Pak shows Indian `intrusion' to UN team

Pak shows Indian `intrusion' to UN team
GAURAV C. SAWANT

NEW DELHI, AUG 28: Pakistan has taken a United Nations observers' team to show ``intrusion'' by Indian Army in parts of its territory along the 150-km Kargil sector which witnessed a conflict last year. A team is also visiting Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) near Uri to take ``stock of damage by Indian artillery,'' according to sources.

``A UN team has already visited peak (Nishan) in the Mushkoh Valley sub-sector. The peak is defended by the second Battalion of the Naga Regiment,'' an official at the Army headquarters said. ``Pakistan has stepped up its tirade against India in international fora since its designs on the grounds are not succeeding. In this connection, it is also learnt to be taking a UN team to villages opposite Uri to lodge its protest against the damage to civilian areas in Indian artillery shelling,'' he added.

The United Nations has a Military Observers' Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) with offices in both New Delhi and Islamabad. ``An intimation that the UN team would be visiting near the occupied area in Mushkoh Valley was given to the Army formation in Mushkoh Valley by loud hailers (megaphones) by Pakistani soldiers located across the peak,'' sources said.

Colonel Ismocurunen, the UN Deputy Chief Military Observer (DCMO) in India, told The Indian Express over the phone from Srinagar that based on what Pakistan said, a team had visited the peak under dispute from the PoK side. He, however, refused to divulge details of the UN team's findings. ``We have made out a report for the UN Secretary General. It is for his office to decide on action based on our findings,'' he said.

The DCMO also said that field station personnel had been visiting villages along the LoC in Pakistan. ``We have freer movement there. Of course, there are unsafe sectors there too where we do not go,'' he said. As for India, ``our movement here is rather limited because of security reasons'', he added.

Both Indian and Pakistani armies have been exchanging sporadic fire in the Kargil sector. Indian Army officer Major Sandeep Kumar (Company Commander, 2 Naga) was killed in an IED explosion in Keel Nullah area while patrolling to prevent fresh infiltration earlier this month.

``Pakistan has also complained of a feature we occupy near Shingo river in Drass sector and near Shangruti in Batalik. But then the LoC is not marked on the ground and both India and Pakistan have tried to occupy peaks best suited for defences and observation. While Pakistan occupies a couple of dominating features on the LoC, we occupy some others. In the Drass sector, because of a V-shaped curve in the LoC near Benazir post off the Shingo river, Pakistan has a slight advantage of monitoring our area. Therefore, to neutralise its advantage we have occupied a dominating peak elsewhere which is just across the LoC if you go strictly by the map,'' sources said.

The Army is also maintaining a stern posture along the LoC in Uri sector and has been giving a ``befitting reply'' to Pakistan's shelling. ``Their training camps, artillery positions are close to villages. And an odd shell may cause some damage. Their shells cause tremendous damage in our villages killing innocent civilians,'' he added. Sources said that after Uri and Mushkoh Valley, the UN team is expected to visit the ``intrusions'' in PoK opposite the Batalik sub-sector.