Author: Anil Sharma
Publication: The Daily Excelsior
Date: June 29, 2000
The birth and sustenance of fundamentalism in the State of Jammu &
Kashmir is due to the nefarious designs of Pakistan. As a Nation,
Pak has lost its intellectual and spiritual moorings as, despite evidence
to the contrary, it reiterates the life that its support to the Kashmir
issue is only moral and it has no role in funding and arming of terrorists.
These lies are fraying at the edges, as the United States and other Western
countries are gradually coming around to accepting the fact that Pakistan,
as a State, is openly sponsoring terrorism.
Pakistan came in for a rude shock in 1965, when it found no support
from the locals of Jammu & Kashmir in its, 'OP Gibraltar'. Years
later, the Afghan crisis came as blessing for Pakistan, for it learned
how a fundamentalist movement can be sustained. The experience led
to a deliberate plan to support terrorism in Kashmir in 1988. Pakistan
had realised that it did not have the wherewithal to take on India in direct
confrontation after the humiliating defeats it suffered in the several
wars it fought against India. Thus the impetus and focus of Pak aims
shifted towards annexing J&K and led to its indulging in a low cost
proxy war and constant efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue.
Ever since it commenced sponsoring terrorism, Pakistan has doggedly
preserved in its aim of keeping the fire burning in Kashmir. It remains
immune to the hardship and sufferings unleashed on residents of this State.
What matters to them is the dream of annexing the beautiful vale of Kashmir.
It is the ISI, which provides training, motivation and above all funds,
to sustain terrorist groups. It is hard to believe the audacity of
Pakistan in its refusal to deny the charges of encouraging terrorism, when
in reality without its support for even few days, terrorism in J&K
would die a natural death.
The main organisations involved in fund raising and for sustaining the
proxy war are Pak ISI, Tabliqi Jamait, Jamait-Ulema-e-Islami (JUI), the
Markaz and other organisations of the Wahabbi and Deobadi Sects.
In addition, All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC), Jamat-E-Islami (JEI)
and United Jehad Council are also involved in the scheme for funding terrorism.
Forcible collection of Zakat (Muslim Religious Tax equivalent to 2.5 percent
of an individual income) from people of J&K and PoK is resorted to.
Financial contribution received on the name of Jehad is also being siphoned
through some organisations/trusts allegedly setup for this purpose.
Apart from leaders of APHC, the main conduits for this fund laundering
is a memorial trust located in Srinagar. A front organisation of
JEI is also being used for channeling funds from abroad to fund the proxy
war. The Markaz, with its office located at Lahore is another organisation,
which solicits donation from general public for the so called Mujahideens,
fighting in J&K. Huge funds have been/are being raised abroad
in the name of Kashmir and channelled to terrorist and fundamentalist on
both sides of the Line of Control. The Tabliqi Jammait, which has
members of the Government in its councils, is siphoning off funds to its
militant wings for the purposes of Jehad.
Next important source of funding the Proxy war in J&K is through
the sale of illegal narcotics, which is patronised by the Pak ISI.
As per a recent United Nations Drugs Control Programme (UNDCP) report,
approximately US $ 2.5 Billion is annual income that accrues to Pak ISI
from the illegal sale of narcotics. Thus, by a conservative estimate,
even if 5 percent to 10 percent of this amount is used for funding terrorism
in J&K, the amount works out to a whopping US $ 125 million to 250
million (Rs. 537.5 Crore to Rs. 1075 Crore) each year.
Other methods of funding the proxy war in J&K are:-
- Through Hawala transactions (Money laundering) from various foreign
countries.
- Printing of fake currency notes by the Nationals Jehad Council's printing
press located at Muzaffarabad in Pak Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Such
currency is ironally used to compensate the families of deceased terrorists
by Pak ISI through the various terrorists organisations.
- Collection of donations in Middle East and European countries under
the name of Jehad Fund.
- Extortion of funds from traders, contractors and affluent people in
Kashmir valley and certain parts of Jammu Region.
- Indirect funding by provision of arms, ammunition, equipment, ration
and clothing items to the terrorists prior to inducting them into the Indian
side of LC in J&K and subsequently.
- Carriage of Pak and fake Indian currency by infiltrating terrorists
groups.
Some amount of the funds collected, amounting to billions of rupees,
in addition to being siphoned off are also paid to terrorists. The
rough figures of payments are:-
- Motivator for recruitment Rs. 5000/-, Family of newly recruited
youth Rs. 40-50,000/-; Monthly pay foreign terrorists Rs. 10,000/-
per month; Porters Rs. 20,000/- per trip; Guides Rs. 3,000
per individual.
These figures, only go to show that Pak ISI is having the last laugh
at the expense of the terrorists, who meet their waterloo against security
forces in a short span, that too for a meager sum of Rs. 10,000/-
after suffering the trauma and tension of death awaiting them at every
nook and corner after infiltrating. Pak, despite being in economic
and political doldrums herself, is funding in J&K to keep the "pot
boiling" and undermine the fabric of our polity and society.
