Dubai to be official transit route for reformed militants

Since 2010, at least 400 militants have used the Nepal route to reach India, according to the Intelligence Bureau

The Indian government which had come up with a militant surrender policy will now use the Dubai route instead of the one through Nepal. The Dubai route would however be used exclusively only for the return of terrorists from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.

Terrorists who wanted to reform would use the Nepal route unofficially into India. However it was found in the recent years that Pakistan would kill most of these terrorists using their contacts in Nepal. Moreover it was also found that the Inter-Services-Intelligence would place such persons under surveillance and several militants who wanted to surrender were unable to do so.

The government had in 2010 come up with a rehabilitation policy through which misguided Kashmiri youth from PoK were given a chance to surrender. These militants would unofficially use the Nepal route to reach India. Since 2010, at least 400 militants have used the Nepal route to reach India.

Most of these militants have complained to Indian agencies that they feared being targetted by the Pakistan's ISI. Intelligence Bureau officials say that off late the reformed militants had stopped using the Chakan-da-Bagh and Salamabad routes. This is out of fear of being spotted or killed by Pakistani agencies.

The Central agencies have now decided that the militants could return through Dubai in order to avoid suspicion.

Unlike Nepal, Dubai can be designated as an official transit route since the country already falls under the list of designated entry points under the surrender and rehabilitation policy.