Wagah ceremony may be on militants hit-list

Pakistan sounds terror alert




Amritsar, Mar 31: The evening Retreat Ceremony at the Wagah joint check-post which draws large crowds on both sides of the border is high on the target list of militants operating in Pakistan.




This admission was made today by Maj Gen Muhammad Yaqub Khan, Director General (DG) of the Pakistan Rangers at the conclusion of the 4-day India-Pakistan Bi-Annual meeting between the Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers at Khasa, the sectoral headquarters of the BSF near here.




"Wagah check-post manned by the BSF and the Rangers is a sensitive point and the Retreat Ceremony is under terrorist threat," Maj Gen Khan admitted at the joint press briefing with BSF Spl DG (West) P P S Sidhu.




The Rangers DG made this frank admission based on the arrest and interrogation of certain militants by the security agencies of his country.




"We have taken certain measures to ensure foolproof security arrangements at Wagah, particularly for the Retreat Ceremony in which personnel of the BSF and the Rangers participate," Maj Gen Khan added while replying to queries.




The Rangers officer claimed that his country was more affected by "terrorist violence" than India was.




Sidhu agreed with his Ranger counterpart and stated that the BSF too had taken steps to guard the Wagah check-post on its side.




Turning to the bi-annual meeting, both the officers said that it was held in a cordial atmosphere and both sides agreed that efforts should continue by both the border guarding forces to ensure peace and tranquility along the border. Joint efforts to curtail smuggling and all trans-border crime were taken up at the meeting, they added.




When pointed out that heroin and fake currency were being smuggled into India, Maj Gen Khan said his country was equally concerned about this. He, however, went a step further to point out that liquor and other commodities were being smuggled into his country and the Rangers had killed and apprehended a number of smugglers involved in this illegal trade.




"Hundred percent smuggling cannot be stopped, it can be curtailed and both of us are taking steps in this direction," he added with Sidhu nodding in agreement.




Turning to narcotic smuggling, Maj Gen Khan said this was a sin against humanity and the Rangers are as concerned as the BSF about this problem.




"Smugglers are criminals and they have no country," the DG of the Rangers stated.




Maj Gen Khan admitted that the firing of rockets into Indian territory (Amritsar sector) from Pakistan soil in the summer of last year and in January this year was discussed at the meeting. Likewise the Pak-delegation also pointed to the unprovoked firing by the BSF after the rocket attacks, he added.




"I have already stated that the Rangers were not involved in the rocket attacks. In fact there was no deliberate aimed firing from either side," he added.




The issue of inadvertent border crossers was also taken up at the meeting and the two sides agreed that this problem should be solved in border flag meetings between the two border guarding forces. The matter should be solved in 24 hours so that the families of these crossers do not have to suffer.




"I have given clear-cut instructions to the Rangers to take back Pakistani nationals in case they inadvertently cross the border," Maj Gen Khan said.




Both the officers admitted that there was no move to carry out simultaneous coordinated patrolling of the border so as to effectively check smuggling and trans-border crime.




The Indian delegation led by Sidhu included BSF Inspectors General from Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat Frontiers and BSF Headquarters New Delhi, besides representatives of Narcotics Control Bureau, Survey of India and PWD, while Pakistan delegation led by Maj Gen Khan included Sector Commanders and senior officers of Pakistan Rangers HQ Lahore and Karachi.




Senior representatives of Pakistan Anti-Narcotics Force and Survey of Pakistan also took part in the meeting which also took up the repair and installation of missing border pillars.




The meeting also took up matters pertaining to defence constructions and other issues of mutual interest related to effecting border management and mutual confidence building. (With UNI inputs)