New Delhi: Undeterred by the COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan continues to encourage militants in the Kashmir valley and now in a new twist, there are reports that it is sending Coronavirus infected militants which has made the Indian Army issue guidelines on handling and disposing bodies of terrorists.
The soldiers deployed in the forward post have been asked to wear protective gear and maintain no direct contact with the dead bodies.
The new guidelines were made when the intelligence agencies discovered that Pakistan was planning to send COVID-19 infected people across the border to spread the infection among the Indian Army soldiers clearly showing up to what level Pakistan is stooping in its proxy war.
Going forward, the Indian Army soldiers are to follow a specific standard operating procedure (SOP) while disposing of bodies of terrorists killed in encounters as they could be infected with COVID-19. “The contact must be minimum while burying the bodies. Instructions have been passed on to all field locations in forward areas to take necessary precautions and wear protective gear while handling bodies,” said an Army official.
The influx of infiltrators into Jammu and Kashmir comes after reports emerged in the Indian media that Pakistan was aggressively shifting militants into Kashmir to grab international attention.
Sources in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) reveal that special quarantine centres have been set-up in Mirpur and other major cities in the regions to cleanse the Punjab province of COVID-19 patients as the top brass has ordered that no positive patient should be anywhere near Army facilities and Army family housing.
Paying no heed to the Coronavirus scare, the ceasefire violations and hostilities at the Line of Control have increased. 1,200 cases this year have been reported and they keep increasing with time. According to a report, in January, there were 367 ceasefire violations, while in February the number was at 366. And as the pandemic hit India and Pakistan in March, the numbers swelled up to 411. This month, the tally has already crossed 60.
Officials claim that this is one of the many attempts of the Pakistan Army to divert the Indian soldiers who are busy tending to the Coronavirus relief measures in the country. Reports also claim that Pakistan has a large number of COVID-19 patients who are being moved in locked transport carriers to Mirpur city and other parts of POK and Gilgit Baltistan.
According to media reports, Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, exiled chairman of the United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP), had blasted Imran Khan government and stated that Pakistan is deliberately infecting Pakistan-controlled-Kashmir with Coronavirus.
“Islamabad must end intentionally spreading Coronavirus in PoK to get international aid. Imran Khan’s PTI government is intentionally spreading the coronavirus to get international aid and is also trying to use the territory of Kashmir to house their sick, which is a diabolical move” Shaukat Ali said.
“It’s is good to note that the people of Mirpur are conscious about this move and opposing. Pakistani security personnel forced locals to evacuate their properties (plazas) and Mohi-Ud-Din teaching hospital to convert them into quarantine centres. Pakistani agencies are requesting and forcing locals to stop resisting and cooperate, otherwise be ready to face the consequences,” he said.
