Kashmir Related Articles

[uazim]

I think we should start a Kashmir related thread, admin can move it anywhere though.

Article By

Iftikhar Gilani


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n swallowing the Indian propaganda which purports to link the Kashmir movement with Islamist terrorism, it is a less known fact that there are many non-Muslims fighting against the Indian forces in held Jammu and Kashmir.

Recently, the police arrested some Hindu boys that sources said were involved in the May bombing of the famous Raghunath temple in Jammu. Not surprisingly, the Indian authorities had earlier claimed the bombing was the handiwork of Islamist groups working at the behest of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Now, of course, they blame the ISI for instigating disgruntled Hindu youth to commit acts of terrorism for hefty sums of money! In any case, the whole incident has been hushed up and no one knows the fate of the Hindu boys accused of the bombing.

But the phenomenon is fairly old. The first time it came to light was in October 1991, when police arrested Sunil Kaul, a Kashmiri Pandit youth, in Srinagar. Sunil and his accomplice, Subash Bhan, were reportedly trying to bomb an examination centre when the time device went off prematurely and killed Subash. In fact, the incident was considered the first ‘fidayeen’ attack in held Jammu and Kashmir.

Last August, just before India’s Independence Day, police in Jammu arrested Bharat Kumar, a Hindu youth, along with six accomplices, including two other non-Muslims, Soudagar Singh and Harjeet Singh alias Jeeta. All the accused belonged to Jammu city. Until his arrest, Bharat, a local commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, was operating under the codenames of Tariq and Munna.

At the time, IGP (Jammu) R V Raju told reporters that Munna had been ordered to carry out a major explosion on August 15. For that purpose he was given a sum of Rs 10,000 and some pre-timed devices (PTD). Raju said that Munna, an “ordinary criminal”, had joined the HM ranks apparently to get easy money and was trained in various camps in AJK and Afghanistan.

The police officer also claimed that Bharat alias Munna had agreed to become a militant in 1997 after he was approached by Harkat-e Jehadi Islami (HJI). In late 1997, he was taken to a camp in Rajouri where he spent many days before crossing over to AJK where he was trained to handle small arms.

Finally, he was taken to Samahni near the LoC across from the Nowshehra sector. But, instead of pushing him into Jammu, he was bundled off to another training centre somewhere near Kabul. Police said that Bharat got heavy arms training in the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan for over three months before finally returning to Jammu.

Back home, he developed some differences with his sponsor group. He parted with HJI and joined the HM. Heading the local HM unit, Bharat was specially assigned to carry out major blasts and disturb important official functions in Jammu.

The Indian security brass asserts that these incidents are just exceptions and should not be generalised. A section of intellectuals in Jammu believes that the majority Dogra community living in the Jammu region has always sided with the north-western forces rather than their co-religionists.

Mohammad Ali, a history teacher in Jammu, says that Dogras had sided with Mohammed Ghauri in his battle against the Hindu king, Prathvi Raj Chauhan in 1192. Then they supported Aurangzeb against Shivaji Maratha and finally they joined Ahmad Shah Abdali in his battles with the Sikhs and the Marathas. “In fact one of the Dogra feudal lord died while fighting for Aurangzeb,” he says. More recently, Maharaja Hari Singh, the then ruler of the princely state of Jammu & Kashmir, was reluctant to accede to India in 1947, according to his grandson and state minister Ajatshatru Singh.

A Kashmiri Pandit boy from Mandirbagh locality in Srinagar joined the militant movement in the early 90s. But, he later left the armed struggle when his mother and sister were allegedly gang-raped by “identified militants”. A massive protest demonstration against the incident at the time coincided with the release of the APHC leaders in 1993. In fact the boy’s family was also harbouring militants that led to his involvement and the killings of his two close relatives.

During the halcyon days of militancy, the police had to launch a special search operation in the Sikh dominated localities in Baramulla in north Kashmir to nab the Punjab militants hiding there. A couple of Sikh militants were also associated with various Kashmiri outfits, which had mushroomed like mohallah cricket teams in the early 90s.


UA

[Sultan]

India's draconian "anti terrorism" law (POTA) in action........

INDIAN OCCUPIED SRINAGAR (June 10 2002) :

