New Delhi: Communication intercepts indicate that terrorist camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) have not been wound up, Army Chief Gen N C Vij said in New Delhi today (Jan 15, 2004), asserting that work on anti-infiltration fencing along the Line of Control (LoC) would go full pace.

"The entire 590 kms stretch of the LoC from the Chenab river to Gurez sector would be completed by May," he told reporters after an impressive military parade amidst tightest-ever security to mark the Army Day in New Delhi.

Maintaining that terrorists were sending 15,000 to 16,000 messages daily, the transmission level being as before the recent Indo-Pak ceasefire, Vij said, "As far as intercepts are concerned they indicate the camps are there".

"But we cannot draw any conclusions. It is too early to assess the situation. The winter months are low for infiltration. We can only assess the infiltration level when summer starts and Passes become approachable," he said.

The Army Chief said sixty per cent of the fencing work had been completed and the remainder would be over by May-end.

"The gigantic effort backed by influx of thermal and ground sensors has already ensured substantial detection of infiltration. With the fence in place along the LoC much greater gains are expected this year. Hopefully, we will be able to curtail infiltration to a large extent," he said.

Declaring that the Army viewed the Indo-Pak peace process as a "positive development", Vij said hopes and expectations had been raised by these efforts. The Army Chief said once the fence was erected, it would make infiltration extremely difficult and hazardous, adding that terrorists would then have no option then to illegally cross from the International Border or through tough terrain in Kargil sector.

More troops have now been posted along the International Border with Pakistan to ensure that terrorists did not attempt any misadventure on these borders, he said.

Inside Jammu and Kashmir, Vij said Army on the one hand, was keeping relentless pressure on the terrorists with greater kill ratio and on the other hand, making renewed efforts on winning hearts and minds of the local populace.

He said with the induction of force multipliers like hand-held thermals, unattended ground sensors and new infantry weapons the terrorist kill ratio had gone up sharply and last year alone Army had accounted for over 1550 terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.