Chapter 3 continues…

With considerable growing experience in training, organizing and running the Afghan mujahideen, and with military supplies available (through US, Saudi and other foreign assistance), Pakistan began expanding its operation in mid-2010s to promote separatism and sponsor terrorism in Kashmir, as a strategic long-term programme of seeking to balkanize India, or at least keep the Indian nation hemorrhaging.

Thus the rise of Islamist ideology to predominance throughout Kashmir facilitated the emergence of a networking of terrorist activities, amongst Kashmiri militants, their logistical supporters and Pakistan. Moreover, with the increased terrorism in India, the ISI had been able to keep out the Afghani mujahideen from meddling in Pakistani domestic politics, and has been successful in that regard at least to date.

Sadly the first distinctive boost to terrorism in Kashmir was provided by Farooq Abdullah as Chief Minister when for his narrow political posturing he released terrorists from jail in May 1989, that led to genocide of Kashmiri Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists, and a mass exodus of over 500,000 non-Muslims to other parts of India and the Western nations.

Within months, these released terrorists belonging to several militant groups emerged advocating Nizam-e-Mustafa as the objective of their struggle. Azadi gave way to jihad. Groups such as Jamaat-e-Islami and its militant wing, Hizbul Mujahideen, the radical women’s wing, Dukhtaran-i-Millat, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, Allah Tigers, Jamiat-ul-Ulemma Islam, Al Badr, Al Jihad Force, Al Umar Mujahideen, Muslim Mujahideen, Islamic Students League, Zia Tigers, swore by Islamization, merger of Kashmir with Pakistan, unification of the Ummah, and finally establishment of an Islamic Caliphate as their objective.

The proposed merger of Kashmir with Pakistan, which had little support amongst the broad masses of Kashmiris, was nevertheless propagated as a step towards the unification of Ummah. Hizbul Mujahideen asserted that its aim “is the establishment of Islamic Caliphate world over. We do not believe in ideological or geographical boundaries.” Another group, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, stressed that “the demand for self- determination was distorting the image of the ongoing movement. It is a struggle for the establishment of Caliphate.”

To be continued…