NEW DELHI, Nov 27: Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes acknowledged on Wednesday that Pakistan had begun the process of pulling back some of its troops from frontline positions near its border with India.

“Intelligence inputs suggest that Pakistan has moved some of its troops back to peace-time locations, that are in close proximity of the operational locations,” Fernandes said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

“However, the strategic reserves of the Pakistan Army continue to be located in the operational location. The pace of pulling back of the armed forces also indicates that Pakistan intends to undertake the process in a phased manner.”

Fernandes told the house that India’s security interests were not being compromised by the redeployment of its forces from the border.—AFP