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Pakistan releasing Hafiz Saeed shows it is back to fomenting trouble in Kashmir

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Shantanu Mukharji
Shantanu MukharjiNov 23, 2017 | 18:37

Pakistan releasing Hafiz Saeed shows it is back to fomenting trouble in Kashmir

The  judicial review board of Pakistan's Punjab province ordering the release of 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, is definitely a shot in the arm of the neighbouring country's government that is struggling to set its own house in order following domestic frailties and power struggle ahead of the general elections.

The order, with all certainty at the government's behest, is likely to bolster the Pakistani establishment which has not achieved much in the recent past in needling India either over the Kashmir issue or in abetting terror inside any Indian territory. 

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Immediately after his release order, the JuD chief, who was under house arrest since January, swung into action with aggressive rhetoric. Daring India in a provocative statement, Saeed said: "India can do no harm to me and Kashmir will soon get freedom."

Such acrimonious articulations were expected though that is unlikely to vitiate the sense of trust and confidence that the Modi government seems to regained in Kashmir, especially with the new government-appointed interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma instilling fresh hopes in the youths who have gone astray, to return to the mainstream. 

Coincidentally, Sharma's efforts have already started to bear fruits at least in the initial days of his assignment, and it is hoped he will be able to usher in peace in the Valley sooner than later. Soon after Sharma met J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti in Srinagar and held detailed parleys with several stakeholders in Kashmir, security forces announced a new surrender policy for militants with a much-visible reformist and liberal attitude. 

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Government-appointed interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma has instilled fresh hopes in the youths who have gone astray, to return to the mainstream (Credit: PTI photo).

Perhaps for the first time, families of misguided youths are being roped in to help rehabilitate them. For example, 20-year-old footballer, Majid Khan, who joined terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba recently, saw a video posted by his mother, exhorting him to give up militancy and surrender. Good sense prevailed and Majid surrendered before the security forces along with all arms in his possession. More such misguided youths from the Valley are believed to be following suit.  

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Another example of liberal approach by the J&K Police was the operationally sound decision of not pressing charges against the footballer-turned-militant who surrendered unconditionally.

Meanwhile, "operation Madadgaar" is also showing signs of promise in helping the misguided Kashmiri youths to eventually return to the mainstream.

What is worth emphasising is that all the players involved in maintaining law and order in the Valley including the Army, BSF, CRPF, J&K Police and a slew of intelligence agencies are working closely now, and that's a very welcome sign. No differences of opinion, no crossing each other's paths and yet there is perfect and fool-proof coordination. 

CRPF inspector-general (operations) Zulfiqar Hasan has also appealed to the militants to surrender and join the mainstream instead. He has, however, and rightly so, ruled out any concession to be meted out to foreign militants hinting to surrender. Helpline numbers are available and the J&K Police have also been taken on board.

Significantly, none of the statements by the police or military leaders contradict each other and that's the beauty of this ongoing  coordinated action. The government must continue to encourage all security personnel who are giving their professional best to meet the ongoing challenges.

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It was heartening to know that perks and other monetary benefits hitherto enjoyed by the CRPF will also go to the J&K Police - a huge fillip to the state cadre who are in the frontline facing bullets. They are more vulnerable (mainly because they are locals) and remain easily identifiable by hostile quarters.

The new reformist policy apart, the security forces engaged in Kashmir are also determined to root out terrorists causing violence in the Valley. In the past few days (latest one on November 21) there have been severel encounters eliminating some important LeT terrorists. All these were joint operations represented by the different security forces.

The one in Magam in Kupwara was decidedly profound sending a tough message to the foreign-inspired militants as well as mercenaries. 

In the meantime, lieutenant general JS Sandhu of the 15 Corps shared some interesting statistics on militancy. According to him, so far 190 terrorists have been eliminated and out of this, as many as 110 were foreign terrorists while only 80 were locals.

Significantly, out of this 110, 66 were killed near the LoC. This figure is striking as it implies that Pakistani terrorists trying to cross the LoC were being killed. 

Frustrated by the string of success by the Indian security forces, India baiters in Pakistan, will try to prop up Hafiz Saeed and make him speak the language of hate and also encourage terror in the Valley.

So, the timing of Saeed's release doesn't augur very well for Kashmir, but given the high morale of the Indian security forces with a clear road map and positive rehabilitation packages, not much damage can be inflicted. Yet, maximum vigil and an offensive policy seems imperative. 

It is pertinent to point out that as soon as Hafiz Saeed's release order was announced , the Punjab government is believed to have told the court that his release might  incur the wrath of the international community inviting severe economic sanctions against Pakistan. But the plea was countered by the court on the grounds that he had already undergone "illegal detention" of 279 days meriting immediate release.  

It appears that a section of the Pakistani polity is concerned about international sanctions. It is, therefore, plausible if India drums up an offensive diplomatic activity to ensure Hafiz Saeed's detention in other cases against him.

Now when Kashmir is showing signs of returning to normalcy, there should be an all out diplomatic war to push a case for Hafiz Saeed's detention. And this is very much possible with professionally competent teams available with the ministry of external affairs as well as the NSA who is believed to be the prime mover in dealing with the crisis in Kashmir. 

 

Last updated: November 24, 2017 | 14:29
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