Indian LoC Drama: PKKH Exposing The Identity of Two Slain “Militants”

This is certainly not the first time that Pakistan has been accused of suspicious activities on the LoC.  Since early this year, tensions at the LoC have increased and India, especially the Indian media, is demeaning Pakistan at evey possible front.

While the Indian Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde finally underlined an already open secret by stating that the RSS and the BJP conduct saffron terror training camps to spread terrorism, and went on to point out a few of the famous incidents of saffron terrorism that later on led to widespread riots, further admitting that saffron terrorism needs to be taken seriously and India needs to remain alert; the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh persists on describing Pakistan as the “epicentre of world terrorism”.

The recent alleged operation in Keran sector is getting a new hype and there is news every day. Today, the Indian media reported that a ‘Gun battle between Army, infiltrators in Keran Sector enters 13th day‘. It was also reported by the Indian media that no causality on either side took place.

Earlier, it was reported that a senior Indian Army Commander Gurmit Singh told reporters in Srinagar that the Indian soldiers had launched an operation against militants on September 24, which was still ongoing. The Lieutenant General claimed that some 30 to 40 heavily-armed fighters had crossed the LoC in the Keran sector and were holed up for the past nine days in thick forests in the area. The Keran Sector alleged operation started on the day of the Nawaz-Manmohan meet. On 2nd October, 2013, according to reports, the Pakistan Army denied the Indian allegations of the LoC clash.

According to the Indian media, a news report published on October 04, 2013, claimed that two “terrorists” were killed in Gujjartur in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army claimed to have “foiled another infiltration bid from across the border”. The Indian Army claimed that they took an operation in the west of Shala Batu village in Keran sector in the Kashmir Valley and foiled an infiltration bid from (Pakistan).

The reality is somewhat different from the usual rhetoric India always used against Pakistan to create mistrust and hatred. The “terrorists” that were killed by the Indian Army were the residents of Bore Baala, Lawat, Neelum, District Athmuqam, who went to collect some jari booti (weeds) from fields near the border and were abducted by the Indian Army. Two unfortunate men named Fareed Pir s/o Ismaeel Pir NIC No. 42000-5948902-1 and Fareed Malik s/o Zulfiqar Malik NIC No. 82201-639662-3 were killed and a third one named Kabeer Butt s/o Shakoor Butt  managed to escape from there.

To portray themselves as “credible” and “reliable”, the Indians always used to present dead bodies of Kashmiri freedom fighters and their arms and ammunitions in front of the media. Amazingly, for this specific alleged operation of the Keran Sector, the Indian Army claimed to have killed 15-20 freedom fighters, but not a single body has been produced on the media as yet. The Indian Army claimed that the bodies could not be retrieved as the operation against the remaining militants was still in progress.

Besides, the Indians claim to have installed state of the art fencing, sensors and day-night surveillance systems on the LoC, and yet, this type of “huge infiltration” took place. Is it sheer negligence or something else going on? What is interesting to note is the contradiction between the Indian media and the Army spokespersons. The Army Chief said that there was “no Kargil-like situation”, whereas the Indian media is creating the hype that Shala Butto, which is already on the Pakistani side of the LoC, is captured by the militants.

Pakistan-bashing sells in India, and anti-Pakistan sentiments have been made to grow fully to exploit the situation for the upcoming elections. It is quite evident that the BJP is trying to use the anti-Pakistan rhetoric to utilize it to form the government. Modi’s spiteful speeches are an evidence of why India is so much into demeaning Pakistan and the Pakistan Army. The BJP is well aware that a wide majority of Indians have anti-Pakistan sentiments, and by using this warmongering rhetoric against Pakistan, they want to cash this for the upcoming elections. As Gujarat state’s Chief Minister and the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi vowed a tough stand against rival Pakistan if his party wins the elections next year. The BJP, being a political wing of the RSS, whose nationalist fervor revolves around anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan sentiments, is trying to cash this “fervor” for the upcoming elections, which is quite visible form the narratives being built.

Seemingly, India is playing a foul game which is actually creating doubts and mistrust. Pakistan has been accused, while on the actual ground, India herself has infiltrated and killed people who did not even cross the border. India, at this time, when the LoC tension is stringent, is trying to create mistrust between the Pakistan Army and PM Nawaz Shareef, while pinching them by naming Kargil again and again. The purpose of all this futile activity on the Indian side is just to once again demean Pakistan with pre-planned events and narrations.