As the probe intensifies in Pahalgam terror strike, security forces said The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba’s outfit which initially claimed responsibility for the attack and later retracted, is among 19 terrorist organisations which have adopted non-Islamic nomenclatures to strategically position themselves as home grown movement in Jammu and Kashmir and de-hyphenate violence link to Pakistan.
Among them are, People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), Kashmir Tigers (KT), Jammu Kashmir Ghaznavi Force (JKGF), Tahreek-e-Sangbaz (TeS), Kashmir Freedom Fighters (KFF), Islamic State Wilayat Hind (ISWH), Al Qisas Movement Jammu & Kashmir (AQMJK) and Kashmir Liberation Warriors (KLW).
While TRF and PAFF are fronts of Pakistan-based and backed Lashkar-e-Taiba, KT is a cover for the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
Proxy war
The sprouting of noms de guerre of terrorist outfits operating in Jammu and Kashmir is part of Pakistan ISI’s phase two of proxy war loaded with twin objectives behind offering secular credentials to tanzeems, explained sources in security forces.
One was to ward off global pressure post Pakistan was put on the FATF grey list in 2018. And, secondly, an attempt was made to project these organisations of locals resisting India’s move to take away the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, pointed sources in security forces.
Their emergence on the terror landscape is a pointer towards that. The TRFcame into existence in 2019 followed by KT in 2021, and were later banned by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The ISI which has amended its modus operandi to avoid terror on the soil of J&K being traced back to Pakistan, has also ensured less comparative public appearance of terror top brass like LeT founder Hafiz Saeed and JeM’s Masood Azhar in their country.
Post Pahalgam terror strike that left 26 dead and over 17 injured, ISI has increased the security cover for both of them, fearing that they may be targeted during a possible offensive India has announced it will carry out to avenge bloodbath in Kashmir.
The Pahalgam terror strike against Hindu tourists was aimed at creating a communal divide and checkmate tourist footfall boosting local economy so that locals return to pre-Article 370 abrogation ecosystem dictated by Pakistan’s ISI.
Only profiteers of the terror industry flourished then and not public at large as the Union Territory-wide open condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack showed.
To some extent, security experts acknowledge, the ISI has been able to restore fear in the minds of people of Jammu and Kashmir.
But, the larger design has been to stop settlement of ‘outsiders’ into Jammu and Kashmir, which Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, terror leaders and some politicians, especially National Conference MP Aga Rhullah Mehdi and People’s Democratic Party LA Waheed Ur Rehman Para are also advocating.
More than 80,000 domicile certificates have been issued by the Jammu and Kashmir administration to outsiders which is being opposed on the grounds that it is part of cultural invasion by New Delhi, said security sources.