Border tension to continue, say security forces

The situation on the Indo-Pak border is expected to “remain hot” for some more time due to approaching Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

Top security officials are not expecting a sudden lull on the border where Pakistan has been violating ceasefire in the past couple of weeks. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh was briefed by officials, including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, on the situation along the border.

Officials, however, are tight lipped about the Home Ministry stand on conducting elections in the state, which experienced a ravaging flood last month. The Election Commission is likely to undertake a tour of the state soon to ascertain the ground situation and take a decision on conducting the polls as the tenure of the current Assembly ends in January next year.

Though there is no firing from the Pakistani side for now, sources said the forces have been asked to stay alert as the border will remain hot for some time. “Our position has not changed. Do not provoke but if there is a provocation, retaliate. If there is firing, return fire is the dictum,” a senior official said.

Eight people were killed and 90 injured when Pakistani troops shelled border outposts and villages along the International Border and the Line of Control.

In the meeting attended by Home Secretary Anil Goswami, Intelligence Bureau Director Asif Ibrahim and Border Security Force Director-General D K Pathak, the home minister instructed that there should be strong retaliation if the border posts were targeted.

Doval is learnt to have flagged the issue of remaining alert in the coming months due to approaching Assembly elections. Sources said there are also intelligence inputs about possible protests during rehabilitation and restoration work in the flood-hit areas.

“The forces in the state have been told about these inputs. They have to remain alert,” the official said. Security agencies are also looking into the incident of masked men carrying ISIS flags publicly after Id celebrations last week. An intensive search is on to apprehend the culprits.