New fence along LoC will tackle its biggest threat – find out how
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Hindustani78
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Sunday Anchor: Home is where the border is - The Hindu
With more amity between forces on the ground, villagers who accidentally cross the Indo-Pak border are repatriated instead of being arrested. This has made life easier along the Zero Line.
Thirty-year-old Mohammad Ayub left home after he had a tiff with his father on August 19. He walked and walked in rage till he reached a point where he was blinded by flashlights and could hear whistles piercing his earlobes.
Before Ayub could realise anything, he was asked to get on his knees. It was then, in the dead of the night, that Ayub realised he was in India. What followed was a body search. The Border Security Force (BSF) found some Pakistani currency and a mobile phone on him. The BSF personnel used his phone to call his family members and check his credentials. With feet soaked and caked in mud, Ayub trembled in fear.
Ayub lives in a village named Waigal, right across the Indian territory, barely 20 km from the BSF’s Kalia post in Ferozepur, Punjab on the International Border. Seething with anger after being scolded by his father, the daily wage labourer could not distinguish between India and Pakistan when he crossed over to India.
While India has fenced its borders, no such fence exists on Pakistan’s side. India has ringed the zero point with barbed wires. According to agreed norms, both India and Pakistan cannot construct any kind of barrier beyond 150 yards of the zero line. This is the open area from where Ayub crossed over to India, missing the tiny white-coloured triangular pillars, which demarcate India from Pakistan. The odd-numbered pillars belong to Pakistan and the even numbered ones to India.
Ayub was lucky. But for an agreement reached between the BSF and Pakistan Rangers in December 2013, this error could have proved fatal for him. Any person coming from Pakistan is seen as an ‘enemy’ and BSF has clear instructions to shoot them down. After several cases of such ‘inadvertent crossers’, as they are referred to in official communications, came to the fore, the border forces of the two countries decided in 2013 that these people would be returned within 24 hours and without subjecting them to any kind of torture.
The agreement was signed between the then-BSF Director-General Subhash Joshi and Major-General Rizwan Akhtar, Director General, Pakistan Rangers of Sindh Province.
India and Pakistan have since not met for any DG-level talks. The forthcoming September 9-13 talks in New Delhi is still under a cloud of uncertainty, even though Pakistan has confirmed its presence.
Since the pact was inked, India has returned 15 Pakistanis who mistakenly entered India. Pakistan says during the same period (from January 2014 to August 2015) it has sent back 23 Indians who mistakenly crossed over. The maximum cases were reported from Punjab. Farming being the main source of livelihood here, one of the main reasons people cross over is the fertile land on both the sides.
As a senior BSF official in Punjab puts it, “if this agreement had not been in place, it could have proved fatal for Ayub. We understand that both sides of the border are heavily populated areas and people tend to cross over. It has proved beneficial for people living on both sides as we have to return such people within 24 hours.”
For the people living in the villages along the border and who tend to go beyond the zero line for the purposes of agriculture, BSF has provided them with identity cards. “The entry to the open area beyond zero line is managed by the BSF, which has put up gates at intervals. The farmers are first frisked when they are going to cultivate land and also when they come back. Since many of them are women, since 2008, BSF started deploying women personnel to frisk them. We cannot take any chance, since chances of smuggling drugs and other prohibited items are high in these areas,” said the BSF official.
Explaining the drill, which follows when a Pakistani has been apprehended, the official said, “through body language and other mannerisms, we come to know whether the person is up to some mischief or not. We blow whistle as a warning. If the person is not carrying any weapon or does not have any ulterior motive he surrenders. We then take him to joint interrogation centre where officials of other intelligence agencies also join us. We cannot take him to our Border outpost, since there is a chance that he could have been sent by the enemy to spy on our infrastructure. After all the agencies are convinced that the person is innocent, we inform our counterparts and return him or her within 24 hours. If any one of the sister agencies raise a doubt, the person is handed over to the local police.”
Another major takeaway from the 2013 meeting was the resurrection of 16 hotlines between the two forces. These fixed line telephone numbers were activated at the DIG level, all along the 2308 km-long Pakistan border running from Gujarat to Jammu, including the 192 km International Border in Jammu, (referred as the working boundary by Pakistan), which is manned by the BSF.
The Line of Control, which is 1,015 km long and falls in Jammu and Kashmir, is under the operational control of the Indian Army. Top sources in Pakistan government said they were ready for the DG-level talks and had even shared the agenda with their counterparts. “We attach lot of importance to humanitarian measures on the ground. People on both sides of the border should not be harassed unnecessarily,” said a Pakistan government official.
In fact, an Indian girl, Geeta, who mistakenly crossed over to Pakistan as a child and has been stuck there for a decade, could have been here had the National Security Advisor (NSA)-level talks between the two countries not been cancelled. Pakistan had made an offer to India of sending Geeta in a special plane along with its NSA Sartaj Aziz after talks with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval on August 24.“Though a policy was formulated to streamline the cases of inadvertent crossers in 2013, this time we would suggest that such cases should be solved at the company commander level itself to avoid any unnecessary delay,” said the Pakistan government official.