A leading Kashmiri leader has been detained under a tough new anti-terrorist law over allegations of funding "terrorist organisations", police said on Sunday.Police seized Syed Ali Shah Gilani in an overnight raid on his house here.
The 73-year-old Gilani is a former head of the All Parties Hurriyet Conference.Hurriyet denounced in a statement Gilani's detention as a move to "derail the ongoing peace process" between India and Pakistan and called a general strike for Tuesday in protest.It added that the leader was in poor health.No charges have been laid against Gilani following the swoop on his home by police and income tax officials.His arrest came, as tensions remained high between India and Pakistan, although hopes for peace rose after a pledge last week by President Pervez Musharraf to halt "cross-border infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir"."Mr Gilani's arrest...is a setback to the process which is being initiated to lessen tension between India and Pakistan and to help resolve the dispute in Jammu and Kashmir," Hurriyet Chairman Abdul Ghani Bhat told Star Television News.AIDING AND ABETTING: Police director-general A.K. Suri said Gilani was detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act over allegations he was "aiding and abetting terrorist activities...(and) funding terrorist organisations in the state". He has been sent to a jail in Ranchi in the eastern state of Jharkhand.Three other activists were also held under the act, passed last March, which gives police broad arrest powers and allows suspects to be detained for 30 days without appearing in court.Suri said the arrests followed the discovery by authorities of more than $30,000 in a house.In March, police detained another Kashmiri leader, Yasin Malik, under the act after picking up a woman they alleged was carrying tens of thousands of dollars for the freedom movement. Malik, who remains in jail, has denied any links with the woman.India says money from abroad is funnelled to the rebels, a lot of it through sympathisers in Britain.-ReutersCopyright 2002 Reuters (Published under arrangements with Reuters)

[Waqqas]

At this time the Kashmir Jihad is the target of our sworn enemies. They are working overtime to make Pakistan back off from supporting the righteous claim of the Kashmiris for a plebiscite.

They are trying to sow misunderstandings among the Pakistanis/Kashmiris/Pak army. With the full support of the Zionist State of America bharat is ready to do a "Khalistan" in Kashmir. The Kashmiri leaders are and will be arrested and eliminated. The mujahideen are being branded terrorists. Everything is being done to crush the Kashmiris.

We have to understand Kashmir is NOT Afghanistan. We should not and cannot back off on this issue. If we do, then we might as well join bharat to make the dream of Advani and company come true ie akhand bharat.

There comes a time when one has to draw a line and say here and no further. This time has come for us with regard to Kashmir. If we are not honest to the blood of hundreds of thousands of martyrs then we will reap the punishment both in this world and the hereafter.

http://dailyausaf.com/ausafnews/deta...ype=kalam&id=4

http://dailyausaf.com/ausafnews/deta...ype=kalam&id=1

http://dailyausaf.com/ausafnews/deta...type=kash&id=1

The need of the hour is to conduct elections asap and put in place a government that can lead the nation and be our (democratic) representative in front of the world so at least this aspect of our enemies' propaganda can be countered. Also, it is crucial that our government is 100% honest towards our nation. People have to hear the truth. I am confident our people can stand up to any challenge and face hardships with an unbeatable attitude if they are told the truth.

I really hope our government knows what it is doing wrt Kashmir. I hope our leaders are not going away from "Kashmir banega Pakistan" towards Vajpayee's akhand bharat dream. Because that is exactly what will happen if we back off from Kashmir now.

I know we will inshallah prevail in the face of adversity but at the same time we should not close our eyes to clear and present dangers but face them and overcome them with unity, faith and discipline.

Noor e khudaa hai kufr ki harkat peh khanda zan
Phonkoon se yeh charagh bujhaya na jae ga

[Ammar Bhutta]

Waqas the arrest of Syed Ali Gilani is much big of a story than what people are seeing..This is the biggest back-stab our nation has seen in a very long time..

[Ammar Bhutta]

http://www.nawaiwaqt.com.pk/daily/ju.../image/nk1.gif

http://www.nawaiwaqt.com.pk/daily/ju...image/tal1.gif

[Waqqas]

http://markazdawa.org/urduweb/DAILY/...lima-dawa.html

[Sultan]

RANCHI (June 11 2002) : The detained All Party Hurriyet Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Gilani has reiterated his resolve to continue fighting for peace in the held Kashmir valley.

"Although I am seen as a hard-liner with an anti-Indian stance the fact remains that I had been fighting for restoration of peace in the held Kashmir valley", he told reporters here.

The former chairman of APHC, after being arrested under POTA was brought here and lodged in the Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi.

To a query he said he was not clear about the intentions of the Indian government and added that anything about his arrest would be better clarified by the union home ministry.

He was brought here as a part of the Centre's scheme to disperse the Kashmiris leaders arrested in occupied Kashmir.

Meanwhile, security measures had been beefed up in and around the Birsa Munda Jail.-Sana

Copyright 2002 Sana (Published under arrangement with South Asia News Agency)

[Waqqas]

The following is from today's Jang. Get ready to welcome US troops in Kashmir!


Deployment of US ground forces in Kashmir discussed: Rumsfeld
(Updated at 1915 PST)
NEW DELHI: The possible deployment of US ground forces in Kashmir was discussed with India's leadership, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said here Wednesday.

"I have seen indications that there are in fact al-Qaeda operating in the area that we're talking about near the Line of Control," Rumsfeld said, referring to the de facto border dividing India and Pakistani Kashmir.

"I do not have hard evidence of precisely how any, who or where," he told reporters after talks here with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Asked if US troops would go after al-Qaeda fighters in Kashmir, Rumsfeld dodged the question.

"We are getting the cooperation of all kinds countries across the globe in chasing the al-Qaeda and other global terrorist networks and in working with countries to see that their countries do not become havens for terrorists," he said.

