Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde Tuesday said intelligence reports suggest Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed could be visiting areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu & Kashmir to facilitate infiltration into the state.
“Our information suggests that Hafiz Saeed could be visiting LoC areas to back infiltration,” Shinde told reporters in Samba town in the Jammu region on the sidelines of a Border Security Force (BSF) Sainik Sammelan.
The Union Home Minister, who arrived in Jammu on a one-day visit to assess the security situation along the International Border in the wake of increasing ceasefire violations by Pakistan, said: “We can't say that we are always on the receiving side. We have to compromise sometimes, but if they (Pakistan) take an uncompromising position, we will deal with them accordingly.”
Asked about the reasons for the recent spurt in border firing by Pakistan, he said, “We don’t know what has led to the spurt in ceasefire violations, but we are discussing the matter and will find out.”
Shinde said that for bilateral talks between India and Pakistan a cordial atmosphere is essential.
He accepted that Centre was worried over the increased infiltration this year in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Looking at last year’s record, we were not worried. This year, however, we are worried because of the increased infiltration. I have been discussing this with my officers about the reasons behind the infiltration,” he said.
While rejecting Pakistan’s suggestion of third party intervention on Kashmir, he said: “It is completely unacceptable to New Delhi. It has been our unflinching stand since Jawhar Lal Nehru’s period that Kashmir is India’s integral part.”
All issues between India and Pakistan could be resolved bilaterally as per the 1972 Shimla Agreement. The Union home minister said India has always maintained that Kashmir is an integral part of the country.
Earlier, Shinde, accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, had an aerial visit of the areas in Akhnoor, Samba and Kathua where ceasefire violation by Pakistan troops is causing great difficulties for people.
India takes up matter at DGMO level
The Indian Army on Tuesday took up the issue of frequent ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) with the Pakistani Army, reports DHNS from New Delhi. A brigadier-rank officer from the office of the Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) called up the Pakistani DGMO to convey New Delhi's serious concerns. Meanwhile, as the BJP continues to target the Congress on the issue, the party on Tuesday asked BJP to suggest “in clear terms” what steps New Delhi needs to take. “The BJP should state in clear terms what should be done. The government has been taking various steps. What do they want? Should we break our relationship with Pakistan?” asked Congress spokesperson Meem Afzal here. “When our plane was hijacked to Kandahar and terrorists were freed during the National Democratic Alliance regime, talks with Pakistan were suspended. Why this double standard, the dichotomy between the speech and deed of the BJP?” he said.
