India has ordered evacuations along the Pakistan border as tensions escalate | India-Pakistan Conflict News

The Minister of Interior also urged the authorities to deal with the problem of border entry, drug use, smuggling, and other crimes across the border.

India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered the demolition of buildings along the Pakistani border, as well as measures to deal with “cross-border crime”.

Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Wednesday that buildings identified as “illegal” will be demolished. In his statement, he explained that it means that the houses within 15km (nine kilometers) of the border will be demolished.

The system builds on deep conflicts between South Asian neighbors. The relationship reached a new low last year when India accused Pakistan of being behind a deadly attack in Kashmir, starting a four-day battle which killed more than 70 people, their worst war in decades.

“Amit Shah emphasized the need to enforce zero-tolerance laws on illegal construction, especially within 0-15 km of international borders,” the home ministry said. “They told the concerned authorities to demolish all the illegal buildings.”

Shah also urged the authorities to strengthen efforts to “effectively deal with infiltration, drug trafficking, extortion, terrorist financing, and other cross-border crimes”, according to his statement.

New Delhi has accused Islamabad of facilitating drug and arms smuggling into India, and has spent heavily to strengthen its heavily patrolled border.

Shah is known for his concerns on national security, irregular migration and international crimes. He unveiled the plan while in the western state of Rajasthan, which borders Pakistan.

The border between India and Pakistan, including the De facto border across the Himalayan region of Kashmir, is 3,300km (2,050 miles) long.

India and Pakistan accuse each other of supporting each other’s armed forces, and each side denies the other’s claims.

A brief war erupted last year after an attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed 26 men, mostly Hindu tourists.

India has accused Pakistan of supporting the attack – a charge Islamabad has denied – prompting diplomatic moves and airstrikes, airstrikes and mortar fire.