He added that it was in the interests of Pakistan to have peace on the border with India. “We already have our western border with Afghanistan to take care of, as well as have enough domestic issues. Making the border with India volatile is not going to help us in any way,” he said.
Just how the coordination at the ground level works can be gauged from a July incident along the Rajasthan border, when Pakistan removed high-resolution cameras facing the border after the BSF objected to it. On July 16, the BSF unit in Barmer spotted some 11 cameras facing the Indian border gates; these had been put up well within 150 yards of the zero line, where any kind of construction by both countries is not allowed. “We immediately picked up the phone and called up our counterpart in Rajasthan. We suspected that the cameras facing our border gates were put up to keep a watch on our movement. The Rangers immediately removed them. These are all signs of active cooperation between the forces on the ground,” said a senior BSF official.
In August 2014, BSF trooper Satyasheel Yadav was rescued by Pakistan Rangers when the boat he was on accidentally strayed into Pakistan waters. Mr. Yadav was patrolling a river stream in Akhnoor sector of Jammu when the boat developed a snag. While his colleagues jumped out of the boat since they knew how to swim, he strayed into the Pakistani territory. The officer was returned within 24 hours by the Rangers. After being released from Pakistan and when he was handed over to the BSF, Mr. Yadav told reporters, “They [Pakistan Rangers] took my introduction. They helped me to the extent they could. They kept me better than what I had thought. I have no complaints. I am happy.”
A senior Pakistan government official claimed they had empowered their commanders on the ground to take decisions. “The company commanders on the ground are the best judges of the situation.”
Narrating a two-month old incident, which happened in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, the official said, “The security forces found a 15-16 year old girl roaming in the no-go zone. We asked her personal details and found that she was an Indian. We immediately contacted our Indian counterparts, but they took two days to get back to us. Since we don’t have women personnel on our side, we kept the girl in the home of a villager. The girl was finally returned to India. They later told us that the delay was due to bureaucratic procedures.”
M.A. Ganapathy, joint secretary (Internal Security) of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), said, “We are all for peaceful condition at our borders. It is always our endeavour to maintain peace at all our borders. Confidence building measures like return of inadvertent crossers are always encouraged by India and the government is sympathetic towards such people. The attempt is not to make them go through any unnecessary trouble.”
The confidence building measures are not always devoid of suspicion and tension at the border. In January this year, around 10,000 people living along the IB in Jammu were displaced due to heavy firing from across the border. The only difference this time was the BSF’s response. Unlike in the past, when the BSF used to wait for a call from Delhi to deal with “ceasefire violations”, this time the jawans were given a free hand to reply to Pakistan’s bullets. BSF soldiers posted in Samba and Kathua, the two districts that were the worst affected then, said the change came after the NDA government came to power.
“Ceasefire violations apart, we cannot let these incidents hamper the humanitarian pacts we have started. Sometimes Indian politicians give inflammatory speeches, which can translate aggressively at the sub-tactical level on border. Pakistan is becoming a victim of India’s internal politics. We have the right to retaliate too,” said the Pakistan government official.
Lost and found:
Since the pact, India has returned 15 villagers who strayed across; Pakistan 23
BSF mans 2,308 km long border with Pakistan, running from Gujarat to Jammu
In Jammu, 192 km, which is referred to as the working boundary by Pakistan, is manned by BSF, while the remaining 8 km are secured by the Indian Army
While India has put up barbed wires and fences along the border, 150 yards inside, no such infrastructure exists on Pakistan’s side
Barring a small portion in Jammu and Gujarat, floodlights have been put along the 1,952 km long border
May 5, 2014: BSF returned a Pakistani man who had crossed over in Mahwa, Punjab
June 19, 2014: An inadvertent crosser was returned to Pakistan Rangers in Paharpur, Jammu
August 2014: Pakistan Rangers rescued BSF trooper Satyasheel Yadav when his boat strayed into Pak. waters
December 10, 2014: Five men, part of a group who strayed into Indian territory at Shamike, Ferozepur in Punjab, were sent back to Pakistan
March 22, 2015: A Pakistani man, who crossed over to India through the Abohar border in Ferozepur, Punjab was handed over to the Rangers
April 10, 2015: A Pakistani man accidentally reached Sunderbani in Jammu and was spotted by BSF personnel. On him they found Rs. 453 and a tattered polythene bag with an old salwar-kameez. He was returned to the Rangers
May 2, 2015: A Pakistani man was handed over to the Rangers when he mistakenly came into Indian territory near Sheik Sarpal in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan
With more amity between forces on the ground, villagers who accidentally cross the Indo-Pak border are repatriated instead of being arrested. This has made life easier along the Zero Line.
Thirty-year-old Mohammad Ayub left home after he had a tiff with his father on August 19. He walked and walked in rage till he reached a point where he was blinded by flashlights and could hear whistles piercing his earlobes.
