India is not constructing a wall along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir as charged by Pakistan, BSF IG Rakesh Sharma said on Tuesday, dismissing the claims as a baseless “story”.
He said it was not possible to construct a wall along the IB keeping in view the topography of the area where the IB is situated. “This is a story created by Pakistan. There is no wall being constructed on the IB in J&K,” Sharma said.
The IG said it was a confusion being created by Pakistani side. “It is a confusion that is being created by the Pakistani side as there is no such wall being constructed on the IB in J&K,” Sharma said.
He added: “How can it be constructed? You know the topographic conditions of the border, it is just not possible to construct a wall,” he said.
Pakistan had last week complained to the UN Security Council, alleging that India was building a wall along the International Border in violation to the world body’s resolutions.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to UN, Maleeha Lodhi, has in a letter to the President of the Security Council, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, alleged that India was planning to construct a 10-metre-high and 135-feet-wide embankment (wall) along the 197-km Working Boundary between J&K and Pakistan.
The planned wall, according to Pakistan, was to convert the IB “into a <g data-gr-id="42">quasi international</g> border”.
Asked if a wall would help check cross-border infiltration, Sharma said: “No, I really cannot say what would be the solution – whatever measures (to check infiltration) are being required to be taken on ground, we are doing that.”
Asked as to why Pakistan was making up the story of a wall being constructed along IB, Sharma said: “I am also surprised about the wall theory. There is nothing on the ground and it seems to be a story only.”
The BSF IG said the fortification of the already existing fence on the IB was an ongoing process because the fence is subjected to the vagaries of nature. “See the repair and upgradation of the border fence is an ongoing process. At several places, the fence gets washed away, when there is a flood so we have to repair it,” he said.
When asked to comment on the recently held Director General (DG)-level talks with Pakistan, Sharma said: “It (situation along IB) appears to be peaceful as of now and both the sides are maintaining peace on the border and let us see how things move ahead.”
On the issue of number of militants waiting across the border to cross into Indian side, he said: “I really cannot say at this point of time, but I am very sure that Pakistan must respond to the promises made during the meeting and they will not allow any infiltration to happen through the IB and we are also watchful and guardful.”