New Delhi, July 13: For three days beginning tomorrow Delhiites will get a glimpse into the on-going proxy war waged by Pakistan against India with the inauguration of an exhibition of captured arms and ammunition from militants in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).Prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will inaugurate the exposition of captured weapons at the Parliament House Annexe here, which has been organised at the instance of defence minister George Fernandes.
According to the estimates of the security forces deployed in the Valley, Pakistan's notorious Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) alone was incurring an exhorbitant expenditure of at least Rs five crore on aiding and abetting militancy in J&K, which has been running for a decade now.
The sophisticated weapons on display like rocket launchers, AK-47s, anti-tank and anti-personnel mines give an idea of the highly sophisticated weapons being pumped in from across the border.
Captured weapons prove that the ISI had now started supplying shoulder firedsurface-to-air (SAM) and anti-tank missiles, rocket launchers, mortars and anti-aircraft guns to the militants.
This year alone 108 rocket launchers have been recovered from militants.Sources in the defence ministry say that there was also evidence to prove that the militants were now being supplied with state-of-the-art communication equipment as well.
Interrogation of surrendered militants revealed that each of them was paid a monthly stipend of Rs 2,500 per month, besides rewards for major actions. The family of a slain militant was also paid compensation at the rate of Rs 2,00,000 to Rs 3,00,000. Giving details of the proxy war, the defence ministry sources said each "guide" was paid about Rs 25,000 for a successful "crossing-over" operation into India. As part of the proxy war substantial amounts of counterfeit currency was also being pumped in. It has been revealed that foreign militants were hired on contract for two years. Such a foreign militant was paid Rs 2,00,000 before infiltration andanother Rs 2,00,000 on return to Pakistan after two years. Besides, they also return the extortion money acquired during their `stint' in J&K.
Security forces have discovered that there were at least 28 major and 119 other infiltration routes on the international border with Pakistan. Pakistani troops frequently engage in unprovoked firing to aid and abet infiltration of militants.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.