WAGHA BORDER: There has been no letup in the attempted armed intrusions into India by militants with the active assistance of the Pakistani Rangers This fact was brought to the notice of the Pakistan at the two-day bi-annual meeting of the Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers which concluded at the Wagha Border Check here on Wednesday. Pakistan denied any armed intrusion from their side into India.
Mr S.N.Misra Additional Director General BSF who led the Indian delegation told newsmen that 18 major armed intrusion attempts on the Punjab and Rajasthan borders during the last six months had been brought to the notice of the Pakistani authorities.
The Pakistanis were told that there was no let up on the assistance given to the militants by the Pakistani Rangers for crossing over to India. ‘
Specific instances were brought to the notice of the Pakistan where the intruders were provided covering fire from the border out posts (BOPs) of Pakistani Rangers.
Thirteen cases of attempted armed intrusions from Punjab and five cases on Rajasthan a border were specifically discussed by the BSF authorities.
‘The Pakistani team which was led by Maj. Gen Ahmed Khan Director General of Pakistani Rangers denied any armed intrusion from their side.
Majority of the cases where the militants had tried to infiltrate into India were on the border where there was no fencing. Since the deployment of army on the Punjab border there has been an increase in the attempts to cross over from the Rajasthan border during the last one year. Most of the cases were in the Ganganagar sector. The Indians also pointed out the
The Indian also pointed out the 59 weapons including 16 rockets general purpose machine guns and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the eight militants who were killed by BSF in these 18 major attempted intrusions.
Mr Misra said that the Pakistan side raised objection regarding the attempts by Bangladeshis to enter Pakistan India denied the allegations and made clear to their counter parts that in an approach was not to allow anyone to cross the border.
Both the sides also agreed to exchange information on gold and narcotics smugglers. Though both the countries had agreed in the past also to exchange information on smugglers but except once no such information was shared The Indian side gave a list of 17 Pakistan smugglers who deal in arms and 14 who smuggle narcotics into India to the Pakistani authorities
Mr Mistra said that the smugglers of gold had shown an upward trend while the narcotic trade had creased during the last six months on the international border.
He said that it was impossible completely seal off the entire border. The second phase of fencing the border covering a total of kilometers had been done on Punjab border. About 200 kilometers of the fence had been provided flood lights.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 24, 1991