Evidence of al-Qaeda in Kashmir: Rumsfeld
(Updated at 1910 PST)
NEW DELHI: There is evidence al-Qaeda forces are in Kashmir, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said here Wednesday.

[Waqqas]

http://jang-group.com/jang/jun2002-d...orial/col3.htm

[Sultan]

Proof that the Indian govt. supports murderers!!!!


INDIAN OCCUPIED SRINAGAR (June 17 2002) : India's plan for so-called assembly elections in occupied Kashmir suffered a major setback when Indian Supreme Court decreed certain conditions for the contesting candidates.

The court, in a judgement, made obligatory for all the contesting candidates to inform the Election Commission of India about their educational qualification, political activities as also criminal background, if any, reports Kashmir Media Service.

The political observers here maintained that most of the so-called candidates supposed to take part in the coming elections bogey are those pro-India armed gangsters, who are facing cases of murder, extortion and kidnapping. The Indian government following All Party Hurriyet Conference's blunt denial of participating in the elections, has persuaded a number of armed men who are operating in tandem with its armed forces in occupied Kashmir.

The Indian government, through its different agencies, has prepared 200 pro-government gunmen to take part in the farcical elections. This is part of New Delhi's strategy of disinformation campaign about so-called participation of Kashmiris in the elections.

However, the Supreme Court decree is likely to put a spanner in the process as most of the surrendered gunmen are involved in serious charges of loot, plunder, extortion, murder and kidnapping.

Reports gathered from various parts of the occupied Jammu and Kashmir indicate that the pro-government militants are involved in 1,763 criminal cases. Kuka Parray, the chief gangster of pro-government militants, who is at present, MLA, is alone involved in over 17 cases of murder and extortion. His brother Lassa Parray was arrested last month on such charges.

Sources said the Indian defence ministry and the home ministry has expressed serious reservations over the SC ruling, adding that five senior officials of these ministries have approached Indian Prime Minister's Offices over the matter. They have sought the personal intervention of Prime Minister Vajpayee so that these people are not barred from taking part in the elections.-APP

Copyright 2002 APP (Published under arrangements with Associated Press of Pakistan

[Sultan]

INDIAN OCCUPIED JAMMU (June 17 2002) : In occupied Kashmir, senior All Parties Hurriyet Conference leader Mohammad Yasin Malik, who was detained under Prevention of Terrorism Act, was produced in POTA court, reports Kashmir Media Service.

Advocates appearing for APHC leader submitted that the case is politically motivated to malign the reputation of a moderate leader who is not involved in the present case.

Under the Pota, the investigating agency has to present challan against the accused within 90 days. Under the Act the investigating agency can extend the period with the permission of the competent court for further 90 days whereas in the present case, Mohammad Yasin Malik was arrested on March 25, 2002, and the statutory period under the Act is going to expire on June 23, 2002.-APP

[MohammedA]

What do you guys think of he outcome of the current crisis? Who gained more, India or Pakistan? Many Indians seems to think they have gained an edge by getting at least a temporary stop to attacks and crossings into Occupied Kashmir. Or has Pakistan an opportunity here to "Internationalise" Kashmir issue and force a settllement? If India doesn't want to make serious concessions then start up attacks again?
I think Pak FO has gbeen truly awful, one of their worst performances EVER. I give full credit to Jaswant Singh for having the brains to form "anti-terror" agrrements with USA, UK, Russia, etc, and planting Indians in US and EU think-tanks. Obviously, none of this occureed to Pak FO post 9/11 situation. Let's hope the new FO minister can still do something about this.

Please give only rational replies, no emotional crap without facts.





Refusing mediation over Kashmir untenable: FT

LONDON—Indian refusal to accept international mediation over Kashmir dispute is not tenable hence it must be involved in talks over Kashmir to ensure progress on settlement of the issue, said British daily, The Financial Times, (FT) on Monday.

“India has always rejected outside involvement, whether by international bodies or individual states. This position is now untenable. The world is threatened by the possibility of a war between two nuclear powers. Furthermore, India has itself demanded the involvement of the international community” over the issue, said F.T, one of the leading British daily, in its analysis which it captioned “ The West Balancing Act in Kashmir” .

It is therefore encouraging that Pakistan has declared that it will support any solution acceptable to the people of Kashmir. It is now for India to begin negotiations with the chief Kashmiri groups in an effort to find a political solution.

The west must therefore be ready to step in with two demands once terrorism has ended: first, India should begin negotiations over the issue.

“Second, the international community should have a central role in any talks over Kashmir. Without such international participation, these talks are likely to fail as others have done so often in the past,” said the writer of this analysis Anatol Leiven who works at Carnegie Endowement for International Peace in Washington DC.

FT said, those pleading further pressure on Pakistan without concession from India forget two things. “ First, Pakistani help,” has been of “ critical importance in the fight against al-Qaeda”. Second, an invasion of Pakistan by Indian troops, is “not an option.

