Hafiz Saeed provoking militants to infiltrate: Army officer

RAJOURI(JK): Jamat ud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Mohammed Saeed was provoking militants in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir and ceasefire violations are aimed at abetting infiltration of the militants, a top Army officer has said.

"There have been reports that Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamat ud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Sayeed and his associates were provoking the militants in PoK to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir and indulge in terror activities and sabotage peace," General Officer Commanding 16 Coprs, Lt Gen D S Hooda told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Rajouri yesterday.

"A large number of militants are planning to infiltrate into the state from across the LoC to keep militancy alive -- they (the militants) wouldn't succeed in their plans," he said.

There are 30 to 40 militant camps operating on the other side of the border, Hooda said.

The ceasefire violations and firing from across the border is aimed to abet infiltration of the militants, he said.

The officer said that situation along the LoC continues to remain tense since August 5 when five Indian Army soldiers were killed by the Pakistani troops in Poonch district.

Lt Gen Hooda said that withdrawal of the US and NATO troops from Afghanistan in 2014 "could have some impact" on the situation in JK but the Army was fully alive to the situation and will thwart any attempt by the militants operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan to sneak into India.

"We are monitoring the situation in this backdrop. We are fully alive and vigilant to the situation. The attempts by the militants to infiltrate into the state will be thwarted," he added.