Before Ayub could realise anything, he was asked to get on his knees. It was then, in the dead of the night, that Ayub realised he was in India. What followed was a body search. The Border Security Force (BSF) found some Pakistani currency and a mobile phone on him. The BSF personnel used his phone to call his family members and check his credentials. With feet soaked and caked in mud, Ayub trembled in fear.
Ayub lives in a village named Waigal, right across the Indian territory, barely 20 km from the BSF’s Kalia post in Ferozepur, Punjab on the International Border. Seething with anger after being scolded by his father, the daily wage labourer could not distinguish between India and Pakistan when he crossed over to India.
While India has fenced its borders, no such fence exists on Pakistan’s side. India has ringed the zero point with barbed wires. According to agreed norms, both India and Pakistan cannot construct any kind of barrier beyond 150 yards of the zero line. This is the open area from where Ayub crossed over to India, missing the tiny white-coloured triangular pillars, which demarcate India from Pakistan. The odd-numbered pillars belong to Pakistan and the even numbered ones to India.
Ayub was lucky. But for an agreement reached between the BSF and Pakistan Rangers in December 2013, this error could have proved fatal for him. Any person coming from Pakistan is seen as an ‘enemy’ and BSF has clear instructions to shoot them down. After several cases of such ‘inadvertent crossers’, as they are referred to in official communications, came to the fore, the border forces of the two countries decided in 2013 that these people would be returned within 24 hours and without subjecting them to any kind of torture.
The agreement was signed between the then-BSF Director-General Subhash Joshi and Major-General Rizwan Akhtar, Director General, Pakistan Rangers of Sindh Province.
India and Pakistan have since not met for any DG-level talks. The forthcoming September 9-13 talks in New Delhi is still under a cloud of uncertainty, even though Pakistan has confirmed its presence.
Since the pact was inked, India has returned 15 Pakistanis who mistakenly entered India. Pakistan says during the same period (from January 2014 to August 2015) it has sent back 23 Indians who mistakenly crossed over. The maximum cases were reported from Punjab. Farming being the main source of livelihood here, one of the main reasons people cross over is the fertile land on both the sides.
As a senior BSF official in Punjab puts it, “if this agreement had not been in place, it could have proved fatal for Ayub. We understand that both sides of the border are heavily populated areas and people tend to cross over. It has proved beneficial for people living on both sides as we have to return such people within 24 hours.”
For the people living in the villages along the border and who tend to go beyond the zero line for the purposes of agriculture, BSF has provided them with identity cards. “The entry to the open area beyond zero line is managed by the BSF, which has put up gates at intervals. The farmers are first frisked when they are going to cultivate land and also when they come back. Since many of them are women, since 2008, BSF started deploying women personnel to frisk them. We cannot take any chance, since chances of smuggling drugs and other prohibited items are high in these areas,” said the BSF official.
Explaining the drill, which follows when a Pakistani has been apprehended, the official said, “through body language and other mannerisms, we come to know whether the person is up to some mischief or not. We blow whistle as a warning. If the person is not carrying any weapon or does not have any ulterior motive he surrenders. We then take him to joint interrogation centre where officials of other intelligence agencies also join us. We cannot take him to our Border outpost, since there is a chance that he could have been sent by the enemy to spy on our infrastructure. After all the agencies are convinced that the person is innocent, we inform our counterparts and return him or her within 24 hours. If any one of the sister agencies raise a doubt, the person is handed over to the local police.”
The Line of Control, which is 1,015 km long and falls in Jammu and Kashmir, is under the operational control of the Indian Army. Top sources in Pakistan government said they were ready for the DG-level talks and had even shared the agenda with their counterparts. “We attach lot of importance to humanitarian measures on the ground. People on both sides of the border should not be harassed unnecessarily,” said a Pakistan government official.
In fact, an Indian girl, Geeta, who mistakenly crossed over to Pakistan as a child and has been stuck there for a decade, could have been here had the National Security Advisor (NSA)-level talks between the two countries not been cancelled. Pakistan had made an offer to India of sending Geeta in a special plane along with its NSA Sartaj Aziz after talks with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval on August 24.“Though a policy was formulated to streamline the cases of inadvertent crossers in 2013, this time we would suggest that such cases should be solved at the company commander level itself to avoid any unnecessary delay,” said the Pakistan government official.
He added that it was in the interests of Pakistan to have peace on the border with India. “We already have our western border with Afghanistan to take care of, as well as have enough domestic issues. Making the border with India volatile is not going to help us in any way,” he said.
Just how the coordination at the ground level works can be gauged from a July incident along the Rajasthan border, when Pakistan removed high-resolution cameras facing the border after the BSF objected to it. On July 16, the BSF unit in Barmer spotted some 11 cameras facing the Indian border gates; these had been put up well within 150 yards of the zero line, where any kind of construction by both countries is not allowed. “We immediately picked up the phone and called up our counterpart in Rajasthan. We suspected that the cameras facing our border gates were put up to keep a watch on our movement. The Rangers immediately removed them. These are all signs of active cooperation between the forces on the ground,” said a senior BSF official.
