Unwilling to be sitting ducks, 1,700 Pakistani soldiers desert army, surrender to militants

With Taliban holding sway in a majority of areas, personnel from the army, para-military forces and police are not willing to continue their fight against terrorists

With Taliban holding sway in a majority of areas, personnel from the army, para-military forces and police are not willing to continue their fight against terrorists

The attack on the Police Training Centre (PTC) in Lahore is the final outcome of the terrorist's strategy to target the security personnel in Pakistan and thus isolate them as vulnerable targets. According to senior officers in Indian intelligence agencies, the terrorists had been targeting the cops and para-military personnel in western areas of Pakistan for more than a year.

Pakistani police officers arrest one of the alleged gunmen at the compound of a police training school on the outskirts of Lahore, Pakistan, yesterday. PIC/AP

As per intelligence reports, as many as 1,700 personnel from Pakistan army, para-military and police have left the armed forces fearing militant attacks in the last six months. The Pakistan government's measures to stop this worrisome exodus of its uniformed men too have failed as the number of soldiers leaving has gone through a steady increase. Sources in Indian intelligence establishment while sharing the information also said that the worst affected part of the country include tribal areas like FATA, Swat and Baluchistan.

"With time, these areas are completely controlled by the militants and Taliban. Pakistani cops and soldiers belonging to these areas are not willing to continue their fight against the militants under the changed circumstances," said a senior officer from the Indian intelligence fraternity. "With this attack, the terror groups have made it clear that security personnel in the country are sitting ducks and can be targeted anytime, anywhere. It will further create an environment of isolation in Swat and other western areas of the country," he added.

Using the media

Interestingly, the soldiers and cops who have deserted are also advertising it through the local newspapers. "Many of them have published it in the local papers that they are no more in uniformed services. The idea is to safeguard themselves and their families from the militant groups," said the officer. But, besides their surrender, the Pakistan government is more worried about the arms and ammunition that the soldiers have surrendered to the militant groups instead of depositing it with the government. "They (soldiers and cops) are doing that to showcase their seriousness in severing their alliance with the government," added the officer.

Big target

The situation has become worse after the Pakistan government accepted Shariat rule in Swat and FATA areas. "The soldiers in these areas have always been a big target for the militant groups. The threat increased more after the militants started to target the families of soldiers and cops in these areas," said a senior defence ministry official from Delhi.

Meanwhile, the steps taken by the Pakistan government to stop this gradual, but steady outflow of soldiers too have miserably failed. Some months back, the government decided to increase the insurance cover for the soldiers, but that too has failed to create a positive environment.

Retired cops u00a0u00a0man streets

Total sanctioned strength of cops and para-military personnel in Swat region is 1,700 which has gone down to half because soldiers are leaving the forces. The situation has turned so bad that retired cops and soldiers have been called to man the troubled streets of the district. "The government is u00a0hard pressed to ensure u00a0law and order that is gradually slipping out of its hands," said an intelligence official.