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Less Troops Deployed in Kashmir Than Waziristan: Kashmir Governor

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, Jan 25: The pro-India Kashmir governor has said that the Indian troops deployed in violence hit Kashmir was lower than Waziristan.

Governor Lt Gen (Retd) said that the deployment of troops in Kashmir was lower than Waziristan, the violence prone areas of Pakistan and Tibet, the conflict region under the occupation of China where people are fighting for the right to determine their own future.

Sinha said that the ratio of deployment of troops, army and paramilitary to the entire population in the state excluding violence free Ladakh was 1:40. "This is quite less than 1:37 for Wazirstan and 1:28 for Tibet," he said in his message on state-run television on the eve of January 26.

Sinha said that the conditions in Pakistan were most volatile having "risk of spilling over to our side".

"We cannot lower our guard, whether on the borders or in the interior," Sinha said.

However he added that once peace is restored in the state and "infiltration from across the border ceases", the government and the army would be happy to return the troops deployed for internal security back to their barracks.

"In that event, reduction in the strength would be considered. That would not apply to troops guarding our borders with Pakistan and China," said Sinha who was one of the first Indian troopers who landed in Kashmir in 1947.

He said that the number of people killed in violence has come down to two per day.

"This considerable improvement has been possible due to troops," he added.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.