New Delhi: The massive retaliation by the Indian security forces in response to Pakistan’s repeated ceasefire violations in which 35 of its nationals, including 12 Pakistan Rangers, were killed has led to severe differences between Nawaz Sharif government, the Pakistan Army and Inter-Services Intelligence.
Top government sources told this newspaper that credible information available with New Delhi reveals while the Pakistan government now wants to go slow on firing at the border, a section of the Pakistan Army and the ISI still wants to continue with ceasefire violations.
Sources said this section of the Army and ISI was not being aggressive with the border firing right now and was instead using militant groups for sporadic firing, mainly in Poonch, that has been seen for the past three-four days.
This firing, the sources added, was being done at the ISI’s direction and was primarily to provide cover for the infiltration of militants rather than to kill Indian civilians.
On Tuesday too, there were two ceasefire violations in Poonch, in which a woman was injured.
However, the Centre has given clear instructions to the security forces to remain on high alert as it suspects the Pakistani Rangers to retaliate in a big way once the political tempers cool down in Islamabad in the days ahead.
It is suspected that most of the firing over the last four days has been done by militants from the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba which has been trying to push in militants for the last few days.
So far Indian security forces have successfully managed to thwart any major infiltration bid and has killed at least 17 militants in the last few days who were trying to sneak in from across the border.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval along with top officials of the Ministries of Home and Defence has been monitoring the situation along the border virtually on a daily basis.
