JAMMU: Is Iran too providing moral and material aid to militants in the Kashmir valley?
This question has assumed significance following an official assessment in Srinagar which speaks of certain links between insurgents in Kashmir and various Iranian US and Chinese agencies besides the Afghan Mujahideen. An interview with a number of senior government functionaries who wish to remain unidentified does convey the worry prevailing in the state and central Govt over the way agencies across the border have maintained an uninterrupted supply of sophisticated arms ammunition and explosives.
The Govt agencies say that since the outbreak of the Gulf crisis Iran has come out in the open in support of the UN resolution on Kashmir which provides for a plebiscite in the state for determining the wishes of the people. The Iranian Foreign Minister reiterated this stand during his recent visit to Pakistan.
Intelligence reports seem to confirm Iranian involvement one report says that certain agencies in Iran have played a key role in organizing arms training for Kashmiri boys not only in Pakistan but also in areas around Tehran.
These reports tracing the rise of militancy in Kashmir say that in the initial stages boys belonging to the Shia sect remained away from insurgency. The moment a bulk of the Shia boys especially from the Budgam Rainawari Pattan and Magam belts took to arms Iranian agencies too intervened to goad Tehran into assisting Kashmiri militants.
Officials who are sure of Iranian and US connections in the current insurgency Say that the quantity of arms ammunition and explosives that have found their way into Kashmir from across the border “is seemingly beyond the resources of the Pakistan Govt”. Some of the arms and ammunition that were smuggled into Kashmir between 1986 and 1988 formed part of the US arms that were given to Pakistan for supplying to the Afghan Mujahideen. Besides arms seized from the Soviet troops in Afghanistan too were sent to Kashmir But Pakistan could not have maintained a continuous flow of these weapons to the Kashmiri insurgents on it.
Reports indicate that with the increase of arms supply to Iran from the USA Tehran has been able to transfer some of the weapons to Kashmiri militants through Pakistani agencies. Officials in Srinagar say that this transfer may not be without the knowledge of US agencies.
Official agencies in Srinagar confirm that arms worth several hundred crores have already been smuggled into Kashmir in the past four years. They refer to Govt figures regarding recovery of arms and ammunition. During the past three years over 3000 assault rifles 1000 pistols 500 machine guns 1000 rockets and rocket launchers and 30000 rounds of ammunition have been seized by the security forces during search operations and encounters. That is just a fraction of the total weapons supplied to Kashmiri militants who have succeeded in concealing over 75% of the total stock at Secret places in the urban and rural areas of the valley In addition to this more than 50000 activists of different militant bodies are in possession of assault rifles pistols and revolvers besides tonnes of explosives. In a number of villages militants Carry out regular parades at least once a day and. during these parades they demonstrate their firepower.
Of late groups of people known to be Close to certain militant outfits have seem highly sophisticated weapons including some long-range guns It is unlikely Pakistan is in a position to finance such a big project.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 16, 1991
