Shravan Krushna Saptami
By Rahul Datta
New Delhi: The ISI and Pakistan Army are stoking violence and backing the separatists who are involved in the Amarnath shrine land issue in Kashmir valley. Unable to step up infiltration and violence, Pakistan apparently changed its strategy in early June and decided to create internal civil disturbance in the border State. The Amarnath row provided them the perfect handle to do so.
The terrorists were also instructed by their handlers in Pakistan to attack the Amarnath pilgrims but failed due to unprecedented security measures, sources in the security establishment said here on Friday.
A well-placed official said that radio intercepts showed that the ISI was issuing instructions to its jihadi recruits in India to step up violence in the valley and target Amarnath pilgrims. "The Pakistani handlers were abusive and they directed the terrorists holed up in the valley to do something dramatic and spectacular this summer," the official said. The ISI and Pakistan Army were also determined to disrupt the forthcoming Assembly polls in October, he added.
Elaborating upon the change in strategy to unleash terror in the State, sources said the summer months normally see a rise in infiltration levels as the snow melts, thereby making it easier for the terrorists to sneak through the ingress routes from across the 750-km-long Line of Control (LoC).
The security forces were prepared to meet this challenge as they did not want the jihadis to gain the upper hand in the run-up to the Assembly polls and carried intensive patrolling in the hinterland. They also conducted operations based on real time intelligence and managed to keep the terrorists on the run. As a result of these measures, the months of April and May did not see a major jump in the infiltration attempts and the ISI and Pakistan Army were rattled by their failure. They then changed the strategy in late May or early June and decided to foment internal disturbance with the help of separatists.
The controversial Amarnath shrine land issue gave them the opportunity to carry out their designs, sources said, adding that the massive rally on August 15 — where Pakistani flags were waved publicly — was also the handiwork of the ISI in collusion with the hardliners in the valley.
Source: Daily Pioneer
