NEW DELHI, NOV 28: The Government has launched an ambitious project to fence a 180-km-long stretch of the international border in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Pakistan's incessant firing had led to a similar project being shelved two years' ago.It is necessary to finish the task now as the passes along the mountains in Kashmir will close by December-January due to snowfall. ``Terrorists trying to infiltrate will not be able to use the passes in Kashmir due to the snowfall and will try to use the rivulets, nullahs and elephant grass concentrations in Jammu to infiltrate,'' sources in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.The Government is keen to fence the border and points out its success in Punjab in checking infiltration after a similar project. ``Fencing the Punjab border reduced the influx of terrorists from Pakistan to a trickle. Together with the Border Security Force (BSF), we are trying to do the same in J&K along the IB. This project would be in two phases. In the first phase, 52 km would be fenced, and this time we will not let the Pakistani Rangers or the army disrupt the fencing process,'' he added.The process would begin in full view of the international media, according to Army sources, who feel then the world would see ``which nation has a genuine desire for peace for the people of J&K''. Fenced border gives a sense of security to the people in border villages and with a ceasefire in Kashmir, this time the Army hopes the process would be carried through. Fencing would also help check the smuggling of several items like cosmetics, beetel leaves, cloth to Pakistan and fake currency, narcotics and illegal weapons into India.During border meetings between officials of the BSF and Pakistani Rangers, the fencing issue has been discussed several times. ``This year, 35 infiltrations of medium size (8-10 men) were foiled by the security forces but several smaller attempts must have succeeded. The terrorists then reach pre-destined locations, mostly dhabas along the Jammu-Srinagar highway, meet their contacts and reach the Kashmir valley. With a fenced border, the task would become easier for the security forces to patrol the borders,'' said an official.Army spokesman Colonel Shruti Kant confirmed that along the IB, a stretch of 180 km would be fenced, but refused to elaborate on the strategies to prevent Pakistani firing. The Army is, however, apprehensive that the Pakistani Rangers, as in the past, would not let the process of fencing be a success. ``Even though the Pakistan army's official stand is they do not control the jehadis and have no role to play in the infiltration, the soldiers open fire each time we attempt to fence the border. But this time we will see it through,'' sources added.
