Delhi says ‘nothing unusual’ in Kargil

It is reliably learnt that the movement of troops was due to defensive reasons rather than offensive. According to South Block sources, troops were moved in the Drass-Kargil sector as a means to discourage any infiltration from across the LoC in the sector. While the sector is not known to be an area of ingress from Pakistan-based terrorists, there were credible intelligence reports indicating attempts to infiltrate, said sources.

While Pakistan accused India of trying to launch an operation in the sector, sources said that the move was a tactical one to maintain greater vigilance in the key areas overlooking the strategically important Srinagar-Leh highway. Currently, the Drass-Kargil sectors are manned by a mountain division and comes under the newly-created Leh-based 14 Corps headquarters, set up in the aftermath of the Kargil war. Earlier, APP, the official news agency of Pakistan, had reported that ‘‘India is preparing for military action in the Drass-Kargil sector’’. The report also warned New Delhi of ‘‘serious retaliation’’ for the alleged troop mobilisation which was bound to ‘‘adversely impact the current thaw in the Indo-Pak relations.’’ Quoting intelligence sources, the report stated that ‘‘the activities indicate preparation of a large-scale operation.’’

The report also alleged that the Indian Army had also imposed curbs on the movement of civilians in the Drass sector. However, Army sources dismissed these reports stating that there was no restriction on the movement of civilians and traffic on the Srinagar-Leh highway was also normal.

Incidentally, Defence Minister George Fernandes had denied in Parliament recently that Pakistani forces were occupying certain strategic peaks in the Drass sector near the LoC.