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Kashmir : UN ban on Lashkar, good news for India

	May 09, 2005

There is satisfaction in India over the ban imposed by the United Nations on the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and 12 outfits with which it is associated. The Lashkar-e-Taiba has been very active in Jammu and Kashmir over the last one year and the UN action is an indictment of Pakistan’s continued support to these groups. Lashkar is widely regarded as a fully owned subsidiary of Pakistan’s Inter-services Intelligence (ISI). Significantly, the UN ban came after sustained lobbying by the United States and Canada.

Reacting to the UN decision, a US Embassy spokesman in New Delhi said, it is an important step in the ongoing efforts to cooperative on combating the financing of terrorism. He said the Lashkar is a violent organisation that continues to support terrorist activities in South Asia and West Asia, primarily targeting India.

Banned under UN Resolution 1267, it will entail all UN member states to freeze the assets, prevent their entry into or transit through their territories. This could be particularly difficult for Pakistan which not only houses the organisation, but even its leadership who drift in and out of house arrest. The resolution also prevents supply, sale and transfer of arms and military equipment with the entities associated with LeT.



Congress-PDP strained relationship continues

The strained relations between the two main constituents of the ruling coalition in Jammu and Kashmir continue. The Congress and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are now at logger-heads on how to deal with the contentious issue of scrapping the Resettlement Act. Chief Minister Mufti Mohd. Sayeed said that his Government would protect the interests of the legitimate holders of evacuee property. The Congress leadership has said that it would oppose attempts by the Mufti to restore evacuee property to PoK refugees, who return.

In a related development, the Supreme Court has issued notices to both the Centre and the State Government on the claims of rights to ancestral property made by the residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The court was hearing a petition by Bhim Singh of the Panthers Party. He alleged that PoK residents entering the state by the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service are being allowed to make such claims. The notices are returnable by May 12. The Court observed, “How can those who take the bus route and come on a tourist permit make a claim for evacuee properties. In view of the fact that this court has stayed the J & K Resettlement Act, we find no reason to pass any interim order.”

The opposition National Conference, on the other hand, has supported the Resettlement Act provisions which allow rights over the property left behind by those who migrated to Pakistan occupied Kashmir.



Separatists try to move closer

The hardline and moderate factions of the Hurriyat Conference are planning to have a crucial one-on-one meeting between heavyweights, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to bring the separatist elements under one banner. Geelnai and Mirwaiz who head the hardline and moderate factions have been avoiding each other since the Hyrriyat Conference split about two years back. The moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference has set up a three-member team to negotiate with Ali Shah Geelani.

Sources close to Mirwaiz say the meeting has become imperative after Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf told the heads of the rival Hurriyat factions that their unity was in the “best interest” of the Kashmiris. It also follows Mirwaiz’s reported telephonic discussion with Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salauddin, urging him to persuade Geelani to agree on a reunion.

“Some friends are trying to set up the meeting between the two top leaders. We hope they meet soon and shun all differences.”



No end to trans-border terror in Kashmir

India on May 2 said there had been no end to cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir despite the growing thaw with Pakistan, and that Islamabad had made no “significant” effort to dismantle the infrastructure supporting terrorists sneaking into the country.

The Defence Ministry’s Report for 2004-05, released on Monday last, noted that 2004-05 had “ended on a hopeful note” for India-Pakistan relations.

“While there was some decline in the level of infiltration, this was more on account of measures on the part of the Indian armed forces than any discernible change of heart or action by Pakistani authorities.”

“There was no evidence of any significant Pakistani effort to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism such as communications, launching pads and training camps on its eastern borders with India, comparable to its western borders with Afghanistan.”

The annual report is a formal document that outlines the Defence Ministry’s policy and contains an assessment of threats to national security.



Low-key infiltration could sustain Kashmir violence

After peaking in the 1990s, insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir has been steadily declining. But low-key infiltration of militants from Pakistan indicates violence could continue for years, officials say.

Tourism, which became moribund throughout the 90s forcing many into penury, is slowly picking up. Around 200,000 visitors came to the state in 2004. The tourism department expects tourist arrivals to reach an all-time high of 400,000 this year. Already this year, over 45,000 tourists have visited the Kashmir Valley.

And the biggest confidence building measure of them all - the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service - has stirred much hope on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) with its promise of uniting divided families.

In spite of all this, even as India and Pakistan talk peace seriously for the first time in decades, officials say it will be quite a while before militancy is totally wiped out.

“At least 20 militants have been killed by the security forces while trying to cross the LoC to our side during the last fortnight. This proves infiltration is continuing, though at a much reduced rate,” said Javaid Mukhdoomi, the Inspector General of Police (Kashmir zone).

Senior officers of the security forces, as also those of the intelligence agencies, argue that there has to be a full stop on infiltration to totally halt violence in Kashmir.



Drop in Kashmir violence in 2004

Insurgency-related violence in Jammu and Kashmir declined in 2004 over the previous year, according to the annual report of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The report, which was tabled in parliament on May 4, said the number of violent incidents reported in 2004 fell to 707 from 3,041 in 2003.

“A fairly encouraging polling percent of 35.21 in the Lok Sabha elections and an increase in the number of tourists to the Kashmir valley were indicators suggesting improvement in the security situation,” it said.

Likewise, there has been a considerable decline in violence in the north-eastern states, the report said. “The strategy adopted by the government - accelerate infrastructure development, generate employment, improve tries with neighbouring countries and discuss legitimate grievances of the people - has started to pay dividends,” it said.



Sudden spurt in violence : 10 killed

In a sudden spurt in violence in Jammu and Kashmir, a politician, three policemen and six suspected militants were killed and seven civilians wounded in separate incidents across the state on May 3.

A police officer said separatist guerrillas killed senior civic official Muhammad Ramzan Mian of Pattan and three policemen on Tuesday last , and later decamped with two automatic rifles belonging to the security personnel.



Chief Minister’s nephew dies after guerrilla attack

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s nephew passed away on May 2 after being shot at by separatist guerrillas the night before.

Attiqullah Shah, 50, succumbed to his bullet injuries in hospital. The eldest nephew of the chief minister, Shah had been attacked by guerrillas near a mosque at Bejibehara in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, 45 km from Srinagar.