“In the end, the only force that can control extremism and terrorism in Pakistan is a strong Pakistani government that enjoys the support of its own people”, said one of the leading British daily. “But it is critically important that pressure on Pakistan be balanced by clearly visible pressure on India to seek a political solution in Kashmir. Equally, pressure on Pakistan to crack down on domestic terrorists and extremists should be balanced by condemnation of the Hindu extremists groups in India responsible for the massacres of Muslims in Gujarat earlier this year, “ said FT.

FT said European countries have condemned both the” massacres and the links between the Bharatiya Janata Party, dominant in the ruling coalitions in Delhi and Gujarat, and the Hindu extremist groups behind the killings”.

British paper said “ It is disappointing that the US has not done the same. The US should publicly urge the Indian government to control these groups and distance itself from them. This is of the greatest importance to Indian democracy”.

“Western balance is also necessary if Pakistan’s willingness and ability to co-operate in the struggle against Islamist terrorism is not to be wrecked,” said the Financial Times. It said despite Pakistan’s central support in campaign against terrorism and al-Qaeda “ if America now appears to take India’s side, it will be seen by Pakistanis and other Muslims as a betrayal. It will also be taken as further evidence of US hostility to Muslim states in general”.

“When it comes to Kashmir, there is no moral problem about the west’s being balanced, as there is more than enough blame to go round. The present Kashmiri conflict has lasted since 1989 but is only the latest stage in the armed dispute between India and Pakistan over the territory, dating back to partition in 1947".

It said “The initial blame for the Kashmiri insurgency since 1989 lay with successive Indian governments. These undermined Kashmir’s autonomy within the Indian federation, rigged elections, discriminated against the region’s Muslim majority and responded to protest with ferocious repression,” said the author.—APP

[MohammedA]

Very interesting thoughts....


PakObserver.com

Pakistan at crossroads

Mazhar Hussain Shah

The two governments have for the first time in many years started discussing a variety of possible arms sales from the United States to India including P-3 naval surveillance aircraft, sophisticated counter battery radars, and General Electric engines for India’s Light Combat Aircraft, a fighter plane that has been under development for more than a decade, Dennis Kux observes while discussing India’s Fine Balance in Foreign Affair magazine that attracts influential circles around the world. He further asserts that the “United States has in addition given the green light for Israel to include the US technology in the radar system it proposes to install in Russian-made planes to provide India with air surveillance and early warning capability”.

Moreover, Indian and US armies moved quickly to agree since December 2001 on programmes for joint exercises, improved technical cooperation and expanded training. The Indian Ocean sea-lanes protection inspires their cooperation on ever-rapid pace. Both States consciously avoided diplomatic pin-pricks to pave further way for smooth walk together, motivated by common interests. India mildly reacted to Axis of evil speech of G W Bush, despite the fact it included Iran. US contempt for Kyoto Protocol could not stir critical response from India. More importantly, over-jubilant endorsement by India of NMD questioned the continuation of past cold relations. The Indian endorsement astounded the world because India superseded America’s trans-Atlantic allies, in rush-to-endorse-NMD race. In turn, the US mildly reacted to Indian missiles test in late January 2002, which evinced stern criticism from international community for its untimely occurrence.

The index of diversity of emerging and deepening relationship between India and the US is not without serious consequences for the region generally and Pakistan especially, the archrival of India. Worse still, India has been skillfully colouring Kashmir freedom movement an off-shoot of international terrorism to seek legitimacy for its intended unleashing of State terrorism in Kashmir, in the guise of counter-terrorism campaign.

The result of it is somewhat mix, but still in transition. Both parties are trying hard to keep the balance towards itself. With emergence of Taliban and their subsequent hardening of Orthodox orientation in state management, which drew intense international concerted response in the form of sanctions and arms supply to their opponents, India found an opportunity to equalise Taliban and Kashmir movement. The interlocking factor of both was allegedly ISI of Pakistan. Kashmir retains a mini Afghanistan or Taliban operatives and warriors were the buzzwords that evolved out of Indian desperation to some how falsify Kashmir movement into terrorism. Since the Taliban have disappeared from Afghanistan, and it has been admitted by competent authorities in the US and Pakistan that Taliban and Al-Qaeda operatives may be hiding in tribal areas and mainland Pakistan. They have the intention and potential to regroup against allied forces in Afghanistan. This assertion provides India second opportunity to tie Kashmir movement with Al-Qaeda, so that international community could lend credence to its State terrorism unquestioning support.

On 9th June India claimed that its forces have shot dead two militants, who resembled Arab warriors of Al-Qaeda. Even the authorities stated a doubtful assertion. Misgivings about fled operatives can be matured into beliefs if the exact information remains hidden. That is what India is exploiting. Since it is believed the of some militants are hiding in Pakistan, and then their safe place, as Indians interpret, will be Kashmir. They argue without supportive evidence that 3000 militants are waiting for final call to enter Kashmir. This is absurd and ridiculous. Can Pakistan afford to amass such a huge number of people when international community is closely monitoring it? The projection of 3000 warriors would convince the impressionable minds of those in international community, who know nothing about the nature of conflict and tactics India uses to fuel it, that Al-Qaeda elements will certainly be among them. The statement of Donald Rumsfeld the Defence Secretary of the US during his visit to India served a big blow to Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts. He said, “I have seen indications that there in fact are Al-Qaeda in the area,” and further elaborated “I do not have hard evidence of how many or who or where.”

