were destroyed.

The Indian Army, for its part, he said, suffered 52 casualties. Two hundred and eight bunkers and fortifications were destroyed or damaged in Pak shelling.

The major general said that last year there were only 699 infiltration attempts by militants compared to 1997's 955 attempts. He admitted that there were 200 exfiltration cases.

On the situation in Siachen glacier, the major general said that the number of firing incidents went up during the summer months last year and added that Pakistan made eight attempts to grab 'our posts on the glacier'. The latest attempt was made on December 17, which was foiled.

"We hold a tactically commanding position on the glacier and we are maintaining a tight vigil," he said.

The eastern border in Ladakh with China remained peaceful during the year.

On overall militancy, the major general said the state was fast returning to normal -- the major towns of Srinagar, Barramulla, Pulwama, Sopore and Khanabal have already been handed over to the police and paramilitary forces.

"We are now operating in the Srinagar suburbs and rural areas only," he said.

During 1998, the army killed 496 militants, including 233 foreign militants, most of whom belonged to Pakistan. The number of Afghan militants in the state was decreasing. "Recently an army brigade was withdrawn from Kashmir," he said.

The army recovered 755 AK-47 rifles, 41 machine guns, seven mortars, 163 rocket launchers, 19 flame-throwers and a lot of ammunition. He denied allegations of human rights violations by the army and said, "we are the cleanest in the world in the situation we operate."

Major General Sihota also denied reports that Taliban agents have infiltrated into the valley.

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