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'Fernandes's LoC visit sparks firing'

Amberish K Diwanji in New Delhi

Defence Minister George Fernandes's visit to the Line of Control seems to be the most likely reason for the sudden spurt in firing from the Pakistani side.

According to a source at the defence ministry, Fernandes is on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir, and was at the Line of Control on Tuesday, the day that saw the greatest intensity in firing from the Pakisani side.

Again today, Fernandes was on a visit to the Uri sector, which saw heavy firing since early morning. Firing was still on late in the evening, and had claimed three lives today.

When Fernandes was in Srinagar, the firing across the LoC was much more subdued. The defence minister is due back in Delhi tomorrow.

"Whenever the defence minister has gone to any forward position, the Pakistanis have upped the level of firing," the source pointed out. He gave the example of the day when Fernandes visited the Siachen Glacier and the earlier visit of Mulayam Singh Yadav who actually had to duck to escape Pakistani firing.

The only reason for this burst of firing whenever a minister is around is to send a message of sorts across, said the source, and is a regular feature. While there is the risk of the minister getting hurt, the source doubted that as being the sole motive.

The army has also completely debunked Pakistani claims of having destroyed an Indian brigade headquarters in a forward position in Kashmir. "The statement is cent per cent false," stressed an army official. The army official also pooh-poohed the Pakistani claim of having shelled the Kanjalmay army base in Kashmir.

According to the official, Pakistani allegations of India having opened fire first is also a lie. "It was Pakistan that opened fire on July 27 and has continued since then," said the official. "Naturally, the Indian army will retaliate."

Meanwhile, following the massacre in Himachal Pradesh yesterday, Jammu region Inspector General Kuldeep Khuda has rushed to Doda with extra forces. Khuda will camp in the Doda region for a few days. Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, who is in London with his wife, is also expected back in Delhi tonight.

In the Uri sector, 250 families hit by the Pakistani firing have been shifted to safer areas, said a senior Jammu and Kashmir government official. The official said it was the return of near-normal conditions within the valley that had forced the militants to shift their activities to the Jammu region and Himachal Pradesh. He pointed out that the valley had received around 100,000 tourists this year, something unimaginable a couple of years ago.

The official claimed that another reason that the foreign mercenaries were targeting Jammu was that this region had refused to support militancy when it broke out in the valley. "Even the Muslim regions had steered clear of the militants," said the official, "and that is why they are being targeted right now."

An army statement issued today also said that Pakistani firing is directed at civilians of the Jammu region because they have started denying shelter and food to militants being infiltrated by Pakistan.

While Pakistani firing is a regular feature, it has been noted that it invariably goes up during the summer. This is to distract the Indian forces's attention to help the militants sneak across the border at a time when the passes are clear and the warm weather is conducive for movement across the mountains. By late October, the higher mountain passes are blocked by snow and the biting cold makes it extremely hazardous to cross the border.

The other reason is the series of high-profile events that occur from August onwards, with Pakistan attempting to draw international attention to Kashmir in the media. One such major event is India's Independence Day, which militants have every year tried to disrupt in Kashmir. October 26 is the anniversary of Kashmir's accession to India.

Moreover, in September, the United Nations General Assembly will hold its annual meeting. In light of the recent nuclear blasts and the complete failure of India-Pakistan talks during the recent Colombo summit, Islamabad appears bent on getting the UN to meditate on the Kashmir dispute.

The increased firing, the allegation of airspace violation by Indian Air Force planes, and the talk of war by the hawkish Pakistan Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub appear aimed towards this goal.

A policy analyst said the best way for India to retaliate is to stay cool and not get provoked, because that would play into Pakistan's hands. "New Delhi must refuse to get worked up and send the message to Islamabad that such tactics will not work. We must be firm that the issue can be resolved only bilaterally," said the analyst.

In light of India's cool response and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's remarks, it appears that India has taken that line of reply.

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