Militancy and associated violence in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in Kashmir, started getting sprouted nearly four decades ago and based on the manner and the ways how terrorism and terror related violent activities keep on sustaining wherever it has raised its head in the world, is acceptably largely dependent upon a sound financial support. To control it by not striking at this vial root of its sustenance, all other measures can and have been proving of cosmetic nature only. In other words, it could be said that slight trimming of branches and not striking at the roots was going to prove ineffective. Otherwise, how can the longest ever stretching of stone pelting ”movement” continue in Kashmir in an organised way – to dump the material at vulnerable points kept changing on daily basis , arranging and “deputing” the “volunteers ” or the workers on daily wages to pelt security forces unless an assured and a well established money channel from the source right up to the last point of destination, is established.
Unearthing the modus operandi of terror funding , it can be admitted , is prima facia not an easy task looking to three main factors . One , the channels having been not only established with regular inflow of money but involving more and more people in getting the funds from Pakistan and from its various terror groups and outfits supervised by the ISI . Two- absolute secrecy maintained about it and arranging withdrawals from Banks through accounts opened mainly for receipt of such remittances . Three – over years in a row, this aspect having not been effectively touched by either the successive State Governments or the Central Government for a massive containing of the money channels for terror funding. However, it has transpired that an elaborate structure and mechanism has been set up across the world all in the so called “freedom struggle” in Jammu and Kashmir by no less than ”leaders” like Yaseen Malik (already under custody) JKLF chief and others . While their activities straight against the country , its sovereignty and territorial integrity to subvert and to spread mayhem and destroy the critical infrastructure like schools and other educational institutions were going on unabated albeit through militant groups thriving on terror funds, these leaders were camouflaging and claiming such activities to be on “Gandhian way of non- violence” . Such a deception and putting wool into the eyes of others and all concerned have been fairly exposed.
It may be recalled that consequent upon a substantive changes in the country’s counter terrorism approach and later involving exclusively National Investigation Agency (NIA) professionally and assertively in unearthing the entire modus operandi right for the last couple of years , it transpired, though to the surprise of many, that most of the ”leaders” of the Hurriyat Conference , a conglomerate of 21 different small secessionists groups , to give a political colour to terror activities, was not only hand in glove but actual facilitators and direct recipients and beneficiaries of terror funding sourced in Pakistan. Conduits and different modes were employed and pressed into service to make sure that these funds sponsored by Pakistan through its various notorious terror groups reached the ultimate destination. The aim being subversive in nature and leading all to waging war against the country . Interesting thing to note, as revealed by investigations, have brought into focus how major portion of these funds were even apportioned by many ”leaders” for their personal gains to raise assets and properties. It may be recalled that not in tens but in hundreds, such properties raised with illegal terror funding and Hawala deals, have already been seized.
Based on cogent investigations by the NIA, the designated court has asked the NIA for filing charge sheets against the accused under various clauses of the IPC and various sections under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against the identified accused leaders. It is noteworthy that the court has asked the NIA , based on concrete evidence and valuable inputs regarding the scourge of money laundering , terror funding and other similar material support provided to various militant groups in Kashmir, that charge sheets are to be filed against terrorists like LeT Chief Hafiz Sayeed , HM Chief Syed Salauhdin and others. We feel that more such steps needed to be taken based on incredible evidence against the menace of terror and militant activities which has for nearly four decades affected the peace, prosperity, progress and development of Jammu and Kashmir .
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