New Delhi: Voicing serious concern over reports of amassing of nearly
200,000 "jihadis" across the border in Pakistan, Defence Minister George Fernandes
on April 1 said if required, the Army presence would be further beefed up in Jammu
and Kashmir.
At the same time, he favoured continuance of "healing touch" policy of Mufti
Mohammed Sayeed government.
Fernandes said while the world attention was riveted on the conflict in Iraq,
reports were emerging of 200,000 trained "jihadis" comprising Afghans, Pakistanis
and from some other countries being massed across the border "ready for any kind of
action" in the valley.
Such reports have been corroborated in London and the US State Department and this
would be factored in by the special group set up to review the security scenario in
the state, especially in the wake of the Nadimarg massacre of 24 Kashmiri Pandits,
he said.
Stressing that such reports become much more significant as Pakistan was looked upon
as "comrade in the fight against terrorism", he said, "There is confirmation now
that it is a biggest terrorist state," - confirmation coming from two major allies
of the coalition at present waging war against Iraq.
Observing that the special group, set-up by a high-level meeting chaired by Deputy
Prime Minister L K Advani on March 31 night, was seized of the entire security
scenario in Jammu and Kashmir, Fernandes said it had been authorised to codify
India's "riposte".
PTI
