Flash News:Pak replaces Rangers, deploys Army along Indian border

New Delhi/ Barmer, Dec 24: Pakistan on Wednesday deployed its Army in place of the regular Pak Rangers along its border with India. The move would ratchet up tensions between the South-Asian neighbours several notches, and further add to fears of an outbreak of war between the nuclear armed states. The deployment of the Army has taken places in the Barmer sector of Rajasthan.

Diplomatic relations have gone into a tailspin between the two countries after a savage terror attack on India’s financial capital Mumbai, believed by India to have been perpetrated by Pakistan based terrorists.

Confirming the news, Additional Director general of BSF, Barmer, UK Bansal said today that, " There is a lot of activity along at the Pakistan side of India-Pakistan border near Barmer in Rajasthan and Pakistan Rangers have been replaced by the Pakistan Army.” The ADG also added that BSF is on full alert and is capable of handling any eventuality.

The deployment is an indication of the level of apprehension on the Pakistani side on an Indian attack. It should be noted that the last time when Pakistan Rangers were replaced by army was during Kargil war.

The State government of Rajasthan has ordered the residents of border villages to be prepared for relocation. According to sources, the order came after a meeting of state Director General of Police and Home Secretary with official of the Central government.

Earlier in the day, a top Air Force officer said that a large number of possible terrorist-based targets in Pakistan have been identified to be hit in the event of a war.

Air Marshal PK Barbora, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Air Command, told a gathering of journalists that as many as 5,000 targets have been identified. He, however, said that terrorists may have fled from existing camps to safer hideouts.

The Air Marshal made it clear that war was only the last option.

"Any developed nation does not go to war instantly...the matter should be solved first through diplomacy and then with an appeal to the international community and if all this fails, war is the last resort, Barbora, who commands the strategic J&K sector, said.

At an interaction with the Journalists Union of Assam, he said "we are ready for any challenge".