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| Not an ostrich attitude but a voluntary self-imposed blindness | | Security Scenario | | Rustam
JAMMU, Aug 25: The security scenario in the state can be gauged adequately if we have a cursory look at the happenings in the state concerning internal security situation by looking at what the local papers reported in August, which is yet to reach its culmination. This overview is important because government is having intense engagement despite the top echelons in Pakistan giving clear signals that they have long back dumped even the "Musharraf formula." The Pakistani parliamentarians have recently visited the country and had interactions with their counterparts on this side. US Congressman McCain suddenly flew to Kashmir and perhaps at the prodding of Government of India described the situation as coming closer to normalcy.
On August 22, a middle aged woman, mother of five children, got killed while her husband was injured, while the militants and the security forces were locked in a fierce encounter/a "major gun battle" in Handwara forest area of North Kashmir. A group of ten heavily armed terrorists was involved in the incident and even after getting holed up due to the challenge by the security formations in the region, all of them as per independent sources managed to escape. This incident took place immediately in the aftermath of another fierce encounter in which 12 terrorists were killed, besides the JCO in the Gurez sector.
Local newspapers reported that "A bid to sabotage confidence building measures (CBM's) on cross-LoC points proposed by the foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan and compensate for the losses suffered by the militant outfits of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen outfits by pushing in more militants into this side were stated as major reasons behind the sudden intrusion attempts by the militants from Pakistan into Indian territory in Twin border districts of Poonch and Rajauri." Perhaps the same sources on the basis of whose assessment the above explanation was published by the print media, however, clearly stated that "initially Pakistani Army has been resorting only to ceasefire violations but making no serious attempts to push the militants. However during past few days, it has been observed that Pakistani Army has made serious attempts to push in militants into this side from Krishna Ghati, Mendhar and Keri Sectors of Poonch and Rajouri districts." The above incidents and the assessments of the security establishment show the distribution of militant activities right from the remote Handwara region of Kashmir valley, Gurez and border areas of Rajauri and Poonch of the Jammu province.
While politically the government is maintaining a stance of everything being hunky dory, the USA authorities have many times in the past warned the Government of India about imminent Lashkar-e Toiba attacks. Recent warnings have been perhaps of more serious nature and that is why General Officer Commanding 15 Corps, Syed Atta Mohammad Hasnain, had to admit that militants are desperate and they will make more infiltration attempts in next two months. He said that around 500-700 militants are waiting at the launching pads in Pak-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). As the GOC 15 corps was making these remarks a fierce gun battle between Army and the infiltrators was on in the Kanzalwan forests.
While the situation is deteriorating, the state police officials are underplaying the situation by proclaiming that militancy was on its 'last leg' and only 36 militants are active in the whole Jammu region. On August 15, the local newspapers reported the busting of a major Hawala racket to fund terrorism in the state. Drug hauls in the state have also indicated the existence of narco-terrorist cartels extending from the state into various parts of India, including the national capital. As the state police officials, perhaps under the political directions underplay the situation in the state, the CRPF in the state has not minced words and accepted that groups of militants have sneaked into the state in recent times. The CRPF has also publicly warned that terrorists may target vital installations in the state, including bridges at vital communication points. As the CRPF was apprising the public about the seriousness of internal security threats, Army around the same time recovered 43 Kgs of explosives not in a remote area along the border but in the outskirts of Srinagar city. A couple of days before militants had sneaked into the state from the Balakot sector by cutting the fencing in the immediate aftermath of the visit of the Army Chief.
Terrorist movements and activities across the state, arms hauls, drug peddling, Hawala money circulation and the infiltration bids many of which have been successful, we are faced with a scenario which is not so rosy. The Government of India wants us to believe that things are better and is projecting its engagement with Pakistan as a sign of improvement of relations and the heralding of peace in the state. It is not an ostrich attitude. Ostrich buries its head not to see. But the government of India is keeping its head high and eyes wide open and yet not seeing anything - indeed a state of voluntary blindness. |
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