In August 2014, BSF trooper Satyasheel Yadav was rescued by Pakistan Rangers when the boat he was on accidentally strayed into Pakistan waters. Mr. Yadav was patrolling a river stream in Akhnoor sector of Jammu when the boat developed a snag. While his colleagues jumped out of the boat since they knew how to swim, he strayed into the Pakistani territory. The officer was returned within 24 hours by the Rangers. After being released from Pakistan and when he was handed over to the BSF, Mr. Yadav told reporters, “They [Pakistan Rangers] took my introduction. They helped me to the extent they could. They kept me better than what I had thought. I have no complaints. I am happy.”
A senior Pakistan government official claimed they had empowered their commanders on the ground to take decisions. “The company commanders on the ground are the best judges of the situation.”
Narrating a two-month old incident, which happened in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, the official said, “The security forces found a 15-16 year old girl roaming in the no-go zone. We asked her personal details and found that she was an Indian. We immediately contacted our Indian counterparts, but they took two days to get back to us. Since we don’t have women personnel on our side, we kept the girl in the home of a villager. The girl was finally returned to India. They later told us that the delay was due to bureaucratic procedures.”
M.A. Ganapathy, joint secretary (Internal Security) of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), said, “We are all for peaceful condition at our borders. It is always our endeavour to maintain peace at all our borders. Confidence building measures like return of inadvertent crossers are always encouraged by India and the government is sympathetic towards such people. The attempt is not to make them go through any unnecessary trouble.”
The confidence building measures are not always devoid of suspicion and tension at the border. In January this year, around 10,000 people living along the IB in Jammu were displaced due to heavy firing from across the border. The only difference this time was the BSF’s response. Unlike in the past, when the BSF used to wait for a call from Delhi to deal with “ceasefire violations”, this time the jawans were given a free hand to reply to Pakistan’s bullets. BSF soldiers posted in Samba and Kathua, the two districts that were the worst affected then, said the change came after the NDA government came to power.
“Ceasefire violations apart, we cannot let these incidents hamper the humanitarian pacts we have started. Sometimes Indian politicians give inflammatory speeches, which can translate aggressively at the sub-tactical level on border. Pakistan is becoming a victim of India’s internal politics. We have the right to retaliate too,” said the Pakistan government official.
Lost and found:
Since the pact, India has returned 15 villagers who strayed across; Pakistan 23
BSF mans 2,308 km long border with Pakistan, running from Gujarat to Jammu
In Jammu, 192 km, which is referred to as the working boundary by Pakistan, is manned by BSF, while the remaining 8 km are secured by the Indian Army
While India has put up barbed wires and fences along the border, 150 yards inside, no such infrastructure exists on Pakistan’s side
Barring a small portion in Jammu and Gujarat, floodlights have been put along the 1,952 km long border
May 5, 2014: BSF returned a Pakistani man who had crossed over in Mahwa, Punjab
June 19, 2014: An inadvertent crosser was returned to Pakistan Rangers in Paharpur, Jammu
August 2014: Pakistan Rangers rescued BSF trooper Satyasheel Yadav when his boat strayed into Pak. waters
December 10, 2014: Five men, part of a group who strayed into Indian territory at Shamike, Ferozepur in Punjab, were sent back to Pakistan
March 22, 2015: A Pakistani man, who crossed over to India through the Abohar border in Ferozepur, Punjab was handed over to the Rangers
April 10, 2015: A Pakistani man accidentally reached Sunderbani in Jammu and was spotted by BSF personnel. On him they found Rs. 453 and a tattered polythene bag with an old salwar-kameez. He was returned to the Rangers
May 2, 2015: A Pakistani man was handed over to the Rangers when he mistakenly came into Indian territory near Sheik Sarpal in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan
Last Samuri
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Good keep erecting fences
THERE MUST BE A IRON WALL between india and Pakistan.
Keep out terrorists.
Keep indian land in india
no grey areas
THERE MUST BE A IRON WALL between india and Pakistan.
Keep out terrorists.
Keep indian land in india
no grey areas
aakash_2410
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Okay good sir do you think OBL raid was a hoax? And 9/11 was also an inside job? Man never landed on moon because moon and sun are created by Allah (SWT) and that knowledge is not accessible to anyone but almighty himself?
Btw all of these were rhetorical devices, I already know your answers.
Hindustani78
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Ministry of Home Affairs
12-September, 2015 20:20 IST
Union Home Minister to visit Jammu & Kashmir
The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh will be visiting the State of Jammu & Kashmir from September 15 to 17, 2015
During the visit, Shri Rajnath Singh will cover 47th Bn. ITBP Camp at Samba on Tuesday and inaugurate officers mess. He will visit Border Outposts (BoPs) at Hot Spring, Thakung and Chushul on Wednesday.
