“Pak shifted 72 terror launchpads from border areas; force ready for Op Sindoor 2.0”
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The Border Security Force is fully alert to maintain “zero” cross-border infiltration of terrorists in the Jammu region, a top officer said on Sunday and asserted that the flood-damaged infrastructure was restored and strengthened within a month.
Addressing the annual press conference, Inspector General of the Border Security Force (BSF), Jammu frontier, Shashank Anand, highlighted the force’s key achievements and its role during Operation Sindoor.
Anand also said the force is equipped for the winter months with the latest tools, including those that can see through foggy conditions.
“In this sensitive border region of Jammu, the BSF remains alert 365 days of the year and 24 hours, day or night, whatever the circumstances and weather conditions — rain, fog, cold or heat. We have been trained not to leave the posts.
“Our two brave soldiers achieved martyrdom during Operation Sindoor in May, fighting the enemy, while one of our brave soldiers drowned in Pragwal, manning a forward post in September, despite being a good swimmer. He did not leave the border post and preferred death, which shows that our soldiers consider the country supreme,” Anand, flanked by BSF Deputy Inspector Generals Vikram Kunwar and Kulwant Rai Sharma, told reporters here.
He said the border-guarding force is always alert and privy to the activities across the border. Having its own reliable sources, it gets timely inputs about possible infiltration attempts by terrorists, he said.
“And if I talk about the Jammu and Kashmir region, various agencies work together. There is the BSF, Army, Intelligence Bureau, Special Bureau, National Investigation Agency, and many other sister agencies through which we continuously receive inputs,” the Jammu BSF chief said, assuring people that the force is ready for any challenge.
Anand said the BSF is working hard to achieve the “zero infiltration” target along the border.
Asked about the massive damage caused to the anti-infiltration grid after the flooding in August-September, he admitted that the border infrastructure was impacted.
However, he asserted that BSF had dealt with similar calamities in 2014 and 1988, and it was sufficiently resilient to meet such challenges.
“One of our central government ministers reviewed the flood damage on August 31 and September 1 and received a detailed briefing with a promise that the damaged infrastructure will be rebuilt within a month,” Anand said.
The IG BSF said the force not only achieved its target but also “further strengthened the border grid”.
“Today, we are sitting in a system that is two or three times better. So, the damage that came, we took it as a challenge. We got an opportunity, and we saw how we can improve our system further,” Anand said.
During the flood, all possible infiltration routes were plugged with the deployment of manpower and enhanced surveillance, he told reporters.
Speaking about the narco-terror nexus, the BSF officer said the government is employing a 360-degree top-to-bottom and bottom-to-top approach to ensure strict action against all the accused.
“It is absolutely right that some people sell their country, and the same is true in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. And the anti-national forces take advantage of this to carry out narcotic smuggling,” he said.
Asked about the challenge on the border in the coming winter months, especially during the foggy conditions, he said the soldiers posted there are equipped with the required weapons and equipment.
“We also have such technology, which can detect the activities that are happening around the border in the fog. So, I think we are ready to face any challenge,” Anand said.
The senior BSF officers said that more than six dozen terror launchpads have been shifted to the “depth areas” in Pakistan after Operation Sindoor, and the force is ready to inflict heavy losses on the enemy if the government decides to resume the cross-border operation.
However, the BSF is honouring the halt in military action after four days of clashes from May 7-10, they said.
“After the BSF destroyed many terror launchpads along the border during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan government shifted all such facilities to the depth areas… About 12 launchpads are working from the depth areas of Sialkot and Zaffarwal, which are not exactly on the border.
“Similarly, 60 launchpads are working in the other depth areas away from the border,” BSF DIG Vikram Kunwar told reporters here.
The officer said the figures of these launchpads, as well as the terrorists present in them, keep changing.
“They do not sit there permanently. These launchpads are generally active when terrorists have to be pushed (into India)… They are not kept in more than two or three groups,” DIG Kunwar said while informing that there are no training camps in the areas close to the International Border presently.
The reports generally say that there is deployment in the launchpads, indicating training before terrorists are moved to other areas.
“Earlier, they used to have areas marked, where those belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad would be active on the down side, and those from Lashkar-e-Taiba will be active on the upper side. After Operation Sindoor, they have formed a mixed group. Those who want can get training in a mixed group,” DIG Kunwar said.
IG Anand said the BSF is ready to follow the orders of the government if it decides to resume Operation Sindoor.
“If we talk about 1965, 1971, the 1999 Kargil War, or Operation Sindoor, the BSF has a good experience of all kinds of wars, be it conventional or hybrid warfare. We are ready.
“If we get a chance, we are capable of causing more damage than what we did in May. Whatever policy the government decides, the BSF will play its role in it,” he said.
Asked about Pakistani Rangers running away from their posts during Operation Sindoor, the IG said once the situation becomes normal, it is necessary that everyone returns to their respective positions.
“It took them a lot of time to recover from the damages inflicted by the BSF. In some locations, they have tried to strengthen their defence. But all of their activities are under our surveillance,” the IG said.
The BSF is making its plans according to the changing circumstances, he said, and “when we get a chance, we will take proper action”.
“At the moment, there is no movement (of terrorists on the border) to raise an alarm,” the officer said.
