Pak Army likely to push in infiltrators                   

With the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session over, the security establishment apprehends a spurt in violence with Pakistan’s Border Action Team (BAT) actions on the Line of Control (LoC). There was a lull since abrogation of special status under Article 370 for Jammu & Kashmir on August 5 as Pakistan did not want to draw negative attention till the UN session ended.

Now the terrorists will go all out to infiltrate into Kashmir with active support of the Pakistan Army and carry out BAT actions in north Kashmir before snow blocks all ingress routes by October, officials in the security establishment said.

The State did not witness any major terrorist related incident till now. However, the Ramban incident signals that the coming four to five weeks are crucial to foil infiltration bids especially in Tangdhar, Machhal and Keran sectors. Moreover, in an effort to gain moral ascendancy over the Indian Army, the BAT teams comprising militants and elite Special Services Group (SSG) commandos of the Pakistan Army will try to hit the Indian posts and inflict casualties.

Explaining the rationale for the likely challenge, officials said, as infiltration starts waning towards October-end or mid November due to weather. Given this factor coupled with no violence in the last 54 days, the Pakistan Army will try BAT actions besides pushing in militants into J&K.

The BAT teams having eight to 10 members plan their cross-border raid and ambush to kill Indian soldiers over days by closely observing the patrolling pattern of the Indian troops along the LoC.

Having detected a weak link, the raid is then carried out as seen in the past, sources admitted.

It is easier to conduct such BAT actions in Machhal sector due to tough terrain and inclement weather. At present, visibility is not more than ten to 12 feet due to heavy fog and dense foliage thereby making it difficult to thwart infiltration bids, they said.

However, with latest intelligence inputs about militants poised to sneak into the Kashmir Valley through the traditional ingress routes in Machhal, Tangdhar and Keran sectors, the local Army formations have increased patrolling in vulnerable pockets. Moreover, troops were ordered to be alert and avoid following a predictable pattern to avoid BAT actions, sources said.