No withdrawal of Army in JK: Lt Gen Panag

Reasi, Apr 11: Army's Northern Command General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Lt Gen H S Panag today said there had been no troops withdrawal in Jammu and Kashmir, as being reported from various political and social quarters.

Talking to media persons here, the Army commander reiterated that withdrawal of the Army is not feasible till peace is restored in the state. ''Situation is not yet right for Army to go back to barracks and leave the people in militancy,'' he said.

On the reported silent withdrawal of troops from various pockets in the region, Lt Gen Panag clarified: '' There has been no withdrawal of troops from anywhere in the state but we make changes in 'counter terror grid' and displace over pickets.'' He said about 1,300 to 1,500 militants are still active in Jammu and Kashmir, 40 per cent of which includes foreigners, being directly controlled by Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI.

Besides these, Lt Gen Panag said, ''there are a large number of militants getting arms training or waiting for a chance to infiltrate from the neighbourhood.'' Army in India, he said, is an ''apolitical organisation'' assisting the ''democratically elected'' government.

''We are serving the people,'' the Commander maintained.

UNI