New Delhi, (Samajweekly) In the wake of the Taliban taking full control in Afghanistan, experts have cautioned the Indian security agencies to increase vigil on the international border with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.
There are apprehensions that Pakistan’s ISI may push Afghan militia into Jammu and Kashmir to disturb the prevailing security scenario.
In this regard, they have anticipated that the redeployment of Pakistani terrorist groups like Lashkar- e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), who have targeted Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of India in the past, may be activated again.
“The security agencies in India need to be careful and on high alert and need to take all possible steps to check the infiltration from the Pakistan side into Jammu and Kashmir. The ISI was also instrumental in pushing the Afghan militia into J&K when they were ousted from Afghanistan after the US security forces launched military operations against them,” former Home Secretary GK Pillai told IANS.
A senior official in the security set up said on the condition of anonymity that this may seriously undermine the aspirations of the Kashmiri population for peace and the desire of the Indian government to work for the sustainable development of the region.
Referring to the Soviet invasion and occupation of Afghanistan in 1979 that witnessed a heavy resistance movement by the Afghan local militia for eight years when the Soviet troops withdrew in 1988, the experts recounted how Pakistan’s deep state diverted vast stockpiles of Afghan war arms and ammunition to Kashmir in the late 1980s to fight a proxy war that continues till date.
However, some experts also feel that it is a little early to speculate about such things as the present Taliban appears to be different from what it used to be in 1999.
“This is a little premature to speculate such terror threats on Jammu and Kashmir as the Taliban are in the process of settling down in Afghanistan but the security forces need to be on high alert in J&K to prevent such incidents”, former DGP of J&K Police Ashok Prasad, said.
Noting that this Taliban are different from what it used to be in the past, he said that the Taliban is in the process of settling down in Afghanistan, and they will aim to get recognition of their government from other countries before embarking on such endeavours.