Pak still trying to hold out

MUSHKOH VALLEY, JULY 14: Though Pakistani soldiers continued to retreat in most sectors, the Army today found indications that they were ...

MUSHKOH VALLEY, JULY 14: Though Pakistani soldiers continued to retreat in most sectors, the Army today found indications that they were not vacating the territory completely but making bases along the Line of Control (LoC).

So Indian artillery still in position targeted the areas suspected to be held by the infiltrators along the LoC. Infantry soldiers haven’t begun advancing, waiting for the July 16 deadline to be over, not wanting any skirmishes and casualties. The Observation Posts (OPs) are maintaining a close vigil on the retreating intruders and even IAF aircraft are carrying out reconnaissance sorties along the LoC.

“The aircraft have taken pictures which are the first concrete evidence that the Pakistanis are withdrawing in the Drass sector. There are pictures of the intruders retreating with their backpacks,” an officer said. While in Batalik, the Indian Army had almost reached the LoC, in Mushkoh Valley, it’s now just about a kilometre and a half away.

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“The enemy is still occupyingstrategic heights close to the LoC in Mushkoh Valley and Drass sectors. If they do not vacate at the end of the 72 hours given to them, our infantry will start its advance and throw them out,” another officer said.

Meanwhile, the EME (Electrical and Mechanical Engineering) branch of the Army has started work on an ambitious plan to make a motorable track all the way up to the LoC. At places where the construction of a motorable road is not possible, it’s been decided to lay new tracks to facilitate troop movement.

“Now that we have to deploy troops permanently in the region, we need to make their movement easier and faster. Supplies for troops will also have to be transported till almost up to the Line of Control. Laying a motorable road is a big challenge for the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME) people but they are confident of completing it in record time. The work of laying of motorable roads has already started in the Mushkoh Valley area,” the officer said.

Meanwhile, theArmy is also keeping a strict vigil following intelligence reports that Pakistan’s elite Special Service Group (SSG) is regrouping and preparing for a desperate operation in the region.

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This followed the information that the Commanding Officer of the Special Service Group was being pulled up for the force’s failure in the Kargil operation.