Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Nov 16: Inspector General of Police Kashmir Muneer Khan today said that Pakistan is using social media to lure youth into militancy but Police have foiled their design by arresting several of them.
Khan told reporters in Srinagar that Pakistan has launched a relentless social media campaign to lure youth into militancy. “There is a relentless social media campaign by Pakistan to lure the youth also. Most of them you will find college or school dropouts”, he said.
The IGP said youth in the age group of 15 years to 25 years are vulnerable to be exploited as they find it hard to differentiate between right and wrong.
Khan said police has brought back many youth who were on their way to join militants with several of them arrested from Kupwara while on their way to get arms training.
The IGP said that not more than 17 youth have joined militancy recently in Kashmir. “I do not agree with figure of 42 but there is no doubt that youth have gone and joined militants,” he said.
Khan said security forces will take all measures to help the local militants in Kashmir to join their families if they surrender. “We stand by our commitment to local militants that they can surrender at any time, even during an encounter, and return to lead a normal life after facing the law,” he said.
Asked whether sports persons joining militants is a cause of concern, the IGP said everyone is interested in other activity besides his or her profession so let them not highlight this. “Majid has become a militant and we are trying to bring him back to the mainstream. His family members are making an all out effort to bring him back and it is our job to second their efforts.”
He said it is not just about Majid, the authorities are committed to help any misguided youth who want to surrender and live a normal life. “I’m not just talking about Majid, but all the youth who have joined militancy. We will make every possible effort to rehabilitate them.”
In response to a question, the IGP said he would not divulge the details of surrendered militants as “we have to ensure their safety and security”.
He said police is compiling its recommendation to be submitted to the Government on the steps to be taken for rehabilitation of those militants who surrender.”We are compiling the steps to be taken for rehabilitating militants — both who have gone across and those who are here. We will send our recommendations on how to rehabilitate them to the Government. In near future we, shall have a comprehensive policy,” he said.
Khan said all this while addressing a press conference where two of the three local militants arrested yesterday in Kulgam district were presented before the media. “The third militant, who was injured in a gunbattle with security forces in Kund area of Kulgam, is in hospital undergoing treatment, the official said.
“Atta Mohammad (local militant) was injured during the encounter at Kund on November 14 and he was on the verge of the death. But our jawans, who had lost a colleague during the operation, rescued him and took him to hospital. Even if he had died, nothing would have mattered as he was injured in an encounter. But his rescue showed our commitment to the offer of surrender,” the IGP said.
Khan said the operation in Kund area is still ongoing as there were intelligence reports about two militants still being at large. “The operation at Kund was jointly launched by police, army and CRPF. This operation was started on November 14 based on specific information about a big group of terrorists, a joint group of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizb ul Mujahideen,” he added.
“One militant was killed while one jawan was martyred in the encounter and the Kund operation is still ongoing. It was launched, in a specific area which is still under cordon. We have information that a foreign militant and a local militant are still in that area and we are looking for them. Hopefully we should get them,” he said.
Khan said this operation was a fine example of excellent coordination between various security agencies.
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