NSA Ajit Doval to work out new Kashmir strategy

New Delhi, July 22: The National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval is working out a strategy to prevent educated youth from join the ranks of militants in Jammu and Kashmir.

With Pakistan upping the ante in Kashmir, Indian Intelligence Bureau officials say that at least 34 educated youth have joined the ranks of militants in Jammu and Kashmir this year alone.

Doval has directed both the Intelligence Bureau and the Jammu and Kashmir police to draw out a plan to ensure that educated youth and other youngsters do not join the ranks of the Hizbul Mujahideen or the Lashkar-e-Tayiba.

Educated youth of Kashmir being targeted:

It has been found that terrorist groups are attempting to rope in educated youth into their fold in Kashmir.

However, it has been found that these youth have not joined the militant ranks as they are drawn towards a cause or ideology. It has been noticed that while some of these youth were unemployed the others were threatened to join the ranks.

The problem can be curtailed, an officer with the Intelligence Bureau says. There are many issues such as social causes that need to be addressed while sorting out the problem.

The National Security Advisor who has expressed concern over the situation has directed the security officials to draw out a plan to ensure that no further recruitments take place.

India cannot afford internal recruitments:

While there are recruitments that take place in Pakistan to wage the war in Kashmir, India is more concerned about youth from within Kashmir joining the militants. 90 per cent of the Kashmir battle can be considered won if India manages to build the trust factor among the Kashmir locals and ensure that they do not support Pakistan.

There is already a large number of people who are drawing away from the militants in Pakistan. The militants in Pakistan who are backed by the ISI thrive on local support in a bid to further their war in Kashmir.

The recent spate of attacks in Kashmir carried out by the Hizbul Mujahideen showed that they were desperate for local support. They carried out attacks but never took responsibility for it as they feared losing out on local support.

All Intelligence Bureau reports that have been given to the Union Government suggest that the local support is coming down for Pakistan and India should ensure that the situation remains this way.

However, on the recruitment of 34 youth in the past five months, Indian agencies say that this has been a set back, but corrective measures ought to be taken soon to ensure that the problem does not escalate.

OneIndia News