SRINAGAR: While Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was making peace overtures to New Delhi, terror groups backed by his country’s army were setting up eight new launch pads along the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Approximately 250 terrorists are waiting to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir from 27 launch pads in PoK, top intelligence sources said.

Among the eight new launch pads are those in Lipa Valley, one of the two strategic locations which was destroyed by the Indian Army during its surgical strikes in September 2016, days after the terror attack at Uri in Kashmir.

India, after having warmed up to the idea of holding talks with Pakistan at the sidelines of the UNGA meeting in New York this week, cancelled the event after the killing of three cops by Hizbul Mujahideen in Kashmir last week.

Kashmir has been wracked by violence since the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani by Indian security forces in an encounter in July 2016. Though stone-pelting and mob violence in Kashmir has been controlled considerably in the last one year, the rise in threats by Pakistan-sponsored terror groups and targeted killings of J&K policemen have coincided with the increase in infiltration attempts and ceasefire violations along the LoC and the international border.

Before Wani was killed, there were only 14 functional launch pads in PoK with just 160 terrorists camping there. But soon after Wani’s elimination, an immediate rise in terror training activity was noted across the LoC. From just 160 terrorists, their number went up to around 190 to 230 terrorists with an addition of five more terror camps, making it 19, sources said. Eight more have been added since Imran's election as PM.

Of the 27 terror launch pads which are operational, Lashkar-e-Taiba is concentrated in Lipa, Chakothi, Bararkot, Shardi, Jura and Bararkot areas while Hizbul Mujahideen’s camps are set up in the Forward Kahuta area of PoK.

Pakistan, sources said, has also re-established the launch pad at Lipa Valley, one of the two strategic locations where India had conducted a surgical strike in September 2016. However, the launch pad opposite the other surgical strike location, Bimbhar Gali, has not resurfaced. "The strength at Hajipur and Forward Kahuta is now negligible," said a senior intelligence officer.

The number of Lashkar-e-Taiba members who are preparing to enter India at Lipa, Chananian, Mandaukali and Naukot now stands at 25-30, according to details accessed by TOI. These camps stand right opposite India's Nowgam sector, which is between Uri and Kupwara.

"Approximately 250 terrorists are waiting to infiltrate into India. The geographical importance of these infiltration points is the breathing time needed by these militants and the support from over ground workers in Handwara and Hafrooda forest cover. From there, their intent is to move to South Kashmir," said an intelligence officer.

Intelligence sleuths said that the recent surge in terror activities in Gurez, Jajarkotli, Sopore, and Bandipora in Kashmir is meant to destabilise the state ahead of Panchayat elections and may escalate the tension between the two countries.

Security forces are now planning to maintain a strong anti-infiltration posture along the LoC, an official source said.