LG meets PM, briefs him on situation, development
NSA, Army chief, heads of Central agencies, J&K top brass attend meeting
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 9: Union Home Minister Amit Shah today held high-level review of security situation including preparedness on the borders in the wake of Taliban takeover of Afghanistan and development works in Jammu and Kashmir with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, top officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Army, Central Agencies and J&K Government in New Delhi.
The meeting assumed significance as it was the first in which top brass of Jammu and Kashmir was present post Kabul fall to Taliban, developing nexus among China, Pakistan and Afghanistan and presence of ISI chief Faiz Hameed in Kabul.
Official sources, however, told the Excelsior that various other issues of Jammu and Kashmir including development projects especially those under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes and Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP), internal seniority situation, anti-militancy operations, anti-Infiltration Grid, visits of Central Ministers etc also figured prominently in the meeting that lasted more than two hours.
Besides Sinha and Doval, others present at the meeting were Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Army chief Gen MM Naravane, RAW chief Samant Goel, Intelligence Bureau Director Arvind Kumar, CRPF Director General Kuldeep Singh, BSF DG Pankaj Singh, Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Home Secretary Shaleen Kabra, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh and Intelligence chief Rashmi Ranjan Swain.
The Lieutenant Governor also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi separately and discussed with him development scenario and some other aspects of situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Manoj Sinha, the Lieutenant Governor of J&K called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” a tweet by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) India said.
Sinha is understood to have briefed Modi about various developmental projects being executed in Jammu and Kashmir and prevailing situation in the Union Territory.
The Ministry of Home Affairs spokesperson tweeted after the high-level meeting: “Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting in New Delhi to review the security and development issues of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. He appreciated the initiatives on development taken by the UT administration to fulfill the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi”.
Sources, however, said that this preparedness on the borders in Jammu and Kashmir figured in the meeting chaired by Shah which was evident from the presence of the RAW, Army and BSF chiefs.
While security forces have categorically stated that they are well prepared to meet with any kind of situation in the aftermath of Kabul’s fall to Taliban and increasing nexus of China-Pakistan-Afghanistan, sources said the representatives of Jammu and Kashmir Government as well as heads of various security agencies were reported to have given detailed briefing to the Union Home Minister on the situation that could develop but exuded confidence that all security agencies were fully prepared to meet with any kind of challenges on the borders as well as in the hinterland.
Shah’s meeting with top functionaries of the Central Government and the Union Territory administration came two days after the Taliban announced its interim Government in Afghanistan.
There have been reports that Pakistan-based terror groups Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba — both active in Jammu and Kashmir and involved in a large number of terror attacks in the past — have shifted their bases to Afghanistan with a friendly Taliban regime in place.
The Home Minister reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and steps being taken to check infiltration from across the border and maintain peace in the Union Territory, sources said.
Sirajuddin Haqqani, the new acting Interior Minister of Afghanistan, is the head of the terror group Haqqani network, which was responsible for attacks on Indian assets, including the Indian embassy in Kabul, in the past.
Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen last week had said “As Muslims, we also have a right to raise our voice for Muslims in Kashmir, India or any other country”.
A Home Ministry spokesperson said Shah held the meeting to review the security and development issues of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting is believed to have discussed about the political and security implications in the Kashmir valley following the death of hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
The group has already elected Masarat Alam Bhat, currently in jail, as its chairman.
Shah also reviewed various development initiatives being implemented in Jammu and Kashmir, including the Rs 80,000 crore package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, works under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes and empowerment of the Panchayati Raj Institutions, sources said.
Shah had said in the past that all-round development and welfare of the people of the Union Territory are on top priority list of the Modi Government.
Sources said the Union Home Ministry is also concerned about increasing threat from drone attacks in J&K especially in the areas falling along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) and security establishments as there were reports that Pakistan army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) have secured many sophisticated drones from China which have higher range of flying.
“There have also been concerns about the anti-drone technology. Security experts are of the view that it should be fool-proof as shots fired at drones shouldn’t hit the own helicopters,” sources said, adding for the purpose a greater coordination was required among the security agencies.
According to sources, a strategy is being worked out for curbing use of some of the prisons by the under-trial militants .
There were reports that some of the militants were hatching conspiracies despite being lodged in the jails.
Sometime back, police and CID had recovered large quantity of incriminating material including SIM cards, mobile telephones, sharp edged weapons etc from high-security Kot Bhalwal jail where large number of top militants including Pakistanis are lodged.
Misuse of Social Media from across the border to fan trouble in Jammu and Kashmir also reportedly figured in the meeting. Steps required to check abuse of Social Media were understood to have been discussed. Already, many attempts have been detected by Jammu and Kashmir Police in which inimical elements sitting in Pakistan had tried to create tension through Social Media from across the border.
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