Article Posted on : - May 22, 2015

LEH (PTI): Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will arrive here Friday on a two-day visit to review security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, during which he is expected to visit the Line of Control and Siachen and meet Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

"The Defence Minister will arrive on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow," Udhampur-based Defence spokesman Colonel S D Goswami told PTI on Thursday.

He said the Defence Minister will be accompanied by Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command Lt Gen D S Hooda during the visit which will cover all three regions of the state.

The Defence Minister will arrive in Leh Friday morning where Lt Gen V S Negi, General officer Commanding of 14 Corps, will brief him about the situation along the Line of Control on Pakistani side and Line of Actual Control along the Chinese side, the spokesman said.

Col Goswami said Parrikar will then fly to Srinagar, where he will hold meetings with Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

"Besides these meetings, the Defence Minister will be briefed by GoC 15 Corps Lt Gen Subrata Saha on the security situation in the Valley and along the Line of Control," he said.

The spokesman said Parrikar, after overnight stay in Srinagar, will visit Jammu where GoC 16 Corps Lt Gen K H Singh will brief him on the situation.

Defence sources said that he will also visit the LoC and the Siachen but is unlikely to visit the Line of Actual Control.

This will be Parrikar's second visit to Jammu and Kashmir since assuming charge of the ministry in November last year.