The Union Home Minister will visit BoP at Chumar on Thursday and will have interaction with the troops at different BOPs during the visit.
***
12-September, 2015 20:20 IST
Union Home Minister to visit Jammu & Kashmir
The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh will be visiting the State of Jammu & Kashmir from September 15 to 17, 2015
During the visit, Shri Rajnath Singh will cover 47th Bn. ITBP Camp at Samba on Tuesday and inaugurate officers mess. He will visit Border Outposts (BoPs) at Hot Spring, Thakung and Chushul on Wednesday.
The Union Home Minister will visit BoP at Chumar on Thursday and will have interaction with the troops at different BOPs during the visit.
***
Hindustani78
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BSF dismisses Pakistan's claim, says India not constructing wall along International Border | Zee News
Last Updated: Tuesday, September 29, 2015 - 14:49
Jammu: India is not constructing a wall along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir as charged by Pakistan, BSF IG Rakesh Sharma said Tuesday, dismissing the claims as a baseless "story".
He said it was not possible to construct a wall along the IB keeping in view the topography of the area where the IB is situated.
"This is a story created by Pakistan. There is no wall being constructed on the IB in Jammu and Kashmir", Sharma said.
The IG said it was a confusion being created by Pakistani side.
"It is a confusion that is being created by the Pakistani side as there is no such wall being constructed on the IB in Jammu and Kashmir", Sharma said.
"How can it be constructed and the wall as you know the topographic conditions of the border, it is just not possible to construct a wall", he said.
Pakistan has last week complained to UN Security Council, alleging that India was building a wall along the International Border in violation of the world body's resolutions.
Pakistan's Ambassador to UN Maleeha Lodhi, has in a letter to President of the Security Council, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, alleged that India was planning to construct a 10-meter high and 135-feet wide embankment (wall) along the 197-km Working Boundary between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan.
The planned wall, according to Pakistan, was to convert the IB "into a quasi international border".
Asked whether a wall would help check cross border infiltration, Sharma said, "No, I really cannot say what would be the solution-- whatever measures (to check infiltration) are being required to be taken on ground, we are doing that".
Asked as to why Pakistan was making up the story of a wall being constructed along IB, Sharma said, "I am also surprised about the wall theory-- there is nothing on the ground and it seems to be a story only".
The BSF IG said the fortification of the already existing fence on the IB was an ongoing process because the fence is subjected to the vagaries of nature.
"See the repair and upgradation of the border fence is an ongoing process. At several places the fence gets washed away when there is a flood so we have to repair it", he said.
When asked to comment on the recently held Director General (DG) level talks with Pakistan, Sharma said, "It (situation along IB) appears to be peaceful as of now and both the sides are maintaining peace on the border and let us see how things move ahead".
On the issue of number of militants waiting across the border to cross into Indian side, he said, "I really cannot say at this point of time, but I am very sure that Pakistan must respond to the promises made during the meeting and they will not allow any infiltration to happen through the IB and we are also watchful".
On the issues that were taken during the DG level talks, IG BSF said, "As I told earlier also the meeting was in an absolutely cordial atmosphere and both the sides took all the issues that were to be discussed in the meeting and our DG also took up all the issues that were on hand".
He expressed hope that both the sides would abide by the issues and promises made during the meeting.
"We are very hopeful that all those issues which were discussed will find solution and both the sides will go by the rules that were set up in the agenda (during the meeting)", he said.
PTI
Last Updated: Tuesday, September 29, 2015 - 14:49
Jammu: India is not constructing a wall along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir as charged by Pakistan, BSF IG Rakesh Sharma said Tuesday, dismissing the claims as a baseless "story".
He said it was not possible to construct a wall along the IB keeping in view the topography of the area where the IB is situated.
"This is a story created by Pakistan. There is no wall being constructed on the IB in Jammu and Kashmir", Sharma said.
The IG said it was a confusion being created by Pakistani side.
"It is a confusion that is being created by the Pakistani side as there is no such wall being constructed on the IB in Jammu and Kashmir", Sharma said.
"How can it be constructed and the wall as you know the topographic conditions of the border, it is just not possible to construct a wall", he said.
Pakistan has last week complained to UN Security Council, alleging that India was building a wall along the International Border in violation of the world body's resolutions.
Pakistan's Ambassador to UN Maleeha Lodhi, has in a letter to President of the Security Council, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, alleged that India was planning to construct a 10-meter high and 135-feet wide embankment (wall) along the 197-km Working Boundary between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan.
The planned wall, according to Pakistan, was to convert the IB "into a quasi international border".
Asked whether a wall would help check cross border infiltration, Sharma said, "No, I really cannot say what would be the solution-- whatever measures (to check infiltration) are being required to be taken on ground, we are doing that".
Asked as to why Pakistan was making up the story of a wall being constructed along IB, Sharma said, "I am also surprised about the wall theory-- there is nothing on the ground and it seems to be a story only".
The BSF IG said the fortification of the already existing fence on the IB was an ongoing process because the fence is subjected to the vagaries of nature.
