No militancy of whatever dimension and description can be sustained for twenty-seven long years against an overwhelming power like the Indian Defence establishment unless it has a strong, sustainable and perennial source of funding. Kashmir militancy is not a home grown indigenous upsurge because it is an armed upsurge and not just political dissent. Obviously, those who sponsored, abetted and supported armed upsurge also provided adequate funding in initial stages till established sources stepped in to contribute their bit to the destruction of Kashmir and its people.
Initially, Pakistani intelligence agency ISI diverted a fraction of its American funding for Afghan jihad to Kashmir insurgents then active under several groups and names and in both the regions across the Pir Panchal. Each militant outfit formulated its fund distribution mechanism. No funds had to be spent for purchase of arms because the American arsenal provided to ISI for distribution among the mujahideen combats were largely pilfered by Pakistani Generals and passed on to Kashmir jihadis in Pakistan, PoK and Kashmir valley.
As insurgency spread it tentacles in Kashmir, and Pakistan undertook massive lobbying with Kashmiri Diaspora in the US, UK, European countries and the Gulf States, Pakistani and Kashmiri Diaspora volunteered to collect enormous funds in the name of Islam under threat in Kashmir. In UK and Saudi Arabia, for example, dedicated sympathizers of Kashmir freedom would spread out sheets on roadside and set up a placard saying “contribute for saving Islam in Kashmir”. In Ryadh (Saudi Arabia) al-Rabita, the premier funding source for propagating Sunni-Hanafi-Wahhabi ideology, earmarked enormous funds for Kashmir jihad. A good number of Kashmir militant leaders became beneficiaries of ar-Rabita’s largesse. Likewise, Kashmiri expatriates in all the four corners of the world established scores of collection centres.
The question was how to remit these huge funds to the militant leadership in Kashmir? Indian Enforcement Department had devised strict rules and regulations to control and monitor foreign remittances. Thus all mischievous brains came together under the umbrella of ISI to devise many clandestine means and ways of transferring money to Kashmir for pumping into sponsored militancy and keep it going on as long as possible. The innovative means were of hawala, Foreign Indian Currency Network, manufacturing fake notes, concealing Indian and American currency in consignments to be transshipped at authorized border points, persons clandestinely carrying paper currency and many other means. With the passage of time, and increased activities of militancy, money mafia came into existence with international ramifications. Its managers were well-versed with clandestine ways and means of transferring money to Kashmir militants. When the American enforcement authorities arrested one Ghulam Nabi Fai, originally a Kashmiri State subject but migrated to the US and now a US citizen, he confessed in the court of law that he had received funding from Pakistani sources for carrying forward the interests of Kashmir armed insurgency in the US. Everybody knows that Fai was a major beneficiary of Ryadh – based ar-Rabita’s largesse.
In this background there is nothing startling in the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti placing before the law makers in the Legislative Assembly some information related to the people engaged in hawala and FICN racket and charged under the law of the land. Evidently, many locals in Kashmir got involved in Hawala racket and those who were caught in the net have to face the consequences. Some of them have been convicted and remain interned and cases against some are underway. Charges against them are of sedition and illegal money transactions.
At the end of the day, it is for the people of the State and especially of Kashmir valley to decide whether they want to be on the side of lawlessness, mayhem and destruction or on the side of peace and progress. Those who provide arms and money to Kashmir militants have an axe to grind. We wish these misled youth could read the writing on the wall.
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