The Indian Army on Wednesday said Pakistan has stepped up attempts to push as many terrorists as possible into Jammu and Kashmir, PTI reported. The Army added that they caught two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists during one such attempt. This came amid rising hostilities between the India and Pakistan since New Delhi revoked the state’s special status.

“Pakistan is desperate to push in as many terrorists into the Kashmir Valley as possible, especially after August 5,” Lieutenant General KJS Dhillon said. “We have apprehended two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists alive during one such foiled attempt.”

He also played the confession videos of the two terrorists who were caught on August 21. They identified themselves as Mohammad Khalil and Mohammad Nazim from Rawalpindi area of Pakistan and were captured in Gulmarg sector near the LoC. They reportedly admitted that they were trained by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Pakistan Army personnel, and also named several of their accomplices. Both revealed that they were sent into the Indian territory with an aim to carry out attacks in the Valley.

Dhillon claimed the launch pads along the Line of Control were active and full of terrorists who were being facilitated by the Pakistan Army day and night to infiltrate into the state. He, however, assured that these efforts were being effectively dealt with.

“We have killed terrorists and apprehended several of them during the past one month,” Dhillon added. “The operations in the hinterland have not been affected.”

The director general of military operations of the Indian Army has conveyed to Islamabad that two Pakistani citizens were in their custody.

Additional Director General of Police Law and Order Muneer Khan said the videos made it “very clear that infiltration attempts are being continuously made from Gulmarg and other areas.” He said the infiltration at the LoC was being dealt effectively by the Army.

“Our primary objective was to ensure there are no civilian casualties during any law and order problems,” Khan said. “So far, touchwood, we have had no civilian casualty while dealing with law and order situations.”

Last month, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had claimed that Pakistan was likely to instigate violence in Jammu and Kashmir to internationalise the Kashmir dispute. The chiefs of all the three wings of the armed forces have said over the past month that they were completely prepared to thwart any attempts at terrorism.

Cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated since New Delhi’s August 5 announcement that Jammu and Kashmir’s special status would be revoked. Pakistan, which has fought three wars with India for Kashmir since Independence, has not taken this move well.

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