It gave support to India’s contentions about the presence of members of Al-Qaeda in Kashmir. On 13th June New York Times quotes in its report on Kashmir: “A Western diplomat in Islamabad said this week that about 300 members of Al-Qaeda were believed to be active in Kashmir, some fighting in the Indian part and others operating on the Pakistani side of the dividing line. Many of the Al-Qaeda fighters, the diplomat said, went to Kashmir after the Taliban’s defeat in Afghanistan late last year.”

Precisely, the evolving strategic partnership since the last year of Clinton administration and reinforced by 9/11 incident has been creating number of actual and potential challenges, which merit immediate responses to avoid major disadvantages in maintaining and pursuing national interest. Firstly, Indian-American strategic partnership that tends to threaten Pakistan’s military and diplomatic manoeuvring. India appears to be most favourite baby of the West at least; and the way they are showering favour on her illustrate the hiking trend in their good relations. American think-tanks untiringly are extending their government advice to foment strategic ties with the US, and develop it regional manager of affairs so that the US could have least burden in this region. Indian Ocean rivalry is evolving and the US is intended to develop India as Indian Ocean power to check Chinese likely competition. The Indian Ocean sea-lanes protection, joint naval patrolling and exercises, defence collaboration, provision of dual use technology, and permission to Israel point to the future aggressive posture of India against Pakistan.

The recent shooting down of Israeli made Indian spy plane testifies the deepening of ties on mutual interest of cornering Pakistan. Pakistan must assess what it can offer in return of strategic relationship. Secondly, Kashmir attracted immense international attention, but to the disadvantage of Pakistan. Virtually international community, through incessant media management by India, seem convinced that Pakistan is fuelling insurgency in Kashmir and is actively supporting by sending money, weapons and fighters. In addition, ISI has emerged major victim in whole exercise for at least two reasons: 1) it reared Taliban and created mess in Afghanistan, 2) the movements in Indian Punjab and Kashmir have been designed and fuelled by it.

Worse still prestigious international print and electronic media succumb to Indian propaganda that controlling ISI is beyond Musharraf’s control. They further plead that even if President genuinely wants infiltration stop, the dissident elements in ISI and some leading generals in Pakistan Army who share fundamentalist beliefs, are the real impediments. The challenge to dispel Indian propaganda is quite bigger and will not be tackled overnight. The real question arises that what if Kashmir movement continues with same pace after international monitors or hovering satellites confirm that infiltration from this side of LoC is under control: how India will proceed further? Will it again blame Pakistan of assisting the genuine freedom movement by themselves? The freedom fighting organisations have clearly stated that LoC is not substitute of border, and since it is temporary arrangement therefore till its final settlement neither Pakistan nor India can stop us from exercising our relations on both sides of LoC. The joint patrolling proposal is absurd in hill-level distrust. How can both work together across a gulf of trust?

In addition, Indian proposal might have been motivated by the belief that this exercise will establish credibility of Indian claim to IHK, if the proposal is accepted by Pakistan. American diplomats are visiting the region, seemingly to balance the interest of all parties involved, but over-warming of relations between India and the US caste doubt that US will cater to Pakistan’s demands more than Indians. Therefore, it is need of hour to reassess our policies towards all directions and give them realistic and rational trimming according to situation. Flexibility and continued reevaluation must be the hallmark of our foreign policy. Situations do change requiring corresponding changes, in intensity of pursuits of core interests and modes as well.

Transitions in the policy and strategies do not mean the change in the objectives. Better alternatives are always at hand, and only they need intensive exploration. Think-tanks must be developed and fully sponsored to search for new ways to attain interests. The lesson must be learnt from West. Their policies are always flexible. Human rights, nonproliferation and rhetoric of democracy are meaningful only if they stretch your national interest. American foreign policy provides a classic index of flexibility in policies overtime.—The author is associated with Islamabad Policy research Institute (IPRI), Islamabad.

[Shaan]

Kashmir Key to Al Qaeda's Strategy Versus U.S.
19 June 2002

Summary

Kashmir is growing in importance to al Qaeda, which is using training camps in the disputed
state to replace those lost in Afghanistan. Al Qaeda's grand design there is to provoke a war
between India and Pakistan with the front line in Kashmir. That would only help al Qaeda by
distracting the United States with a regional war and lead to the possible replacement of the
Musharraf government with a fundamentalist Islamic regime.

