In this sector, the Indian Army is moving forward for occupying dominating heights along the Line of Control. The movement is deliberately slow in view of the anti-personnel mines strewn by the enemy while withdrawing. In Dras sector, Point 5100 was occupied by our troops at 1700 hours on 16 July 1999. A large number of weapons, ammunition and equipment have been recovered at various positions vacated by the enemy. This merely highlights the enemy's desire to withdraw expeditiously to safety and is an indicator of their sagging state of morale.
Soldiers abandon their personal arms only in a state of defeat, disarray, or a total rout.
Their ire is especially directed at their Commanding Officers, who never visited the areas of intrusion, continuing to live a comfortable life in the rear areas in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. All this while their young officers and troops were facing innumerable privations under battle conditions. They have highlighted the fact that there is a lot of frustration amongst the NLI rank and file for having been made the 'sacrificial goats' in the Kargil misadventure. These two prisoners of war have also revealed that the Pakistan Army deliberately employed troops only of the NLI so that any backlash remains confined to the Northern Areas, which at present are administered by the Pakistan Army. Pakistan Army fired approximately 20 Artillery and Mortars rounds between 1800 to 1900 hours in Mushkoh valley on 16 July 1999.