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Post Kargil: Smuggling ceases, infiltration continues

Ramesh Bhan

Smuggling across the Line of Control has considerably declined after the Kargil operations, following increased security by both countries.

However, infiltration by militants, mainly foreign mercenaries, continues with the tacit support of Pakistani troops.

Official sources said the Kargil operations had forced both India and Pakistan to mount increased security on their respective sides of the border. Both countries have deployed additional border forces.

''On our side people living in border villages can go up to the border to work in their fields but the Pakistanis have stopped civilians from coming anywhere near the border. This has considerably checked smuggling, mainly of drugs, into the Indian market,'' the sources added.

The sources said another reason why smuggling of drugs had come down was that right now no couriers were available to Pakistanis. The couriers available to them before the Kargil developments, preferred to stay away fearing detection and arrest or getting shot.

Pakistan is the main source of drugs flowing into the Indian market. The contraband is smuggled across through various points along the highly porous border in Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan.

Afghanistan and Pakistan are the main sources for illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium and clandestine manufacture of heroin which is smuggled into India.

The sources said infiltration by heavily armed militants, mainly foreign mercenaries, from Pakistan occupied Kashmir in J& continued unabated with the support of Pakistani troops.

According to official figures 49 militants, mostly foreign mercenaries, were killed in various operations by security forces in the border districts of Baramulla and Kupwara in the Kashmir valley since August 21.

Sixteen security personnel, including an army major, and 26 civilians were killed and several others injured in militant attacks

The sources said more than a thousand militants, mainly foreign mercenaries, have sneaked into the valley from PoK after the Kargil developments. The security forces have intensified operations to flush out militants from the upper reaches of both the districts.

The militants manage to cross over and smuggle in arms and ammunition and explosives. More than 100 kg RDX and other explosive material and sophisticated arms and ammunition were seized from their hideouts in the districts. The explosives had been smuggled from PoK.

UNI

The Kargil Crisis

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