Forces on alert even while calm returns to border

(This article was originally published by The Economic Times on 04/03/2019.)
NEW DELHI: The situation along the India-Pakistan border is de-escalating, but the Army has not pulled back formations mobilised in the aftermath of the February 14 Pulwama attacks and 100 ceasefire violations, indicating a continuing distrust.

“The India-Pakistan border is calmer, but there is still unease and suspicion on the Pakistani forces,” said an official.

The Border Security Force, which guards the 2,289.66 km International Border (IB) with Pakistan, says that it has ‘sensitised’ its troops in the wake of the recent tensions between the two countries. “As we are deployed right at the IB, we have extra sensitised our troops in light of what has happened. We like earlier as well are remaining alert,” said an official.

Regular ceasefire violations along the LoC have only added to the distrust around Pakistan. Of the over 100 ceasefire violations since the Pulwama attack, at least a fourth took place at 15 locations along the LoC on February 26, the day Indian Air Force conducted air strikes on the Jaish-e-Mohammed training facility in Pakistan’s Balakot town.

“From February 14, there have been more than 100 ceasefire violations along the LoC. On February 26, it was massive. There were over 25 violations. It happened from 6-7 am, then 11am-3pm and then from 6.30pm-3am the next day. Firing took place at 15 to 17 locations. But from that day, it has been coming down,” an official said. The hinterland continues to be uneasy. While the security forces conduct hard intelligencebased operations, terrorist attacks cannot be ruled out.

Indian forces remain alert. They have not moved back the formations deployed along the border after Indian security agencies noticed that Pakistan too has not pulled back its own formations, especially at the Line of Control (LoC), and supported them with armoured tanks and infantry combat vehicle columns. Deployments on both sides are unlikely to move out any time soon.

“Their formations are still where they have been deployed and so are ours,” said an official.

Pakistan began mobilising its troops along the border two days after the Pulwama attack anticipating a major Indian retaliation. Besides moving units of its defensive formations, its strike formations meant for offensive roles were being prepared. Expressways in Karachi were turned into runways for fighter aircraft and several villages evacuated in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.