AMRITSAR: There has been a steady increase in the clandestine flow of deadly weapons and plastic explosives from across the Indo-Pakistan border in Punjab after the parliamentary elections, according to intelligence reports.
Owing to the stepped up over as well as covert support of Pakistani agencies all major militant groups operating in the State have replenished their weaponry which had suffered a setback due to the relentless pressure by security forces in the post-election period, reliable intelligence sources say.
A strict vigil by the Border Security Force notwithstanding several consignments of arms and ammunition has found their way in. Most of the smuggling of weapons in the past two months is reported to have taken place in the Narot Jaimal Singh area in the Dera Baba Nanak sector and the Ramdas pocket in the Ajnala sector, the sources maintain.
After an analysis of the arms smuggling trend the intelligence agencies have noticed that of late certain groups which were indulging in the smuggling of narcotics and gold, and their couriers have switched over to ferrying of weapons. Such cases have come to light in the Mamdot and Khem Karan sectors.
Among the smugglers, arms smuggling has become a most lucrative business. For instance, the value of gold brought from across the border doubles in India. But an AK 47 Chinese assault rifles which is freely available for Rs 5000 in markets of weapons in Pakistan fetches Rs 20,000 when sold here.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 9, 1990