Analysis

The question of al Qaeda's presence in Kashmir is quickly becoming a critical issue in both the
U.S. war against al Qaeda and the India-Pakistan conflict. Washington will have to find ways
to deal with al Qaeda's forces in Kashmir despite both Islamabad's and New Delhi's
unwillingness to let U.S. forces operate there. If a war breaks out between India and
Pakistan, the first front would be in Kashmir, where al Qaeda's participation in anti-Indian
resistance would complicate matters further. Kashmir is also where al Qaeda hopes to
improve its strategic position vis a vis the United States.

STRATFOR sources from several countries have confirmed that al Qaeda is indeed present
in both Pakistan-controlled and India-held parts of Kashmir. All parties involved, from
Washington to Islamabad to New Delhi, are aware of this, but they continue issuing conflicting
statements, each for their own reasons. STRATFOR recently wrote about the rationale
behind the United States changing its stance on the matter.

More important than whether or not al Qaeda's presence in Kashmir is acknowledged is what
al Qaeda is doing and planning in Kashmir, what forces it has there and how they are likely to
be used.

Al Qaeda established a presence in Kashmir in its early years. The region always has served
as al Qaeda's recruitment base, specialized training ground and safe haven. The relative
importance of these uses for al Qaeda keeps changing, but in absolute terms it remains high
and has increased especially after the Taliban regime was overthrown in Afghanistan. But the
chief importance al Qaeda is attaching to Kashmir now is that it is where the United States will
become bogged down while trying to stop an India-Pakistan war -- and if it becomes the
grave for the pro-U.S. Musharraf regime, all the better.

Kashmir has been important in al Qaeda's recruitment function since the early 1990s. The
network there consists of a few full-time and many more part-time members. Even its senior
leaders alternate their efforts and time between contributing to al Qaeda proper and other
militant organizations with more limited goals, such as Kashmiri separatist groups. Among
such part-time senior officers have been several Kashmiris who not only helped Osama bin
Laden build this network but also brought scores of other Kashmiri militants to operate in
various part-time al Qaeda assignments throughout the world.

Al Qaeda actively uses both native and foreign-born Kashmiris. Known as industrial
entrepreneurs, Kashmiri emigrants have successfully integrated themselves by the thousands
into Western societies. Al Qaeda has taken advantage of this fact. Some support al Qaeda
financially via elaborate networks of NGOs while others are al Qaeda field operatives in
Europe and North America.

Kashmir has been very important for al Qaeda as a training ground for specialized terrorists.
Certainly Afghanistan used to be al Qaeda's main military training base, but as a training
ground for terrorists, Kashmir has always been more important.

In Afghanistan, terrorist training in al Qaeda-run camps lacked real-life conditions because the
students did not have the opportunity to put into action what they learned there. It was a
conventional war, not a terrorism campaign, that the Taliban and al Qaeda led against their
enemies in Afghanistan until last November. In Kashmir all terrorist training has been real in
the sense that the training course in Pakistan-held Kashmir has always included as its "final
exams" the penetration through the Indian border and sabotage actions on the other side.

Since al Qaeda lost Afghanistan, Kashmir has become invaluable as a training ground. The
group now conducts both military and terrorist training, including real-combat encounters with
Indians and subversion acts against them. One other type of training is also a Kashmir
specialty for al Qaeda: the practical training of command cadres. It is in Kashmir that selected
militants undergo extensive training and become either troop leaders or the heads of sabotage
cells.

The United States, with the help of the Pakistani government, is fishing for al Qaeda in
western Pakistan's tribal areas, but it will mostly find former Taliban soldiers and local militants
with little or no connection to al Qaeda. Having foreseen that President Pervez Musharraf
would bend under U.S. pressure, many of the al Qaeda members proceeded to the then-safe
Pakistan-held Kashmir rather than stay in the west. Now Kashmir serves as a major
regrouping base for some al Qaeda operatives: They can prepare themselves for new orders
while their leaders use Kashmir for planning operations.

Kashmir plays another role here as well. If Kashmir becomes a major battleground for India
and Pakistan, the United States would be distracted by the regional war and the possible
ensuing collapse of Musharraf's regime. Al Qaeda is working hard to facilitate a sharp rise in
Islamic militant attacks on India to provoke some retaliation. Although al Qaeda knows India
would then attack the training camps, it also knows that the Pakistani army would inevitably
get involved and New Delhi would have to switch its major efforts to defeat Pakistan rather
than al Qaeda and the militants.

Whatever follows -- either Pakistan's military defeat or Musharraf's retreat due to U.S.
pressure -- the assured mess in Pakistan could lead to Musharraf's fall and the installation of
an Islamic fundamentalist regime. Changing a regime from pro-U.S. to fundamentalist in a
major Muslim country such as Pakistan, the second-most populous Islamic nation, has been al
Qaeda's strategic goal for years. Such an event might also dramatically turn the tide in the
global war between al Qaeda and the United States.

STRATFOR sources indicate that al Qaeda forces in Kashmir may amount to only between
20 and 30 full-time people, with some being senior leaders and the rest being mid-level field
operatives. There is no information that bin Laden is in Kashmir, but it cannot be ruled out.
However, there are several hundred part-time militants associated with al Qaeda operating in
Kashmir, some acting behind front lines in India-held parts of the region. Highly skilled and
extensively trained, they lead incursions against Indians and continue running training programs
for new recruits.

