New Delhi: Pakistan has been using drones extensively against India in the past couple of years. Drones have been used to smuggle arms, ammunition and narcotics, especially into Punjab. In the last couple of weeks, the security agencies have noted that there have been drone sightings along the Line of Control (LoC).
In August, the security forces had launched a massive search operation along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district following the sighting of a suspected Pakistani drone along the border areas.
An official said that these drones are flying along the border areas to stage an attack. They are also being used to gather information about the movement of the Indian security forces so that Pakistan can affect infiltration of its terrorists who are waiting at the launchpads, the official added.
An Intelligence Bureau official said that all conventional methods of infiltration have failed in the last many months. The situation in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), where protests are on for the last three months, is also not helping the ISI’s cause.
The security forces, who usually guided the infiltrations by causing distractions along the border areas, too, are busy with the ongoing situation in PoK, the official said.
Further, there is a growing frustration as the terrorists are unable to infiltrate. Some of them have been waiting for over one year at the launchpads and this has added to both frustration and them being demoralised, the official added.
In the August incident, alert Indian security forces had fired at the drones, which forced them to retreat.
Pakistan would continue to send in drones on a larger scale as it is desperate to gather information about the movement and positions of Indian troops.
They would deploy these drones more around the infiltration points as this information would help the terrorists enter Jammu and Kashmir, officials say.
The increased drone activity also coincides with the immense pressure that is being applied by the terror bosses of the LeT, JeM and Hizbul Mujahideen on the ISI.
All these terror groups want some big action in Jammu and Kashmir, and owing to high security, they have not been successful in their plans.
Another official said that while Pakistan has been using these drones to gather information relating to the Indian troops, they are also making efforts to drop off arms and ammunition into Jammu and Kashmir.
The ISI is attempting at replicating the Punjab playbook in Jammu and Kashmir as well. In the last couple of years, Punjab has been facing a major drone menace.
Highly sophisticated drones that are linked to satellites are being used to drop off narcotics and arms and ammunition, the official said.
Officials say that along the LoC, Pakistan has been using the Medium Altitude Long Endurance drones along with the Turkey-made Bayraktar TB2 platforms.
These are being sighted near the forward sectors along the LoC. These drones are specifically meant to map the movement of troops and also feed real time coordinates to those manning the launchpads across the border, officials say.
In addition to gathering information about the Indian troops, Pakistan has also been trying to drop off pistols, magnetic sticky bombs, M4 carbines and grenades.
These are meant for the local terror network in Jammu and Kashmir.
For the ISI to rebuild its terror network, it needs the locals to be well-equipped and also ensure that the foreign terrorists are able to infiltrate.
This desperation has led to enhanced drone activity and it is very unlikely that the frequency would increase in the days to come, an official said.
(IANS)