"See the repair and upgradation of the border fence is an ongoing process. At several places the fence gets washed away when there is a flood so we have to repair it", he said.
When asked to comment on the recently held Director General (DG) level talks with Pakistan, Sharma said, "It (situation along IB) appears to be peaceful as of now and both the sides are maintaining peace on the border and let us see how things move ahead".
On the issue of number of militants waiting across the border to cross into Indian side, he said, "I really cannot say at this point of time, but I am very sure that Pakistan must respond to the promises made during the meeting and they will not allow any infiltration to happen through the IB and we are also watchful".
On the issues that were taken during the DG level talks, IG BSF said, "As I told earlier also the meeting was in an absolutely cordial atmosphere and both the sides took all the issues that were to be discussed in the meeting and our DG also took up all the issues that were on hand".
He expressed hope that both the sides would abide by the issues and promises made during the meeting.
"We are very hopeful that all those issues which were discussed will find solution and both the sides will go by the rules that were set up in the agenda (during the meeting)", he said.
PTI
Hindustani78
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Army opposes plan for bund on border; PMO to take a call - The Hindu
Updated: October 7, 2015 16:07 IST
BSF jawans patrol a border outpost along the India-Pakistan International Border at Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir.
Army, Home Ministry differ over a bund along the border
National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval is grappling with a face-off between the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Army.
The Army has objected to the government’s plan to build a raised embankment along the 179-km stretch of the international border (IB) in Jammu district, a senior Home Ministry official told The Hindu.
The plan for the embankment (better known as ditch-cum-bund) was cleared in 2013 by the then UPA government after the twin terror attacks in the Hiranagar/Samba sector the same year. Around 20 per cent land has been acquired for the project, being implemented by the MHA. The raised embankment will be constructed under the supervision of the Border Security Force (BSF).
At a recent meeting between Army Chief General Dalbir Singh and Mr. Doval, the government has been asked to rethink the entire project.
“The Army believes that in case of an emergency, this embankment will affect their operations and restrict their forward movement. The Army already mans another embankment, a few kilometres behind the IB,” said a senior MHA official.
Another official said the BSF has also been asked to submit a detailed report on why the project should go ahead.
A final decision will be taken by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the proposal is pending with the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).
The proposed embankment will be 41 metres wide and 10 metres high and will accommodate bunkers and border outposts. The project would cover 118 villages in the three districts of Kathua, Samba and Jammu, which are located along the international border.
On MHA’s request, the Jammu and Kashmir government initiated the land acquisition process in Jammu district.
The Jammu sector has witnessed 589 ceasefire violations from Pakistan’s side since May 2014, when the NDA government came to power, till August 20 this year. The same period saw 95 infiltration attempts from the Jammu border.
This is the same project over which Pakistan complained to the U.N. Security Council a few days ago. Pakistan’s Ambassador to U.N., Maleeha Lodhi, in a letter to the President of the Security Council, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, alleged that India was planning to construct a “wall” along the border, which it called a working boundary to convert it “into a quasi international border”.
Updated: October 7, 2015 16:07 IST
BSF jawans patrol a border outpost along the India-Pakistan International Border at Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir.
Army, Home Ministry differ over a bund along the border
National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval is grappling with a face-off between the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Army.
The Army has objected to the government’s plan to build a raised embankment along the 179-km stretch of the international border (IB) in Jammu district, a senior Home Ministry official told The Hindu.
The plan for the embankment (better known as ditch-cum-bund) was cleared in 2013 by the then UPA government after the twin terror attacks in the Hiranagar/Samba sector the same year. Around 20 per cent land has been acquired for the project, being implemented by the MHA. The raised embankment will be constructed under the supervision of the Border Security Force (BSF).
At a recent meeting between Army Chief General Dalbir Singh and Mr. Doval, the government has been asked to rethink the entire project.
“The Army believes that in case of an emergency, this embankment will affect their operations and restrict their forward movement. The Army already mans another embankment, a few kilometres behind the IB,” said a senior MHA official.
Another official said the BSF has also been asked to submit a detailed report on why the project should go ahead.
A final decision will be taken by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the proposal is pending with the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).
The proposed embankment will be 41 metres wide and 10 metres high and will accommodate bunkers and border outposts. The project would cover 118 villages in the three districts of Kathua, Samba and Jammu, which are located along the international border.
On MHA’s request, the Jammu and Kashmir government initiated the land acquisition process in Jammu district.
The Jammu sector has witnessed 589 ceasefire violations from Pakistan’s side since May 2014, when the NDA government came to power, till August 20 this year. The same period saw 95 infiltration attempts from the Jammu border.
This is the same project over which Pakistan complained to the U.N. Security Council a few days ago. Pakistan’s Ambassador to U.N., Maleeha Lodhi, in a letter to the President of the Security Council, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, alleged that India was planning to construct a “wall” along the border, which it called a working boundary to convert it “into a quasi international border”.
