By IANS,
New Delhi : India Tuesday said Pakistan’s spy agency, the ISI, has “reactivated” terror camps in Pakistani Kashmir with some 2,500 terrorists present there.
“The government is aware that the (Inter-Services Intelligence) ISI has reactivated terrorist training camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir,” Minister of State for Home Affairs Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.
Singh said a number of training camps and launching pads were “reportedly active” in Pakistan and parts of Jammu and Kashmir under its control.
“As per assessment, there are around 2,500 terrorists,” he said.
He said the government has been able to contain militant incursion in Jammu and Kashmir by heightening vigil along the international border and the Line of Control.
He said among other measures that have helped to check militant infiltration are construction of border fencing, improved technology, weapons and equipment for security forces, improved intelligence and operational coordination, synergizing intelligence flow and pro-active action against terrorists.
In reply to another question he said: “Infiltration attempts from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir have shown a marginal increase during the year 2009 and 2010 in comparison with the year 2008.”
He said 52 infiltration attempts along the border with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir have taken place till June this year, while last year the number was 489.
The ceasefire agreement along the LoC with Pakistan was on but there have been many violations over the past three yeas.
“The number of violations which was 77 in 2008 came down to 28 in 2009 and it further increased to 44 in 2010. Up to July (this year), 19 ceasefire violations have been reported along LoC,” he said.
He said there were no reports of ceasefire violation along Line of Actual Control with China in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the government had taken up the issue of ceasefire violations with Pakistan consistently.
“All such violations of ceasefire are also taken up with Pakistan military authorities at the appropriate level through the established mechanism of hotline, flag meetings as well as weekly talks between the Director General of Military Operations.”