Defence News
Pakistan buying arms from China, weapons help terrorists infiltrate India
In the 1980s, Washington and Pakistan inked a Faustian pact under which American planeloads of Stringer missiles landed in Pakistan at the behest of the Central Intelligence Agency and Congressman Charlie Wilson to shoot down Soviet Hind copters in Afghanistan.
The missiles landed at a price with the US turning a blind eye towards Operation Topaz, under which Zia-ul-Haq bled J&K. With the diabolical pact disintegrating and Pakistan feeling the pressure of the Donald Trump administration over its terror camps, Islamabad is on a shopping spree for terrorists trying to infiltrate India while portraying itself as a non-Nato ally.
Sources told India Today that the staggering arms shopping list from its all-weather ally China includes 2,496 ground-based launchers from China that are used by the Pakistani Army and the ISI to launch grenades and rockets at the LoC helping terrorists to enter India.
The new weapons and surveillance systems are intended for Pakistan’s Border Action Team, which conducts cross-border operations and raids across the LoC, the sources added.
Security and defence expert PK Sehgal told India Today, “Rockets and missiles could be fired using the ground-based launchers to destroy Indian posts to help terrorists infiltrate the border. Even India has used such missiles to target Pakistani posts when there were ceasefire violations.”
The sources added that fifteen Chengdu Pterodactyl I (Wing Loong) surveillance and aerial reconnaissance drones are also on the list, which will be used to watch Indian security forces and assist infiltration. Other surveillance systems are being used in PoK to monitor movement of the Indian Army.
Some of these surveillance systems have been placed opposite Rajouri (J&K), where Pakistani is believed to be running 13 terror camps, the sources said. Besides, Pakistani Rangers have helped the Pakistani Army install surveillance systems near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. Pakistan has bought multi-role Chinese Type 054A frigates, which can launch fast-attack patrol boats.
“These frigates, which have laser-guided missiles and surveillance capability, can be used to monitor and target our coastal areas, especially Gujarat refineries and Mumbai ports,” Sehgal said. The first such frigate entered the People’s Liberation Army’s Navy Surface Force in 2007.
China is using Pakistan by selling these arms primarily to contain India to South Asia, he added. Besides, Pakistan has ordered another consignment of Mitten gloves, which are used by armed forces in winters, from a Hong Kong-based company, after purchasing special jackets, trousers and high-altitude boots.
According to intelligence sources, the Pakistani Army supplies Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed members with such clothing to help them infiltrate the border after snowfall.
