Even as the Indian security forces make it increasingly difficult for Pakistan to attempt any large-scale infiltration of narco-terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism from across places bordering Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan, the sparsely-populated Kutch district might well emerge as the latest Pakistani target, intelligence sources told a visiting correspondent here.

At least two Islamic fundamentalist outfits, known as Ahl-e-Hadis and Tablighi Jammat, allegedly financed and supported by neighbouring Islamic countries, were now active in Kutch district, especially in its border areas like Banni. Besides these, the Jammat-e-Islami's student wing was also allegedly active in the area, sources said and added thatPakistani agents were also visiting the area in the garb of religious leaders via Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Citing the examples of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir in 1978 and 1988, respectively, the sources said Kutch also appeared to be in the ``process of being ripened'' by Pakistan in a similar manner. Kutch, they believed, could well be on the threshold of becoming another hot-spot, due to a variety of reasons.

Since 1993, some 200 Pakistanis and nearly 400 Bangladeshi infiltrators, who wanted to cross over into Pakistan, had been arrested in Kutch district. In addition to them ``other nationals'', numbering nearly 40, had also been arrested during the period, official sources said.

The arrest and attempted deportation of Bangladeshis has become a regularity in the district. Since permission for their deportation often did not come in time from New Delhi, such infiltrators were reportedly virtually settling down in the district.

Different types of foreign-made arms and ammunition had also been seizedin the border district. Since 1993, at least 56 cases of arms seizure had been registered in Kutch district and 64 people arrested so far in this connection. The arms seized included ten rifles of the automatic kalashnikovs (AK) make. Four of these unclaimed AK-56 rifles had been seized only last year, sources said.

Already, Kutch district has emerged on the illegal arms, ammunition and explosives map of the country. Ten kg of research and development explosives (RDX) had been seized in this border district in 1995 from a small hamlet on the outskirts of the eastern taluka of Rapar in the great Rann of Kutch. No arrests had been made in this case.

In July this year also, one kg of RDX was seized from Kala Dungar (black hillock) near Banni, 70 km from Bhuj, from where the nearest Pakistani village was just about 50 km. The Pakistani agents had crossed into Kutch district, hid the explosive on the hillock, went unnoticed all the way to the naxalite-infested Andhra Pradesh where the Hyderabad police arrestedone of them. Following interrogation, the agent disclosed the whereabouts of RDX he had kept hidden in Gujarat.

The border district was also reported to be emerging as an important conduit for smuggling of narcotic drugs in the new ``golden triangle'' comprising Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Afghanistan. At least 77 smugglers had been arrested in nearly 60 cases since 1993 and drugs worth hundreds of rupees had been seized from them, sources informed.

Security beefed upIt was in view of these increasing activities that the Gujarat Government set up a separate department of border security in April this year, Minister of State for Home Haren Pandya, who holds the charge of this department as well, told UNI that the department was coordinating with the defence and Union home ministry with regard to an all-round development of the border district, especially with regard to the centrally-sponsored border areas development programmes. The borders would soon be covered with a barbed wire fencing, as had beendone in other border states to the north of Gujarat.

Admitting that the state government was concerned and keeping tight vigil over the developments in Kutch district, he said the arid district was sensitive and vulnerable to the nefarious activities from across the borders. The state had a 512-km-long land border with Pakistan -- 322 km in Kutch district. And 190 km in Banaskantha district. Gujarat also has a 1600-km-long coastline, 950 km of which was in close proximity with Pakistan, including a nearly 100-km-long creek zone.

Pandya pointed out that while the Border Security Force (BSF) and coast guard patrolled the Indo-Pakistan borders on land and sea respectively, the state government's border wing of home guards and police jointly performed their duty. The jurisdiction of police was right upto the borders.

The minister said the new department was striving to create public awareness about the importance of Kutch as a border district and to inculcate in them strong nationalist feelings. The age-oldsystem of `puggee', in which the local elders and experienced people could locate the movement of intruders simply by studying their footprints on the Rann, was also being revived, he added.

Three-fourths of Kutch district being under the two Ranns, its low habitation and hostile climate for more than half-the-year, due to either summer or rains, made it one of the most difficult borders to patrol and effects of its unwelcome weather had adversely affected the health of many of those who patrol it.