New Delhi:
The Indian Army said today it has inputs that Pakistan is trying to engineer more Border Action Team (BAT) attacks, amid heightened tension along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, which has witnessed a spurt in ceasefire violations by Pakistan.
India has blamed the BAT, which analysts say comprises of members of Pakistan's commando Special Services Group and terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, for the brutal killing of its two soldiers in January and the killing of five jawans along the LoC in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir, on August 6.
"There are inputs of such (BAT) actions. In this area they have not done anything so far. There are inputs that they are going to try something (engineer BAT attacks on the forward posts along LoC)," Brigade Commander, 120 Infantry Brigade, A Sengupta told reporters.
"But we are ready for that (any Pakistani BAT attack)," he added.
There have been 70 ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops this year from January one to August 5, which is 85 per cent more than the last year during the same corresponding period, Army officials said.
In the latest incident, Pakistani troops opened fire at the Indian posts along the LoC in Mendhar area with mortars drawing retaliation from India. This is the 19th ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in 10 days. (
Read)
The Army also said that it also foiled an infiltration attempt in the Keran sector of Kupwara district at 3 am on Sunday and that the firing is still on.
The fierce exchanges in recent weeks have cast a shadow on the prospect of the 2003 Indo-Pak border truce. India and Pakistan entered into the border ceasefire as a confidence building measure during the NDA rule and it will complete one decade on November 26, 2013.
The ceasefire violations have been reported on daily basis for past nine days without a break, forcing Indian troops to retaliate, they said.
"Pakistan troops have been firing on our forward posts daily for past couple of days. They are firing intensely with mortar bomb, rockets, RPG and high calibre weaponry. Pakistan is not showing any respect to the Indo-Pak ceasefire. They are violating it daily by firing at us. Where is sanctity of this truce," Brigadier Sengupta said, maintaining that Indian troops have always respected the truce despite provocations in the past.
"Not only this there is also threat of Pak BAT attacks on our posts so the troops are alert and vigilant round the clock," said Col Anai Shanker of unit deployed in the border-sector.
Mr Sengupta said the firing from Pakistani side was aimed at helping terrorists infiltrate and demoralise the troops posted along LoC. "But the morale of our troops is very high."