The small number of full-time al Qaeda members and the absence of al Qaeda-only units are
deceptive because their strength is in their close links with the local Kashmiri militant groups.
While al Qaeda does not exclusively own a single training camp in Kashmir, its part-time
members run the camps for, and belong to, both al Qaeda and Kashmiri militant groups.

Al Qaeda's strength in Kashmir is in this duality: Though some senior staff are foreign to
Pakistan and Kashmir, the local militants willingly cooperate with them because the foreign
operatives also belong to the local militant groups. Among the latter, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen,
Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed Mujahideen e-Tanseem and Al Jehad Force most
closely collaborate with al Qaeda in the region.

Al Qaeda -- due to both the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States and the major help it gives
in training local militant groups -- has a great deal of authority in the Kashmiri and Pakistani
radical Islamic movements. It has the capability to lead the events in Kashmir in the direction it
needs and to lead the Islamic militancy there, if necessary, from behind the scenes. If India
strikes, the heaviest losses will likely be to the local militant groups in the training camps, while
those 20 to 30 senior leaders staying out of the training camps will escape.

Their mission will not be to fight advancing Indian troops but to perform the most important
task for al Qaeda in the region: help Pakistani clerics organize Islamic masses and servicemen
to topple Musharraf. Many of the sabotage specialists whom al Qaeda has trained under
live-fire in Kashmir are already out of the region preparing to attack the United States and
elsewhere. Al Qaeda will do its best to get the remaining ones out of Kashmir before the start
of any war.

Washington, New Delhi and Musharraf's regime still need to invent effective ways to deal with
al Qaeda in Kashmir. The small abatement in Indo-Pakistani tension has not disrupted al
Qaeda's grand plan to have both nations clash in Kashmir. Nor did it disrupt al Qaeda's
operations in Kashmir. For that, the Pakistani army should not just block the border but
liquidate the joint al Qaeda-Kashmiri militant training camps -- something that may well prove
deadly, more so for Musharraf than for al Qaeda.


India: Kashmir Elections a No-Lose Proposition Against Pakistan
18 June 2002

Farooq Abdullah, India's chief minister of Kashmir, announced June 18 that assembly
elections in Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir would be held in October, with the new
government taking power by Oct. 14. From New Delhi's point of view, the election is a
crucial test of the Pakistani government's commitment and ability to control militants in
Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

Indian officials realize that Islamabad couldn't restrain the militants even if it wanted to. But
New Delhi wants and needs to clearly show the rest of the world, particularly the United
States, that Pakistan is an irresponsible neighbor and therefore an untrustworthy ally in the
global war against terrorism.

In late May Indian media cited unnamed military officials as saying New Delhi would hold off
on attacking Pakistan if Islamabad would ensure that Kashmiri militants would not interfere
with the October election in Jammu and Kashmir. The military later called the report
speculation. In either case, New Delhi will not draw down its troop levels along the Line of
Control in Kashmir or the rest of the border with Pakistan until after October due to the
possibility of more militant attacks in the run up to the election.

This will keep India in a position to strike into Pakistan or Pakistan-controlled Kashmir if the
situation deteriorates rapidly. And there are already signs that Pakistani-based militants are
preparing to disrupt the polls. Indian forces June 18 killed a Hizbul Mujahideen militant in
south Kashmir, who in addition to weapons and communication gear was carrying "stockpiles
of anti-election campaign materials," the Hindustan Times reported.

For Islamabad, the pre-election period is also of critical importance. International attention
continues to focus on Pakistan as the emerging center of al Qaeda operations and activity.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is already under increasing domestic pressure for
attempting to rein in Kashmiri militants and quell al Qaeda activities. This puts him in a tough
position because if his campaign is successful, it will trigger a domestic backlash, but if it is
unsuccessful, it will further weaken his foreign standing.

For New Delhi, then, the Jammu-Kashmir election is shaping up as a win-win situation,
especially as the All Party Hurriyat Conference, a collection of Kashmiri nationalist and
pro-Pakistani parties, appears set to boycott the poll due to the ongoing standoff between
India and Pakistan. This would leave the door wide open for the pro-Indian parties
participating in the election.

If India avoids the militant attacks and the polls go off without a hitch, then New Delhi proves
to the world that the people of Kashmir support Indian control. If the elections are
compromised by militant activity, however, New Delhi has a clear case against Pakistan and
may turn the United States against its former ally, allowing India or Washington to take care of
the militant problem with a military solution.

[H Khan]

Shaan & others,

Syed and the rest of the admins have posted while back that stratfor and their kind are basically anti-Pakistan, anti-Muslim and pro-Hindu sites/groups. So, please refrain from posting articles.





Few Warnings
This is focused towards few people and they will know who they are. Plus these people are on the verge of getting banned also.

