Attempts underway to reactivate Balakot camp: Govt

Attempts underway to reactivate Balakot terror camp says the government

Attempts are being made by Pakistan-based terror outfits to reactivate its Balakot camp and restart their religious and Jihadi indoctrination courses against India, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

This was disclosed by Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy in a written reply in the Upper House. He said the government is committed to taking all necessary steps to protect the borders of the country and maintain its integrity and sovereignty.

"Inputs indicate that attempts are being made by Pakistan-based terror outfits to reactivate its camp at Balakot and restart their religious and Jihadi indoctrination courses against India," he said.

India conducted an airstrike in Balakot inside Pakistan territory on February 26 after terrorists attacked a convoy of CRPF vehicles, killing 40 jawans.

To a separate question, he said the government has "adopted a policy of zero tolerance" towards terrorism. "Security Forces are taking effective and continuous action in countering terrorism as a result of which a large number of terrorists have been neutralized in Jammu and Kashmir during the past few years," he said.

Providing details about the incidents, he said there were 594 terror attacks taken place in Jammu and Kashmir this year till November 17 in which 37 civilians and 79 security personnel were killed. In 2018, there were 614 terror incidents in which 39 civilians and 91 security personnel killed.

He also said there have been 171 infiltration attempts till October 2019 this year from across the border of which 114 were successful. In 2018, there were 328 infiltration attempts of which 143 were successful.

Reddy said there was an increase in incidents of ceasefire violations and cross border firings. While there were 2,140 such incidents in 2018 in which 30 civilians and 29 security personnel were killed, India witnessed 2,753 incidents till October this year in which 15 civilians and 17 security personnel were killed.