National Investigation Agency has initiated the process of probing the huge amounts of money transferred to various groups of separatists in Kashmir through hawala. Hawala is an illegal method of somebody taking money from donors in a foreign country and then asking his contacts in India to pay the amount in Indian currency to person or persons named by the donors. Pakistani intelligence agency ISI established a network of donors in foreign countries who donate money for Kashmir insurgency. The purpose of providing enormous funds running into hundreds of crores is to perpetuate terrorism in Kashmir particularly feed the unrest in the Valley.
The rumours of Kashmir separatist leadership receiving huge monies through hawala have been making rounds in the Valley from very early times of insurgency. A number of cases were mentioned but not definite action was taken till the matter finally subsided. It is also rumoured that some of the authorities compromised with the culprits. An armed movement like one in Kashmir cannot be carried for twenty seven unless it is frugally funded. Though the general belief is that ISI has been funding the movement, yet the truth is that the funding comes primarily from Saudi funding sources catering to the expansion and propagation of Wahhabism in countries where Sunni Hanafi Muslim population in good numbers and capable of disrupting law and order in the native state. It is a different thing that this funding source does not or may not be conducting transactions directly yet the fact is that many Kashmir insurgency activists located in foreign countries have been paying regular visits to Riyadh and some other Gulf States and canalling funds to Kashmir insurgents.
The irony is that the State and the Central Governments being in full know of clandestine transfer of monies and also having caught some of the hawala activists red handed, did not take any serious step to bring the culprits to book. Why did they choose to soft-paddle with the networks and agencies that were running this illegal racket against the interests of the State? The answer to this vital question may never be given but the damage it has done to the nation as a whole is very much visible now in Kashmir.
NIA has now moved, albeit belatedly. It has conducted preliminary investigation and is satisfied that the case is worth to be pursued in national interests. At present it is at the preliminary enquiry (PE) stage and the next stage is to file FIR against those suspected persons. Preliminary enquiry has revealed that there are three base centres of Kashmir hawala racket viz Dubai, Old Delhi (Chandani Chowk and Ballemaran localities) and the end recipients in Kashmir. Among the main leaders of Hurriyat (G) four recipients of hawala money have been named. They are Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Naeem Khan, Gazi Javed Baba and Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karate. The last named is the same person who in reply to a question in television interview said that after killing 22 Kashmiri Pandits he had lost the count.
Obviously, if probe is carried out expeditiously and with full vigour names of many more persons will surface. With the amended laws as we are told, it should be possible for the NIA to overcome the hurdles that disabled them from conducting the probe in previous cases and taking these to their logical conclusions. If the unrest is to be arrested, action against the culprits should be taken quickly and if they are found involved, the law must take its natural course. Might of the State has to come into action when dealing with cases that pose serious challenge to the sovereignty and integrity of the State. Hawala money has been used to foment civil unrest in the State, to support and promote armed insurgency, to kill and loot innocent people and their houses or the banks, to spread lawlessness and chaos in the State, to foment sedition and treason. The law of the land must come into force. The task NIA has taken up must reach its finality in shortest possible time and action must follow forthwith without a single day’s loss.
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