1. Any post from stratfor... especially anti-Pakistan will get you banned here.
2. Any link to indian news papers and BR threads will get you banned.
3. Those of you who are just posting news articles will be gone soon, one has experienced it for few days.
4. Any paranoi, anti-pakistan govt post anti-president will get you banned.
5. No personal posts to each other will end up getting you loose your posting privaledges. You have private messaging for it.
6. READ THE NEW ANNOUNCMENT


__________________
Administrator @ PakDef.Info

[Shaan]

That's retarded.

It's simply a different perspective on the God forsaken issue, it's not anti-Pakistan. This censorship is ridiculous.

Of course is something is blatantly out to label Pakistan a "terrorist state" or a "rogue nation" or any other term, fine, ban the poster or delete the post.

However, it's just silly to ban somebody b/c they post an article that doesn't coincide with your perspective. But of course, this is a typical Pakistani/Muslim forum where people get censored for posting various views.

[uazim]

Originally posted by H Khan
Shaan & others,

Syed and the rest of the admins have posted while back that stratfor and their kind are basically anti-Pakistan, anti-Muslim and pro-Hindu sites/groups. So, please refrain from posting articles.





Few Warnings
This is focused towards few people and they will know who they are. Plus these people are on the verge of getting banned also.

1. Any post from stratfor... especially anti-Pakistan will get you banned here.
2. Any link to indian news papers and BR threads will get you banned.
3. Those of you who are just posting news articles will be gone soon, one has experienced it for few days.
4. Any paranoi, anti-pakistan govt post anti-president will get you banned.
5. No personal posts to each other will end up getting you loose your posting privaledges. You have private messaging for it.
6. READ THE NEW ANNOUNCMENT


__________________
Administrator @ PakDef.Info

To improve the banning policy of this forum, I am going to make few suggestions in good faith, and I am not trying to step on anybody's toes and here they are:

We should form a committee of 5 people and let them decide whether to ban a particular person or not. I know there is already an informal group of people who contribute towards this process.

To elect/select members of this committee, we can ask the existing members to nominate people of their choice and select the top 5 nominees.

Administrators in future act on the recommendations made by this committee.

Any member of this forum can ask this committee to investigate a person. This will make this process fair and open to public.

Any member accused of some wrongdoing should be given a chance to defend before they are banned and be told who the accuser was.

I know most members don’t contribute financially towards the cost of running this site and administrator mostly bear the burden and they are justified to run this forum the way the like it but I feel if we implement the above mentioned policy, it is going to benefit the forum in the long run. Other member can make suggestion to improve the policy proposed here.

We need people of diverse background, opinion and mindset to discuss the complex problems and issue faced by our nation, we need to learn to listen to views which are different than ours. we need to respect other people opinion, we have to analyse the issues from different angles and only then we will be able to understand them better. Understanding the problem is as important as finding the solution because untill we understand the problem we can not find the right solution for it.

Also IMHO opinion everyone who can, should contribute financially to offset the cost of running this site

UA

[H Khan]

Shaan,

I really don't care when people like you say that this is censorship or this your perspective. You are still very young to read between the lines when these people write "objective and unbaised" reports on Pakistan and Muslims. Their main agenda is to pound people like you with the same propaganda under the pretext of being "objective and unbaised" so that one day you will be agreeing and talking and writing their talk.



Uazim,

I really don't want to indugle in this "committe" business because more or less no one agree with others and the end result would be total zero progress.

[uazim]

Originally posted by H Khan




Uazim,

I really don't want to indugle in this "committe" business because more or less no one agree with others and the end result would be total zero progress.

Then Sir dont be on that committee

UA

[Shaan]

H Khan,

I'm sorry, oh wise one. You hold all the answers and since my age precludes me from knowing anything at all, I shall keep my mouth shut.

What a crock. Typical mentality of labeling the youth misguided, et cetera, et cetera.

[H Khan]

Shaan,

Don't try to be a smart ass with me!

Your age reflects your intellect level.

[uazim]

Originally posted by H Khan
Shaan,

Don't try to be a smart ass with me!

Your age reflects your intellect level.

Khan Sahib

Please use the PM for personal messages.

UA

[Shaan]

Me thinks that Khan Sahib is not as sagely and old as he pretends to be.

[SyedA]

Few misconceptions that need to be clearified.

1. pakdef is not a democracy where people vote on who gets to be banned. Its a dictatorship, which is me!!!!!

I do take inputs from my moderators whch are usman and uzair but thats about it.

2. kids who come here learn to respect their elders, islam teaches us that also. just because you have a Quranic verse in your signature doesn't make you an alim or immune to getting banned

3. Once again stratfor is a hindu mouth peace and i don't want to propagate their propaganada through pakdef.

4. old or new members are not immune to banning policy but some old members like H Khan, Majithia, Waqqas, uzair usman and others (sorry if i am forgetting someone) are an asset to this forum, respect them or leave!!!!! Arguments can be made in poliety also.

5. here you follow the rules or you go to the curb.

[Gaf]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2002Jun21.html