Pak planned to cut off Ladakh in May 8212; Panthers chief

Bhim Singh, who returned here yesterday after a four-day tour of the affected areas including Drass, Kharbu, Kargil, Batalik, Menji, Sanko and Zojila, said at a press conference that Pakistani strategy failed as Sonamarg-Zojila-Drass road was declared open a month in advance because of less snowfall and early melting of snow.

Blaming Central intelligence agencies for the 8220;monumental failure8221; in detecting and reporting the infiltration which had started in 1998, Bhim Singh said it was the Indian Army8217;s patrol party in the Drass sector which had detected infiltrators in the first week of May.

He demanded that all premier Intelligence agencies including the Research and Analysis Wing, Intelligence Bureau and Military Intelligence be placed under single control 8211; the Prime Minister 8211; for effective functioning. At present the three agencies function under different ministries 8211; RAW under the PMO, MI under the Defence ministry and IB under the Home ministry.

Expressing happiness over the isolation of Pakistan in the international community he said, 8220;India has won the war at home and abroad and Pakistan has lost.8221; The gains had however, to be consolidated.