Pak Changes LoC Strategy As Winter Coming, Terror Launch Pads Full

(This was originally posted in The Print by Snehesh Alex Philip)

Even as the fragile ceasefire agreement holds ground at the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, “infiltration season” has begun and Pak is attempting to push in more hardened and trained terrorists into the Indian side under a new strategy, ThePrint has learnt. Sources in the defence and security establishment said the terror launch pads across the LoC are full, and attempts are being made to infiltrate from the Kashmir side as well as the Jammu side.

“The ceasefire has been holding ground since February this year. There have been two cases of ceasefire violations, but they were very localised, and (took place) primarily because a new unit had taken over on that side,” a source said, referring to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The source added that while earlier infiltration attempts were stopped, two months back, the Pakistan Army allowed the terrorists to move in and attempt infiltration, while also making it clear that it wouldn’t be able to support them through ceasefire violations.

Now, with winter approaching, the Pakistan Army has fully allowed the terror groups to attempt infiltration, sources said. “There is greater attempt to infiltrate, but no ceasefire violations. The number of terrorists trying to infiltrate cannot do so without the sanction of the Pakistan Army,” a second source told ThePrint.

Focus on smuggling arms and ammunition

The sources said the primary focus of the Pakistan Army is to push in arms and ammunition more than terrorists themselves. This is why the terrorists attempting infiltration have been found with more weapons and ammunition. In late September, the Army had foiled an infiltration attempt by killing three heavily armed terrorists at Hatmulla in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. Five AK rifles, eight pistols, two IEDs, and 69 grenades were recovered from the three terrorists. READ HERE