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Kashmir : Killings increase |
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The Maulana Abbas Ansari-led Hurriyat Conference has invited leaders of mainstream parties in the state to join the amalgam and fight ‘’unitedly’’ for the Kashmir ‘’movement’’. Taking a dig at the leadership of the ruling PDP and the National Conference, Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq asked them to join them as ‘’they speak in the same language as we do’’. Umer, who is Kashmir’s chief priest, was addressing a Friday congregation at the Jama mosque in Srinagar.
In an oblique reference to NC patron Dr Farooq Abdullah, the Mirwaiz said: ‘’People who talked of wiping out militancy and bombarding Pakistan were now advocating Hizbul Mujahideen’s involvement in dialogue and Indo-Pak confabulations.’’ PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has been vociferous on engaging the Hizb in talks with New Delhi in her election rallies.
The Mirwaiz’s remarks against PDP and NC followed Democratic Freedom Party chief Shabir Ahmad Shah too asking mainstream leaders to join their programme.
Meanwhile, despite assurances given by Pakistan’s President General Musharraf from different global fora and bilaterally to his senior allies in the much-publicised campaign against terrorism, the rate of terrorist strikes in Jammu and Kashmir is increasing.
The number of civilians killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir between January 1 and March 15 this year is 83. That makes it almost one murder per day plus two extra every fortnight. In the corresponding period of 2003, the number of civilians killed by terrorists was 67.
Kashmir watchers note that two main reasons ascribed to this spurt in terrorism by security analysts are the lack of will and inclination on the part of the Islamabad Government and the terrorists’ desperation at the success of the peace process. They fear that if the process continues, they would be marginalised and then eliminated from the scene. Most of the killings were of innocent people. As many as 48 of the civilians had been abducted and then mercilessly butchered. Many of the victims were innocent women and children.
A look at the figures of those killed in terrorism over the past three years reveals that if the Musharraf regime continues to turn a blind eye to these cross-border terrorists and those already planted in Jammu and Kashmir, the number of victims of such crimes might grow. In 2001 as many as 1,098 civilians fell to terrorist attacks. In 2002 the figure was 1,050 and in 2003, it fell somewhat to 836.
The recent spurt indicates that the number may show a disturbing rise this year if tough preventive measures are not taken early in PoK. But the acts of desperation by the terrorist groups are now evoking strong-willed resistance on the part of the Kashmiri people against infiltrators and foreign terrorists.
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