Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Jan 10: After facing internal problems due to frequent attacks by Taliban and other Jehadi groups, Pakistan is diverting them towards India, and all those who are returning home from Afghanistan after withdrawal of NATO forces.
The change in policy comes after deadly attack on an army school in Peshawar last month in which 141 people including 132 children were killed. And also after thousands of Afghan war veterans, post NATO forces withdrawal, and those who have completed jail term in Afghanistan, are returning home.
Sources said that Pakistan has launched a two pronged strategy to deal with the problem of frequent attacks by Jehadi groups inside Pakistan. “One is the major operation against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in which large number of them were killed since army school attack and second is diversion of Jehadis towards India”, they added.
After Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) came into power in 2008, noose was tightened around Jehadi groups and majority of them including those who were war veterans from Afghanistan got concentrated in Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) and made it a base for carrying out attacks inside Pakistan.
Source said that after the attack on army school, there is a consensus in the Pakistani establishment that the Jehadis who are hardcore and, for whom Jehad is a way of life, reining in has dangerous consequences.
“It was decided that the State will no longer rein in Jehadi groups. The Government will no longer control them and they will now operate on their own. The Jehadi leaders were also taken into confidence before formulating this new policy”, sources said.
They said that this will also apply to the pro-establishment Jehadis, called as peace brigade, operating under the Pakistan army and was used against the TTP.
Sources said, however, the bigger concern for India is hundreds of Taliban fighters who were fighting NATO forces in Afghanistan and are returning home. “Besides this there are thousands of Taliban who are lodged in various jails and are being handed over to Pakistan after completion of their jail term. They are also being diverted towards Indian borders”, they said.
The Defence analysts here have already expressed concern over the security concerns of the country, post NATO forces withdrawal from Afghanistan. They had fears that these Jehadis may be diverted towards India which is now becoming a reality as per new Pakistani policy.
Sources said that Pakistan is using Jamatul Dawa chief, Hafiz Sayeed’s influence to prevail upon TTP for Gazwe Hind (war against India) instead of waging war against Pakistan.
Sayeed had recently warned war against India and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve the Kashmir issue. “If you are not ready to resolve it, then God willing, Kashmir will be the gate and we will launch Jehad against India”, he said in his recent speech. Sources said that Sayeed is making frequent visits to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) Border and LoC to launch these hardcore Jehadis.
Sources said that these Jehadis are trying to carry out Fidayeen attacks near the border in Jammu against Border Security Forces (BSF) and along LoC in Poonch, Rajouri and Kashmir against Army.
Army sources said that around 160-170 highly trained militants are ready to infiltrate into Kashmir from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). They are not ruling out Fidayeen type of attacks like they did at Mohra in Uri in which 11 security forces personnel including a Lt Colonel was killed.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army’s 15 Corps, Lt General Subrata Saha last week said that Army does not rule of Fidayeen attacks. “Any such type of attack is being done by risking their life. Whatever name you will give, Fidayeen or else. The question is when any one tries to infiltrate, he takes full risk of his life”, he had said.
Inspector General (IG) of Border Security Force (BSF) Jammu frontier, Rakesh Sharma, last week said that at least 50 militants are waiting on the launch pads near Jammu border.
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