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BSF seizes Rs 55 cr heroin smuggled from Pak | Zee News
Amritsar: Border Security Force today seized eleven kg heroin having street value of Rs 55 crore from two places along the Indo-Pak border in Ferozepur and Amritsar sectors.
Confirming the seizure, a BSF official said nine packets of the drug were seized from a field near the Pul Moran border outpost (BoP) in Amritsar sector, close to Attari border.
The drug consignment was pushed to India from Pakistan near Rajatal village. One mobile and a Pakistani sim card was also recovered from the site, BSF Deputy Inspector General of Punjab Frontier R S Kataria said.
In the separate case, two packets of heroin and four sim cards were seized near the D T Mal Border Outpost in Ferozepur sector.
All the 11 packets, each containing one kg of the drug, valued worth Rs 55 crore in international market, the Deputy IG said.
Kataria said that so far no one has been arrested and a probe was on. The senior official said that till now this year the BSF has recovered more than 207 kg heroin along the International Border area from across the state.
Amritsar: Border Security Force today seized eleven kg heroin having street value of Rs 55 crore from two places along the Indo-Pak border in Ferozepur and Amritsar sectors.
Confirming the seizure, a BSF official said nine packets of the drug were seized from a field near the Pul Moran border outpost (BoP) in Amritsar sector, close to Attari border.
The drug consignment was pushed to India from Pakistan near Rajatal village. One mobile and a Pakistani sim card was also recovered from the site, BSF Deputy Inspector General of Punjab Frontier R S Kataria said.
In the separate case, two packets of heroin and four sim cards were seized near the D T Mal Border Outpost in Ferozepur sector.
All the 11 packets, each containing one kg of the drug, valued worth Rs 55 crore in international market, the Deputy IG said.
Kataria said that so far no one has been arrested and a probe was on. The senior official said that till now this year the BSF has recovered more than 207 kg heroin along the International Border area from across the state.
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DGP for setting up of Joint Checkpoints on infiltration routes | Zee News
Jammu: Stating that there is a huge build-up of militants across the Indo-Pak Border, J&K Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar on Sunday called for setting up of Joint Checkpoints with other security forces to prevent infiltration.
He also said that more focus should be given on areas where border fencing is damaged.
DGP stressed upon the Police Chiefs of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts along International Border (IB) to lay Joint checkpoints with other security agencies on all the infiltration routes.
These directions were given at a high level meeting to review security and law and order situation in Jammu region as well as the border areas today.
All the officers of present in the meeting have been directed to maintain highest level of alertness and co-ordination among themselves.
He also discussed about the planned security arrangements in connection with forthcoming religious festivals and Darbar move at Winter Capital Jammu, to foil the nefarious designs of militants and their mentors across the IB.
"All Border Police Stations and Police Posts, VDC members, be strengthened and proper briefing be given to them by Supervisory offices regularly regarding nature of duties to be performed by them in view of present security scenario and huge build up of militants across the Border," the DGP added.
"Night Patrolling on National Highway be conducted and a close liaison be maintained with all forces deployed in their area of jurisdictions", Rajendra said.
He further directed all the forces including intelligence agencies to pay special attention to the area where fencing has been damaged on IB.
The DGP also exhorted upon the Range DIGs and District SSsP to ensure that beat system is fully active at Police Station and Police Post Level.
He also stressed that Beat In charge and Beat men should be properly briefed about their role.
He also directed the Range DIGs and District SSP to mobilise their all resources for generation of advance intelligence so that timely action is taken.
PTI
Jammu: Stating that there is a huge build-up of militants across the Indo-Pak Border, J&K Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar on Sunday called for setting up of Joint Checkpoints with other security forces to prevent infiltration.
He also said that more focus should be given on areas where border fencing is damaged.
DGP stressed upon the Police Chiefs of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts along International Border (IB) to lay Joint checkpoints with other security agencies on all the infiltration routes.
These directions were given at a high level meeting to review security and law and order situation in Jammu region as well as the border areas today.
All the officers of present in the meeting have been directed to maintain highest level of alertness and co-ordination among themselves.
He also discussed about the planned security arrangements in connection with forthcoming religious festivals and Darbar move at Winter Capital Jammu, to foil the nefarious designs of militants and their mentors across the IB.
"All Border Police Stations and Police Posts, VDC members, be strengthened and proper briefing be given to them by Supervisory offices regularly regarding nature of duties to be performed by them in view of present security scenario and huge build up of militants across the Border," the DGP added.
"Night Patrolling on National Highway be conducted and a close liaison be maintained with all forces deployed in their area of jurisdictions", Rajendra said.
He further directed all the forces including intelligence agencies to pay special attention to the area where fencing has been damaged on IB.
The DGP also exhorted upon the Range DIGs and District SSsP to ensure that beat system is fully active at Police Station and Police Post Level.
He also stressed that Beat In charge and Beat men should be properly briefed about their role.
He also directed the Range DIGs and District SSP to mobilise their all resources for generation of advance intelligence so that timely action is taken.
