Before talks, infiltration worries Govt

With India and Pakistan committed to the composite dialogue process for improvement of bilateral ties, the stage is now being set for Home S...

With India and Pakistan committed to the composite dialogue process for improvement of bilateral ties, the stage is now being set for Home Secretary-level talks later this year on terrorism and narco-trafficking. Infiltration, that has gone up threefold this month, will be in focus.

Home Ministry sources said the process of the Home Secretaries8217; dialogue will be set in motion during the Foreign Secretary-level talks on June 26 and 27. A Ministry report sent to the Prime Minister8217;s Office PMO said infiltration has gone up threefold this month and the assessment is that it could go up further.

8216;8216;Infiltration from across was around 90 till June 21 8212; more than three times higher than this May when the figure was 26,8217;8217; said a senior official. In March, 23 people had sneaked in while in April, the number climbed up to 55. 8216;8216;The April increase was due to preoccupation of security forces with elections but then, vigil was stepped up,8217;8217; he said.

Compared to last year, the infiltration is considerably less. The maximum infiltration in the past few months had been in September when the figure was 235. Heightened surveillance and introduction of hi-tech gadgets such as the night vision device has helped check infiltration. The spurt in June this year has been a cause for concern for intelligence agencies which see it as renewed effort on the part of militants. The terrorist training camps 8212; about 125 of them 8212; have come up again and new launch pads are said to be ready.

Sources said more than 3,000 terrorists are waiting to come in according to intercepts between militants in Kashmir and those in PoK. They suggested that militants had the capacity to replenish resources and had a fresh stock of arms and ammunition.

Further, old routes of infiltration have been revived. 8216;8216;In between, the terrorists were mainly using the Poonch sector for infiltration but now the old Kupwara route of Neelum Valley has also been revived. It is more from across the Line of Control than the International Border,8217;8217; the official said.

8216;8216;The snow has melted. Even in normal circumstances, June to October are testing times. Having lain low for some time, the militants are waiting for action. They are also waiting for the foreign secretary level talks to end to see if something substantial comes up,8217;8217; he said.

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Meanwhile, US Ambassador David Mulford called on Home Minister Shivraj Patil today. Meeting for the first time after Patil assumed office, the US Ambassador is believed to have assured complete support in any effort aimed at bringing peace in South Asia.