Search the Internet          Tips

Lashkar to continue incursions, threatens to attack convoys

K J M Verma in Islamabad

As pressure mounts on Pakistan to stop supporting infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir, the Lashkar-e-Tayiba has said its militants would continue to cross across the LoC and threatened major attacks on vehicle convoys of Indian army in the coming days.

In an interview to a Urdu daily published on Thursday, Abdul Rehman Makki, a senior leader of the Pakistan-based militant outfit, said Lashkar would not stop attacks in Jammu and Kashmir despite directions by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to halt incursions.

He said it was only an illusion that the militants were under Musharraf's control and would stop fighting if they were directed to do so.

"The mujahideen would never accept such cowardly policies as they believe in embracing martyrdom," Makki told Nawai Waqt daily in Lahore.

Musharraf had made an 'individual' decision but Pakistanis were with the militants, he said, adding the entire nation was aware that the president was siding with 'oppressors'.

He said Lashkar had evolved a strategy to take advantage of the 'golden opportunity' provided by increased number of Indian troops in Jammu and Kashmir.

"In the next few days, mujahideen would launch guerrilla strikes targeting the convoys of the Indian army. The planning has been completed and mujahideen have been informed about their targets," he said.

The Lashkar leader said Musharraf's measures to curtail infiltration had caused 'psychological damage' to the militants, but no loss in 'practical terms'.

"Musharraf has sabotaged the process of mind-making and this has affected the launching drive," Makki said.

He told the daily that the communication system of the militants had been blocked and government officials were calling their leaders and pressurising them to 'stop their work' and 'refrain from exposure'.

"Musharraf has evacuated our camps and later these camps were shown to observers belonging to intelligence agencies of foreign countries," he said.

Despite all these hurdles, he said, the groups would continue infiltration.

Terrorism Strikes in Jammu: The complete coverage

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report