IB reports Pak will step up terror tactics in J&K to disrupt poll
George Iype in New Delhi
With the general election round the corner, the government is preparing a comprehensive action plan to guard its 1,800-kilometre long border with Pakistan.
Intelligence Bureau reports with the Union home ministry reveal that Pakistan-aided mercenaries will mount an offensive against India to disrupt polling in Jammu and Kashmir.
In an effort to keep the borders hot, Pakistan has directed its Rangers to step up firing in the Indian villages at Uri, Kargil, Poonch, Vandhama and Rajouri, the report said.
The killing of 23 Kashmiri Pandits at Vandhama village on Sunday night coinciding with the 48th Republic Day celebrations in India, is said to be a prelude to bigger attacks that Pakistan-trained terrorists have planned across the border during the election campaign.
Ministry sources said the game-plan of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence directorate was to prevent the Indian
authorities from pulling out companies of security forces from the border belts for the deployment at polling
stations across the country.
IB reports say that Pakistan's agenda is to spread terror in Jammu and Kashmir by targeting crucial
sections like VIP constituencies, children and women.
"We will not pull out the paramilitary forces from the border areas and deploy them for election duty," a senior ministry official told Rediff On The NeT. Instead, he said, a large number of personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force and the Border Security Force will be "re-deployed" in an effort to step up security in the sensitive Jammu and Kashmir areas.
"Our troops have also been ordered to strictly implement shoot-at-sight orders," he stated.
The official said it was to ensure maximum security within the available resources that the Lok Sabha election in the state have been staggered over a period of three days -- February 16, 28 and March 7.
According to IB reports, the more than 50 per cent voter turn-out in the 1996 assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir has been a major embarrassment for Pakistan.
Therefore, the intelligence reports said, the ISI has ordered its trained militants "to persistently fire at the
borders" and continue tension to terrorise the people in an attempt to discourage them from participating in the poll.
The ministry fears that by the time electioneering picks up across the country, the militants will try to engage
the Indian forces in direct encounters and gun battles at the border.
The government also has information that a large number of sophisticated rifles, grenades and improvised
explosive devices have found their way into J&K, especially in the Poonch, Rajouri and Uri sectors.
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