Pak may redeploy 1 lakh troops along Indian border

ExpressIndia.com

Posted: Nov 30, 2008 at 1440 hrs IST

Islamabad: Warning of mounting tension with India in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks, Pakistan's security apparatus has said that up to one lakh troops could be redeployed along the border with India after diverting them from fighting militants in the restive Afghan frontier.

The next two days would be crucial in determining how the situation would unfold, senior security officials were quoted as saying by the local media on a background briefing organised for Pakistani journalists on Saturday.

Pakistan would wind up its "war on terror" on the Afghan borders if the situation in the east "spiralled out of control", the officials were quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper. The top officials categorised the current state of Pakistan-India relations as "tense".

"They (Indians) are taking the escalation level up at a very brisk pace," one official said.

Describing the situation as "crisis-like", the officials said Pakistan would pull out "all the troops" now deployed in the country's northwest if India deployed forces on its border with Pakistan.

There are about 90,000 to 100,000 troops fighting pro-Taliban militants in the tribal belt, the officials said.

India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire along the borders in Kashmir in late 2003, allowing Islamabad to divert more troops for quelling a raging Taliban-led insurgency in North West Frontier Province and adjoining tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. The US has described the tribal belt as a safe haven for Taliban and al-Qaeda elements.

If tension escalated with India, the "war on terror won't be our priority", a security official said during the briefing. He said the Pakistani security establishment would not "leave anything" on the Afghan border if troops were diverted to the Indian frontier.

Knee jerk Deshmukh likely to be removed as CM

Deshmukh likely to be removed as CM
NDTV Correspondent
Monday, December 01, 2008 12:23 AM (Mumbai)


After Shivraj Patil, it may be Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh's turn next. Deshmukh, in the line of fire in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks, is likely to be removed over the next few days.

Sources said no decision had been taken yet on who would replace him, but his exit was likely in the next couple of days.

Sunday was an action-packed day. It began with the Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil resigning and ended with the likelihood of the Maharashtra Chief Minister being replaced. In the middle, there was speculation over the National Security Adviser M K Narayanan having quit, but the PMO was quick to refute that.

Both Patil and Deshmukh came under attack at Saturday's Congress Working Committee meeting and leaders suggested that someone must own responsibility. Deshmukh, however, seemed rather unconcerned on Sunday, when he made his first visit inside a devastated Taj hotel.

He had for company film director Ram Gopal Verma and his son Ritiesh, the film actor. Later, the same group visited the Trident as well.

The Chief Minister was clearly unconcerned about insensitivities or about the impending questions of his survival.

However, sources in Delhi had already said that it was this kind of casual approach, which would see the clock ticking for both Deshmukh and his Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil, who did his own bit to trivialise the tragedy with this casual remark.