Pakistan’s army has been put on high alert after reports alleged India waspreparing to launch an attack on the de facto border that divides thedisputed Kashmir region between the two countries.

Pakistani Dawn newspaper quoted “informed sources” as saying on Wednesdaythat the Indian military had plans to launch the attack after it recentlyfaced a humiliating defeat in Ladakh and Dokalam in the volatile region.

The daily said Pakistan’s Armed Forces had been put on high alert to faceany “untoward situation.”

The sources said a “false flag operation” was also being planned by Indiato divert attention from they said were several of the country’s internalissues, including protests by farmers, the mistreatment of minorities, andalleged atrocities committed by the Indian forces in Kashmir.

India claimed to have carried out a surgical strike on the Line of Control(LoC) in Kashmir in 2016, a claim rejected by Pakistan. India also tried tolaunch a similar operation against Pakistan last February but failed, andtwo of its planes were shot down by the Pakistani Air Force. Indian pilotWing Commander Abhinandan was arrested and later released.

Kashmir has been split between India and Pakistan since their partition in1947. The countries have fought three wars over the territory.

India has stationed more than half a million soldiers in Kashmir to quell apro-independence uprising that first erupted in 1989.

New Delhi also recently scrapped the semi-autonomy of its part of Kashmir,sparking a new wave of tensions over the region.

India and Pakistan have also frequently exchanged heavy fire across themilitarized de facto border in the disputed Kashmir Valley.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and training militants and allowing themacross the restive frontier in an attempt to launch attacks. Pakistandenies the allegation.

Thousands of people have been killed in the unrest in Kashmir over the pasttwo decades.

Source:link