HVK Archives: Insurgency in J&K: Signed, sealed and stamped
Insurgency in J&K: Signed, sealed and stamped - The Observer
Srinand Jha
()
February 1, 1999
Title: Insurgency in J&K: Signed, sealed and stamped
Author: Srinand Jha
Publication: The Observer
Date: February 1, 1999
One has heard of donation coupons for causes such as the Red
Cross function and the Army Flag Day, but in the insurgency-
ridden Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), such coupons are being used by
militant organisations to collect funds for destructive causes.
Throughout the Kashmir Valley and the, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir
(POK) area, the donors are provided with receipts properly signed
and stamped.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has substantial evidence to
establish that the Pakistan Government is itself funding militant
activities in J&K, while funds for such purpose are also seen as
being sourced from other international patrons of Islamic
militancy like Osama Bin Laden.
According to sources in the MHA, an estimated Rs 1,000 crore had
been annually incurred by Pakistan in connection with its aim of
keeping militancy alive in J&K. Suspicions are that the two
remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs), found in the Rajouri sector
lately in an unassembled form, may have been used to transport
currency.
The MHA is also in possession of evidence to establish that
Pakistan-based Islamic organisations, which sponsor terrorist
outfits in J&K, have been raising their own funds by way of
contributions from the common people and from their international
sponsors like Osama Bin Laden and other Saudi Arabia-based
billionaires.
For instance, the Markaz-ul-Dawa-Wal-Irshad (MDI), the sponsors
of the Lashkar-e-Tohiba mercenary outfit, is known to have put
out an advertisement in the Al Dawa Urdu monthly magazine,
calling upon the people to donate generously for the J&K 'Jehad
fund' at the following address: Faisal Bank Ltd, 43 Shah Rai
Quaid-e-Azam Road, Lahore, and at the bank account
number: 2011816001.
The organisation, meanwhile, asked for financial contributions
for the Al Dawa magazine at the same address and at bank account
number 2022362001.
The magazine is being published by the MDI Trust. The
organisation functions from the following address: No 5, Chamber
Lane Road, Outside Mochi Darwaza, Lahore. The office telephone
number is listed as 723,1106.
Information with the Indian intelligence agencies is that the MDI
is headed by Professor Hafiz Mohammed Sayeed, a "close associate"
of Osama Bin Laden. Other prominent Saudi 'scholars' or
businessmen functioning as office bearers of MDI include Dr Zaki-
ur-Rehman and Abdul Azam besides Sheikh Mohammad, who is
described as the nodal commander of the organisation.
On September 25, 1998, the MDI held a meeting at Lahore and this
was followed up by the annual congregation of the MDI at Moridke
near Lahore between November 4 and 6.
It was decided that the MDI would immediately raise Rs 3 crore
for purposes of acquisition ,of weapons for the Kashmiri
militants, Rs 1 crore towards meeting the expenditure of the
training of militants and Rs 1 crore for the rehabilitation of
the Kashmiri migrants living in the POK area.
During the Ramazan period, the volunteers had been asked to
collect a minimum of Rs 500 from each donor. The organisation
also called upon the farmers to donate hides of dead animals. It
was also decided at the annual congregation that the recruits for
the Kashmir movement should be paid a monthly honorarium of Rs
500 during the 'Daura-e-Aam' (preliminary training) and Rs 1,000
per month during the more intensive 'Daura-e-Khas'.
In the past, the Pakistan Government has itself been placing
advertisements in leading national newspapers, calling upon the
general public to "respond to the Prime Minister's appeal" to
donate generously towards the "Kashmir relief fund for
rehabilitation of Kashmiri refugees and freedom fighters."
Account number 3305008 of the State Bank of Pakistan is mentioned
as the relevant account number for this 'fund'. These
advertisements also make it clear that the "Pakistan missions
would coordinate activities concerned with foreign contribution."
Funding of the Kashmiri militant organisations is done through
various channels and the 'hawala' channel is used quite commonly.
Back
Top
|
