PoK unrest gives ISI fresh opening for terror push into J&K

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) The protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have accused the security forces of committing alleged atrocities and excesses as they continue their agitation to press for their demands. Despite repeated crackdowns, the protests show no signs of losing momentum, with demonstrators remaining steadfast and determined not to back down this time.

Amid the continuing unrest, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is reportedly attempting to exploit the volatile situation by facilitating multiple infiltration attempts across the border. As the protests intensify, security agencies expect increased pressure along the border with India. A high alert has been sounded all along the Line of Control (LoC) amid concerns that the unrest could be used as a cover for infiltration bids.

The main protests in PoK are taking place in Muzaffarabad and Rawalkot, which are around 15 to 40 km from the Indian side of the LoC. Owing to the atrocities and shortage of food and medicines, many may try to cross over into India, officials say.

“The ISI is looking to take advantage of the ongoing crisis and send its terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir,” officials say.

The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has launchpads at four places in PoK. They are in Muzaffarabad, Koti, Bhimber, Bagh and Rawalkot. In the midst of all the ongoing commotion, the ISI will look to activate its launchpads in Muzaffarabad and Rawalkot.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that an estimated 300 terrorists are waiting to infiltrate from these two launchpads. For the ISI, slipping in ten terrorists is considered a major success.

The official said that the LeT in particular is desperate to carry out an attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The Lashkar’s proxy, The Resistence Front, which has been explicitly named in the Pahalgam attack chargesheet by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), wants to carry out a similar-style attack.

The ISI considers such attacks more impactful as it drives fear into the minds of the people. Moreover, carrying out such an attack is easier as compared to the one on the security agencies or military installations.

“Security around military bases and other sensitive installations has been significantly strengthened, making it extremely difficult for Lashkar operatives to even get close to these facilities,” officials said.

Another official said that last year’s Pahalgam attack may have cost the Pakistanis dearly in the form of Operation Sindoor. However, the ISI is not likely to stay quiet as there is a lot of pressure on it from its proxies such as the Lashkar and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

“Hence, carrying out a big strike is important for the ISI,” the official said.

The agencies are keeping a close watch on the border areas as the ISI looks to step up infiltration attempts through the LoC. The Pakistani security forces would look to pressure the people of PoK who are closer to the LoC. The aim is to create a humanitarian crisis so that people try to cross over into India.

“This would stress the border security mechanism, and in case of a single slip-up, the ISI would use that as an opportunity to send in a couple of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir,” officials said.

Following the Pahalgam terror attack, tourism in Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a sharp decline. With tourism serving as the region’s economic lifeline, officials believe the ISI is once again attempting to target the sector by creating fear and uncertainty. The Pakistani spy agency has been identifying major tourist spots in J&K so that it could attack innocent civilians once again.

“Targeting the tourism sector directly affects the livelihoods of thousands of people in Jammu and Kashmir. The ISI’s objective is to create economic distress and discontent, hoping it will push some people back towards violence, stone-pelting and other activities aimed at disrupting peace and normalcy in the Union Territory,” an official said.

A major strike in Jammu and Kashmir is of critical importance to the ISI, officials said. Such an attack would boost the morale of terror groups such as Lashkar and aid recruitment, which has declined significantly in recent months. It would also serve as a diversion for Pakistan, which has been grappling with multiple internal crises, including unrest in Balochistan and PoK, the official added.

–IANS

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