PTI
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Counter Intelligence Officials showing the accused Gurnam Singh to the media who was arrested 5 Kg heroin and fifty thousand Indian currency in Amritsar.
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http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/crime/300117/bsf-seizes-4-kg-heroin-near-indo-pak-border.html
Updated Jan 30, 2017, 3:48 pm IST
A search operation was launched and BSF troops recovered packets of heroin lying in between the International Border and the barbed fence.
Officers hold the packets of heroin found around the border fence. (Photo: Twitter | @BSF_India)
Amritsar: Four kilogram heroin smuggled in from Pakistan was seized near the Indo-Pak border on Monday, a senior BSF official said.
BSF DIG, RK Kataria said the heroin was seized near the Pulmoran Border Out Post in Amritsar Sector, near the Attari-Wagah border.
Giving details, he said BSF troops heard some suspicious sound on the other side of the barbed fence early on Monday but nothing could be observed due to dense fog.
Subsequently, a special search operation was launched and BSF troops recovered four packets, of one kg each, of heroin lying in between the International Border and the barbed fence.
Further investigation is on to find out the receiver who was supposed to take the consignment on the Indian side.
Updated Jan 30, 2017, 3:48 pm IST
A search operation was launched and BSF troops recovered packets of heroin lying in between the International Border and the barbed fence.
Officers hold the packets of heroin found around the border fence. (Photo: Twitter | @BSF_India)
Amritsar: Four kilogram heroin smuggled in from Pakistan was seized near the Indo-Pak border on Monday, a senior BSF official said.
BSF DIG, RK Kataria said the heroin was seized near the Pulmoran Border Out Post in Amritsar Sector, near the Attari-Wagah border.
Giving details, he said BSF troops heard some suspicious sound on the other side of the barbed fence early on Monday but nothing could be observed due to dense fog.
Subsequently, a special search operation was launched and BSF troops recovered four packets, of one kg each, of heroin lying in between the International Border and the barbed fence.
Further investigation is on to find out the receiver who was supposed to take the consignment on the Indian side.
Hindustani78
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http://www.deccanherald.com/content/596685/ak-56-rifle-ammunition-found.html
Jaipur, Feb 16, 2017 (PTI)
Police in Sriganganagar district today recovered an AK-56 assault rifle along with its 95 live rounds in a plastic gunny sack near the BP Minor canal.
They also also found three used magazines, five live cartridges of self-loading rifle (SLR) and 10 used cartridges of some other weapon apart from the assault rifle used in modern war.
Police said the gunny sack was wrapped with a thermo-coal sheet and prima facie it is that someone had put it in the canal.
Some of the villagers found the weapons in the bag and informed the police."The gunny bag had blocked water. It was then villagers got the bag out and found the weapons. The rifle has PJBD written on it, which indicates Jalalabad, Punjab. We are looking into all angles to investigate the matter," Gajsinghpur SHO Shyam Sunder said.
A case has been registered against unidentified person under the Arms Act and investigation is underway, he said.
Jaipur, Feb 16, 2017 (PTI)
Police in Sriganganagar district today recovered an AK-56 assault rifle along with its 95 live rounds in a plastic gunny sack near the BP Minor canal.
They also also found three used magazines, five live cartridges of self-loading rifle (SLR) and 10 used cartridges of some other weapon apart from the assault rifle used in modern war.
Police said the gunny sack was wrapped with a thermo-coal sheet and prima facie it is that someone had put it in the canal.
Some of the villagers found the weapons in the bag and informed the police."The gunny bag had blocked water. It was then villagers got the bag out and found the weapons. The rifle has PJBD written on it, which indicates Jalalabad, Punjab. We are looking into all angles to investigate the matter," Gajsinghpur SHO Shyam Sunder said.
A case has been registered against unidentified person under the Arms Act and investigation is underway, he said.
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http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nati...n-worth-rs-35-crore-near-indo-pak-border.html
Amritsar: Border Security Force (BSF) personnel have seized seven kg heroin, worth Rs 35 crore in the international black market, from near Kakar Border Out Post along the Indo-Pak border, officials said on.
Based upon specific information, a special joint search operation was carried out by BSF and a Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) team late last night at the border out post, a BSF official said.
During the operation, seven packets of the drug wrapped in yellow plastic insulation tape were seized, the official said.
The heroin is stated to be worth Rs 35 crore in the international black market, the official said.
No arrest has been made with regard to the seizure, the official said.
Amritsar: Border Security Force (BSF) personnel have seized seven kg heroin, worth Rs 35 crore in the international black market, from near Kakar Border Out Post along the Indo-Pak border, officials said on.
Based upon specific information, a special joint search operation was carried out by BSF and a Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) team late last night at the border out post, a BSF official said.
During the operation, seven packets of the drug wrapped in yellow plastic insulation tape were seized, the official said.
The heroin is stated to be worth Rs 35 crore in the international black market, the official said.
No arrest has been made with regard to the seizure, the official said.
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