India Plans to Pullout 20,000 Troops from Held-Kashmir
'Pakistan Times' Kashmir Desk

NEW DELHI (India): India has planned to pull out about 20,000 troops from occupied Kashmir which are not deployed for operational duties.

“The Kashmir Times” reported on Thursday that the panel constituted by the Union government headed by Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt to look into issue of troops withdrawal has given its recommendation to the government.

The paper said the withdrawal will not give any relief to the Kashmiris who have been demanding total pull out from held Kashmir.

Quoting sources, the paper said the troops identified for pullout are among those who were deployed in the state during the “Operation Parakaram” in 2001.

The panel has agreed with the Army’s demand “not to withdraw or dilute the troops engaged in the counter-militancy operations.”●