Times of India
CHANDIGARH, Dec 27: Pakistan has stepped up its war moves by cancelling all military leave, sharply increasing deployment of its troops along the border adjoining Punjab and Jammu, and building new bunkers along the border near Barmer, Jaisalmer and Ganganagar.
Highly placed sources said Pakistan has shifted its 4 Corps, an important strike arm, to Lahore, just 25 km from Attari. Its 10th brigade, consisting of around 5,000 personnel, has further been moved to forward areas along Punjab. Similarly its 3rd Armoured Brigade has been moved towards Jhelum.
At the same time, the Pakistan army was making war preparations with old bunkers on the borders being renovated and new ones being constructed. "The new bunkers are being constructed mostly along the borders near Barmer, Jaisalmer and Ganganagar and construction materials can also be seen at several places," said intelligence sources.
Sources revealed that Pakistan army has deployed its 10th Division at Ichogul Canal border area near Jammu and its 11th Division in the Tilla firing range, again bordering Punjab. These troops, said Indian Army sources on Friday, are around 10 km behind the international border. As per the Geneva Convention, no country can deploy its troops in such heavy numbers within 3-4 km of the international border unless war is declared formally. They can, however, conduct routine patrolling along the border.
With such heavy deployment of troops by Pakistan, Punjab has emerged as a vulnerable state as it shares a 553 km border with Pakistan. Further, sources said Punjab is strategically very important for Pakistan as the formation of its army is extremely strong in this area.
India's 2nd Corps from Ambala and 10 Corps from Bathinda have also moved to border areas for what an Army spokesperson described as annual exercises. This comes even as 11 Corps from Jalandhar has already moved for the exercise.
Sources said BSF ground commanders have sent a report to the Union government giving details of the movement by Pakistan troops along border areas. Sources said the report also contains ascertained figures of Pakistani deployments and the kind of weaponry carried by that country's forces.
Himmat Singh, IG (Punjab border) BSF, refused to divulge information about the report sent to the Centre, which sources said was discussed during the meeting of chief of staffs with PM Manmohan Singh in Delhi on Friday.