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| Turmoil in Pakistan feared to lead to refugees’ influx into J&K | | | Early Times Special Correspondent
Jammu | Oct 22
The security agencies in J&K as well as the authorities in the Union Home Ministry, responsible for taking policy decisions and its implementation at the ground level in J&K are predicting a piquant situation facing them soon, as a fallout of turmoil in Pakistan. They foresee the possibility of influx on a large scale into Jammu and Kashmir from PoK and Pakistan, particularly of the Kashmiris living there, including those who had earlier ex-filtrated to PoK and Pakistan for getting armed training in the terrorist training camps based there, for indulging in acts of terrorism, sabotage and subversion in Indian part of J&K and other parts of India.
A confidential communiqué addressed by Union Home Ministry to top security officers in Jammu and Kashmir state that there is every likelihood of inflow of refugees from areas near the LoC and international border in Pakistan to Indian side, as a result of a sense of insecurity prevailing among them, following the stepped up terrorist strikes in that country, including bomb blasts on the motorcade of PPP leader Benazir Bhutto to her country on October 18, after 8 years self exile which killed 150 people and wounded 600 others. The Kashmiri youth ex-filtrated to PoK and Pakistan for joining the Jehadi outfits are also fearing crack down on them by the authorities in Pakistan, which is now itself under the grip of terrorism and which is left with no alternative than to deal sternly the Jehadi elements including the Kashmiri militants. According to an estimate about 15,000 Kashmiri youth are in PoK and Pakistan, who were lured earlier to join jehad against India. They are either in the terrorist training camps or have taken up some menial jobs to avoid suspicion following the assurances given by President Parvez Musharraf to India as well as to USA to dismantle all terrorist camps in that country. Some villagers on the LoC on our side had also crossed over to PoK and then to Pakistan in the wake of height of militancy in J&K to avoid getting victims of cross fire between the militants and the Indian security forces as well as harassment at the hand of the latter, suspecting them.
A large number of these Kashmiri refugees are approaching Indian authorities in Islamabad for passage to India. While some of the refugees have already approached Indian High Commission in Islamabad for their expatriation through the consular channel, it is feared that some militants may take advantage of this situation to cross into Indian side via the authorized crossing points on the line of control. The Home Ministry sources also fear erupting of a security, diplomacy and public relation crisis if in the wake of any such situation arising the Indian soldiers open fire to prevent incursions.
In view of the fact that many of these Kashmiri youth having ex-filtrated to PoK and Pakistan during last 18 years have married Pakistani girls and have got children from the wedlock. Due to the prevailing situation in Pakistan a significant section of the Kashmiri Diaspora living as refugees in Pakistan and PoK are apprehensive of government in that country to plan to push them back to J&K. The Kashmiri refugees in PoK and Pakistan are subjected to many restrictions there, particularly the terrorists among them are in a tight spot. These facts as well as the attraction of to J&K amid easing of situation here, is giving rise to the apprehensions of a large scale influx of these people to Indian side.
In the wake of militants surrendering in large numbers at LoC, last year and their bid to come back to this side with their Pakistani wives and children, a situation had arisen that almost every day a Kashmiri rebel appeared at the frontier for surrender and sought permission from the army to return to the Indian side. Almost 180 surrenders took place last year. Many of them wanted their Pakistani wives and children also to be allowed to cross over to this side. In the wake of this piquant situation the Union government put a ban on surrenders at the LoC. But requests for permission to return continue unabated. According to the J&K police 400 former militants wanted to surrender at the LoC. But in keeping with the new policy permission was denied. Two laws apply to deal with such surrenderers one is the Foreigners Act, which provides for sentenced that can go up to five years, the other is state's own law, the Egress and Ingress Movement Control Ordinance dating back to the days of Dogra Maharaja Hari Singh.
In the light of large scale influx of Bangladeshis into West Bengal and other adjoining states following the turmoil in that country, first in the 1970 Indo-Pak war, which led to the creation of Bangladesh, then the military coupe there in 1975, in which President Mujib-ul-Rehman was assassinated and then again the army coupe recently and ever prevailing turmoil there, the present turmoil in Pakistan is also apprehended to lead to the similar situation of large scale influx into Indian side of J&K. |
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