Militants’ attack on Wullar Conservation Project (Wullar barrage) indicates induction of new strategy into Pakistan’s proxy war against India in Kashmir. Pakistani intelligence agency ISI has conceived the idea of attacking critical infrastructural sites and objects in Kashmir. The purpose is to carry forward the Zia subversive theory of inflicting “thousand cuts on the body of India”. But will these attempts help Pakistani policy planners to achieve their goal of snatching Kashmir.
Sopore remains infested with militants. It has a vast hinterland and good connectivity with the LoC in Tithwal and Karen area. These two crossing sites along the LoC are frequently used by the militants. The Army commanders did warn that some Pakistani armed terrorists might have succeeded in sneaking in and they were likely to carry on their assigned mission of subversion. In the case of attack on Wullar barrage, this is the first incident in which direct attack on the critical infrastructure has been launched. Militants carried out this mission successfully just because there were no security force personnel around to deter them. But in all probability, their mission can have wider canvas and they may target more critical infrastructural sites. It is right that the government has moved in quickly to upgrade or reinforce security arrangement at other vital hydroelectric power stations that are irritating Pakistan. But it is not only the power generating stations that could be targeted.
Indus Water Treaty was signed between the two countries under the aegis of the Word Bank. It was expected that this treaty would put an end to all possibilities of differences and conflict between the two countries since the rivers flow through their territories and both are in need of water and cannot be denied the benefit. It was also agreed that in case any controversy on utilization of water resources arose, it would be brought to the World Bank for just mediation. Ever since Pakistan has been regularly raising objections to India using the water for generation of power or for other genuine usages and in most cases when the controversy was brought to the notice of the World Bank, the mediator’s verdict never supported the stand taken by Pakistan. Hindsight shows that Pakistan never felt satisfied that an equitable water treaty had been signed without coercion from any side. Thus Islamabad developed the psyche of objecting and obstructing each and every step that Indian genuinely took towards fair and legal utilization of the water of rivers flowing from Indian territory to Pakistan. Wullar barrage is an example in sight. Apparently the attack has been made for promoting the interests of Pakistan and not of Kashmiris. This will be explained by the purpose behind the Wullar project. The purpose was to arrest the waters of Wullar during winter, raise its level and thus ensure perennial flow of water downstream so that the hydroelectric power generating unit at Uri would maintain power generating capacity during the lean months of winter when snow stops to melt on the mountains and water level comes down in the Jhelum. The power thus generated without interruption would provide electricity to entire Kashmir. An attack on the Wullar barrage is denying supply of electricity to the people of the valley. That is why we say that the attempt made on Wullar Conservation project is direct attack on the interests of Kashmiris. Furthermore, it is wrong to infer that by constructing the barrage on Wullar, there will be water shortage to Pakistan. Technically that is not correct interpretation. There is no diversion of water; it is only raising the level. Its flow downstream is not affected.
We shall have to take cognizance of the fact that militants are active in Sopore area and Ningal. The site of Wullar barrage is not far away from the peripheries of the town. The Wullar barrage attack seems a planned mission and the operators are suspected to be the commandos of Pakistani army. The entire outfit has created clandestine base somewhere in the area and recruited locals to assist them as guides and helpers in carrying forward their mission. Security forces have fanned in the adjacent villages and stepped up the search for them. They will be tracked down sooner than later, and liquidated. These gimmicks are not going to make a success story. But the important part of the entire story is that the Government must bring pressure on local population to disclose the identity and whereabouts of the eight local militants who accompanied them. They will provide the vital clue. The State police and security agency have to work hard to get hold of these pro-militancy sympathisers. We know that once the noose is tightened, the separatists will whip up passions of the local people and incite them to public demonstration and raise hue and cry of violation of human rights. This is the part of the game of ISI and has to be taken care of.
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