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There are Pak communication towers 20 kilometres along border, we've heard their messages: NSA Doval

WION Web Team
New Delhi, India Edited By: Sparshita SaxenaUpdated: Sep 07, 2019, 03:36 PM IST
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File photo: Ajit Doval. Photograph:(PTI)

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'If Pakistan stops sending signals through its towers to operatives, we can lift restrictions in Kashmir,' Doval said. 

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Saturday said that Pakistan is trying to create trouble in Jammu and Kashmir. "Some 230 Pakistani terrorists were spotted, some of them have infiltrated, some arrested," Doval was quoted by news agency ANI. 

"There are Pakistani communication towers 20 kilometres along the border, they are trying to send messages, we heard intercepts, they were telling their men here 'how so many apple trucks are moving, can’t you stop them? Should we send you bangles?" Doval said. 

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"We are determined to protect the lives of Kashmiris from Pakistani terrorists, even if we have to impose restrictions. Terror is the only instrument Pakistan has to create unrest," he told media. 

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Doval said he is convinced that the majority of Kashmiris support the abrogation of Article 370, "they see greater opportunities, future, economic progress and employment opportunities, only a few miscreants are opposing it".

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The NSA informed that out of 199 police station areas in Jammu and Kashmir, just 10 have prohibitory orders in place with no restrictions on the rest. 

"100 per cent landline connections are operational in the state," he said. 

He added that 92.5 per cent of the geographical area of Jammu and Kashmir is free of restrictions.

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On the matter of the detention of political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, Doval said that the leaders are in preventive detention, adding that the terrorists would have used the situation.

He said that none of the political leaders have been charged with criminal offence or sedition. "They are in preventive custody till environment is created for democracy to function, which I believe may happen soon".

"Everything is done according to the framework of law, they can challenge their detention in Court," he added.

He hoped for the situation in Jammu and Kashmir to get back to normal with complete phasing out of all restrictions. 

Speaking on removing complete restrictions, Doval said, "We would like to see all restrictions go, depends on how Pakistan behaves, it’s a stimulant and response situation.if Pakistan starts behaving, terrorists don’t intimidate and infiltrate, if Pakistan stops sending signals through its towers to operatives, we can lift restrictions."

"More than 750 trucks are moving daily from Srinagar, yesterday two militants came, they wanted to target a prominent fruit merchant Hamidullah Rather. They could not find him as he went to offer Namaz or something. They took two of his workers to his home five kilometres inside Sopore where they shot at his son Mohammed Irshad and also fired upon his two and a half-year-old daughter Asma Jaan. Both Pakistani militants had pistols and were speaking Punjabi, both are absconding, " he added.

He further said, "Another incident happened where a shopkeeper was trying to open his shop, he was shot by militants. Pakistan is trying to create a situation and then tell the international community that there is unrest."

The National Security Advisor said, "Pakistan is indulging in false and black propaganda and some uninformed people are taking one or two incidents as public opinion." 

Calling Article 370 "discrimination", Doval said, "There were many laws for modern and upcoming societies which were denied to people of Jammu and Kashmir, right to education, right to property was denied, 106 such laws were taking the protection of article 370 before August 5. It was not a special status, it was special discrimination."

He also said Pakistan used article 370 to catalyze terrorism in Kashmir adding that they launched operation Topaz in 1988 through which they wanted to exploit political space.

"Modus operandi of operation Topaz was to use same tactics which Pakistani non-state actors used in Afghanistan, " Doval said.