Indian Kashmir barrier

The Indian Kashmir barrier is a 550 km (330 mile) separation barrier along the convert|740|km|mi|abbr=on disputed 1972 Line of Control (or ceasefire line) between Indian and Pakistani controlled Kashmir: Jammu and Kashmir, India and Pakistan Administered KashmirFact|date=October 2007. The rest of the Line of Control is too inaccessible for construction of a barrier. The fence, constructed by India, is well inside territory on the Indian-controlled side. Its stated purpose is to exclude arms smuggling and infiltration by Pakistani-based separatist militants, who wish to merge Kashmir into Pakistan, or gain independence for Kashmir as a wholeFact|date=October 2007.

The barrier itself consists of double-row of fencing and concertina wire eight to twelve feet (2.4-3.7 m) in height, and is electrified and connected to a network of motion sensors, thermal imaging devices and alarms in stretches where power supply is available. The small stretch of land between the rows of fencing is minedFact|date=October 2007.

The construction of the barrier was begun in the 1990s, but slowed in the early 2000s as hostilities between India and Pakistan increased. After a November 2003 ceasefire agreement, building resumed and was completed in late 2004Fact|date=October 2007. According to Indian military sources, the fence has reduced by 80% the numbers of militants who routinely cross into the Indian side of the disputed state to attack soldiers. [cite web
url=http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_4-3-2005_pg7_41
title=Harsh weather likely to damage LoC fencing
publisher=Daily Times
accessdate=2007-07-31]

Pakistan has objected to the construction of the barrier, saying it violates both bilateral accords and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions on the region. In Pakistan's view the border between Jammu and Kashmir is undemarcated, and border fencing is not allowedFact|date=October 2007.

ee also

* Bus Service Across The Barrier
* 2005 Kashmir earthquake
* List of topics on the land and the people of “Jammu and Kashmir”

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/SSEAL/SouthAsia/kashmir.html Conflict in Kashmir: Selected Internet Resources by the Library, University of California, Berkeley, USA; University of California at Berkeley Library Bibliographies and Web-Bibliographies list]