Hafiz Saeed wants WAR with India; was at LoC 4 days ago: IB

In the backdrop of increasing violations along the Line of Control, Intelligence Bureau officials have said out that Pakistan’s most notorious jihadi and Lashkar-e-Tayiba founder Hafiz Saeed has ordered an all-out war on India. Vicky Nanjappa reports

An IB report has said that Saeed, who spends most of his time on the Pakistan side of the LoC is trying to ensure that at least 800 infiltrations take place before this year ends. He was seen urging jihadis on the border to wage a war against India four days ago and the intercepts suggest that Saeed spends nearly five hours a day at the Lashkar camps along the LoC. 

Blessed with the support of the Inter-Services Intelligence, Saeed has off late been getting into an aggressive mode on the Kashmir issue. Following the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, there has been a lull in lashkar activities and the growing unease amid its forces is being seen as a major reason for such aggression.

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The deal struck between the ISI, the Pakistan army and the Lashkar is clear. Each one has a part to play and the government in Pakistan has been reduced to a spectator. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been urging an intervention into the Kashmir issue and these statements clearly tell the pressure that is building up on him. 

While the ISI has been behind the strategy, the Pakistan army has been aiding the infiltrations through distraction fire. Along the border camps of the Lashkar, there are nearly 800 jihadis who are ready to infiltrate into the Indian side. Saeed has reportedly said that all of them who are jihad-ready need to cross over at any cost and take positions in the Kashmir valley.

The ISI wants to ensure that the Kashmir issue flares up in a big way and an all-out proxy war ought to be fought on behalf of Pakistan by the Lashkar. They want to focus more on the Kashmir issue as they want to further their policy, an officer with IB told rediff.com.

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C D Sahay, former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing said that the battle is under the control of the Pakistan army and the ISI.

“Even at times of peace and calm, activity in the lashkar camps continues. This is no indication of peace,” he pointed out.

The same had occurred during the time of former President Pervez Musharaff.

The ISI has been sensing an Indian victory in Kashmir and hence has decided to up the ante. Indian authorities are trying to bring back misguided Kashmiris who had once trusted Pakistan and left India to fight alongside them. Today these persons, numbered nearly 2,000 now want to desperately come back to their families, and India has also been trying to do so.

India will ensure that they return, and they would be kept under watch. India feels that such persons would be indebted to the country and also provide the agencies with vital information.

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This has not gone down too well with Pakistan.

Moreover, there is a lot of disgruntlement among jihadis as a result of which recruitments are on a low.

IB officials warn that the coming days would see more incidents along the border.

“It is a war-like situation. Infiltrations are taking place apart from the routine pumping in of arms, drugs and fake currency,” the official added.

India may take up the issue with the Pakistan government but every report and intercept available with the Indian agencies suggests that there is nothing in the hands of the democratically elected government.

It is the three wings of Pakistan- ISI, Lashkar and the army which are calling the shots.

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