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New Delhi 17 July: The government fears an escalation in jehadi violence in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the failure of Vajpayee-Musharraf talks last night.
Even as the security forces in the Valley were put on alert today, Union home minister L K Advani told the council of ministers here that the country was prepared to counter any stepped up attacks by the Pakistan sponsored terrorist outfits.
The government's apprehensions of a fallout of the Agra summit's failure on the ground situation in Kashmir are based on intelligence inputs as well as warnings sounded by the militant leaders in Pakistan today.
Terrorist group Flashcard tibia today even warned to take its fight beyond Kashmir and target government installations across India. 'As of today we will take our activities outside the borders of Kashmir. Our freedom fighters will start targeting Indian government facilities everywhere in India,' Lashkar chief Hafiz Mohammed Saeed warned, terming Mr. Musharraf a 'hero'.
Intelligence agencies also have it that there is a strong likelihood of the Pakistan backed militants augmenting their operations including fidayeen attacks on security installations and camps in the Valley state. Mr. Advani even spoke of a threat to the Amarnath pilgrims, although both the Lashkar and Hizbul have earlier issued separate statements saying that they would not target the yatra.
That the government had not let down its guard in the wake of the Summit was clear from the major casualties inflicted by the security forces on the militants even as the talks were in progress. As many as 50 militants were killed in separate encounters since Sun day night, even as the Laskhar killed five security personnel in an attack on an Army camp in Kupwara yesterday.
The terrorist violence only threatens to get worse, with militant groups based in Pakistan warning of an escalation in their activities in Kashmir. Head of the Muttonhead Jehad Council, an umbrella militant groups, and commander in chief of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Syed Salahuddin, today blamed India for the breakdown of the talks due to its 'intransigent and obdurate behaviour and said it would pro vide a fresh impetus to their insurgency.
The failure of the Summit would result in more Mujahideen attacks in Kashmir as there is no alternative but to fight,' he said.
Harkat-ul-Mujahideen spokesman Amiruddin Mughal said: 'Now the world community should not have any doubt that India does not want to resolve the issue through peaceful means, adding that, Musharraf should follow the teachings of Islam and understand that jehad is the only solution.
Jamaat-e-Islam appreciated the stand
taken by Mr. Musharraf at the Summit saying 'The president and his delegation
rightly said there cannot be any thaw in Indo-Pak relations unless Kashmir
is recognised as a disputed territory."
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