Jammu: Tearing Islamabad's oft-repeated claim of having no role in terrorism in Jammu
and Kashmir to pieces, a top Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander on December 24 said
Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was training militants in guerrilla
warfare and pushing them into the state for disruptive activities.
Shafiul Haq Khan alias Rashid Khan, arrested on December 23 in Dharmari area in
Udhampur district, told reporters that he was imparted training in terrorist
activities by five ISI operatives at season camp in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir
(PoK).
At least 70 Pak nationals and three Kashmiris also underwent training with him during
1999-2000, Khan, a resident of Darosh village in Pakistan's Chitral district, said.
Before being pushed into India along with 10 Hizbul and two Lashkar-e-Toiba
(LeT) terrorists in July 2002, Khan said he stayed at Ghore Pakistani Army
post opposite Nowshera sector in Rajouri district.
"Pak troops wanted us to wait for the right opportunity to infiltrate," he
said.
Aware that terrorists were strangers in this area, the Pakistani Army even
indicated the "safe route" to them, Khan, area commander of Hizbul Pir
Panjal Regiment, said.
The ISI gave one AK assault rilfe, its seven magazines, 310 rounds of
ammunition, one pistol, four hand grenades and Rs 20,000 to each terrorist
while pushing them into India, Khan said.
But as soon as they came in contact with the local commander, he took Rs
18,000 from them, Khan said.
An expert in handling anti-aircraft gun and sniper Pika gun, Khan said he
was assigned the task to disrupt the poll process in Jammu and
Kashmir.
"My task was to intimidate people to deter them from voting," he said.
Khan said he was also directed to motivate locals to join "jehad" and to
convince them to voice support for the state's merger with Pakistan.
However, witnessing the ground reality here, he was convinced that "Pakistan
humko galat patti padata hai (Pak is misguiding us)," Khan said.
PTI
