Absurd Indian protest

India recently summoned Pakistan high commissioner in New Delhi to lodge a protest against "continuing cross-border terrorism from Pakistan". According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesman, Vikas Swarup, the Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar summoned the Pakistani envoy and specifically mentioned "a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist and Pakistani national Bahadur Ali, who was apprehended recently" in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK). An AK-47 rifle, live rounds of ammunition, grenades, a grenade launcher and "sophisticated communication equipment and other material of Pakistani/international origin" were allegedly recovered from his possession, the spokesman added.

"Bahadur Ali confessed to our authorities that after receiving training in LeT camps, he
infiltrated India. He was thereafter in touch with the 'operations room' of LeT, receiving instructions to attack Indian security personnel and carry out other terrorist attacks in India," the demarche given to Pakistani envoy said.

Of course, this charge is absolutely ridiculous considering the security measures that India has taken to control the alleged infiltration from the other side.  Consider this. New Delhi has already activated laser walls along the Line of Control to plug the porous and treacherous terrain. These infrared laser beam intrusion detection systems have been made operational along the many vulnerable and sensitive areas. According to reports, a total of 45 such Israel-type fencing laser walls are to be installed along the international border in Punjab and Indian-held Kashmir. These sensors armed with night and fog operability tools are being monitored all the time through a satellite-based signal command system.

Then there is an extensive barbed wire fencing in certain infiltration prone areas of the LoC. Fences of coils of razor-sharp concertina wire and having thermal imagers, night-vision devices and sensors are in place on the Line of Control. In this situation, it is impossible for any person to infiltrate through the LoC. Thus, it is an absolutely ridiculous charge against the LeT and Pakistan.

Not too long ago, India had announced plans to construct a wall on the LoC which was to be higher and wider than the notorious Berlin and Israeli walls. The planned 10-metre-high wall was to be 135-feet-wide, 198-kilometre-long and was to be built in the Jammu sector. The earlier section of the planned fencing on the LoC, which has been completed, comprises two 12-feet-high fences that run parallel to each other with eight-feet-wide corridor in between. Thus there cannot be any infiltration with these fences in place.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN Maleeha Lodhi has written to the UNSC about the construction of the wall. Lodhi expressed deep concern at the plan by India to construct an embankment along the 198-km-long boundary between Jammu & Kashmir and Pakistan.

Unfortunately, the planned Kashmir embankment or wall has received far less attention in the international media than the notorious Israeli wall. The Modi Sarkar should keep in mind the fate of the infamous Berlin wall that separated the people of the same country for decades.