NEW DELHI: Defence Minister AK Antony today told Parliament that India has time and again lodged protest with Pakistan about construction of new bunkers and watch towers along its border region.
“Protests have been lodged with the Pakistan Rangers and flag meetings of Field Commanders are held in all cases,” Antony said in written reply in the Rajya Sabha today. The matter is also taken up by the BSF with the Pakistan Rangers during scheduled meetings at various levels.
Antony said, “The government is aware through intelligence inputs that Pakistan has constructed and carried out repairs of bunkers, morchas and towers.”
He furnished details of the construction and repair activities carried out by Pakistan along the border for 8 years’ period between 2004 and 2011. While 886 bunkers were constructed by Pakistan in the border areas, the Pakistani Rangers built 261 morchas and erected 398 towers in the past seven years. It also constructed 143 Border Out Posts facing India.
The minister assured the House that “adequate troops are supplemented by appropriate surveillance and technical intelligence resources to ensure the sanctity of the border”.