As the armed forces gear up to face any Pakistani reprisal against India’s surgical strikes at terrorist launch pads across the line of Control (loC) a week ago, National Security Adviser AK Doval on Wednesday informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi that nearly 100 militants are ready to infiltrate into Kashmir to carry out terrorist acts, while 200 are in Kashmir Valley already.
This briefing, given to the Prime Minister and Home Minister Rajnath Sings before the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) here on Wednesday, also mentioned that Pakistan infantry units are guarding the launch pads where these militants are lodged. At least 12 such camps have been identified by Intelligence agencies, sources said.
Defence, Home and External Affairs Ministers were present in the CCS chaired by the Prime Minister, which reviewed the current security scenario in the wake of the September 29 surgical strikes.
Sources said the assessment report to the apex security body also said Pakistan Army and ISI will step up levels of violence and infiltration bids by militants from across the loC in coming weeks.
Intelligence reports indicated that nearly 200 terrorists are already inside Valley and will indulge in acts of violence like targeting Army and paramilitary convoys and camps, besides other sensitive installations. The CCS was apprised of measures taken to tackle this challenge, sources said.
Incidentally, this was the second CCS meeting after the surgical strikes and regular meetings were on for the last ten days between top Army officers and officials of the Defence and Home Ministries, to take stock of the situation and take adequate measures to foil any act of terrorism, sources said.
Army chief General Dalbir Sings Suhag visited forward locations in Rajasthan on Wednesday to review operational preparedness as this State shares a long border with Pakistan. Suhag had visited Northern and Western Commands looking after Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab respectively, last week after the surgical strikes.
Rajnath will hold a high-level security meeting for two days starting Friday in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. Chief Ministers of all the States bordering Pakistan, including Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan and Gujarat will take part in the meeting, besides senior officials of the Indian Coast Guard, Border Security Force, police chiefs of these States and senior Intelligence officers, sources said.