Pakistan opens sea-route to push arms, ammo, drugs into Punjab

Pakistan has opened up its sea-route to push arms and ammunition into Punjab.

A Pakistani boat was intercepted in December last year off the Gujarat coast and in it the agencies found a huge consignment of arms and ammunition. Further investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) learnt that the consignment was sent to India from Pakistan's Balochistan-based Poshani sea shore. The probe also revealed that the consignment was sent to Gujarat from where it was meant to be taken to Punjab.

This development comes in the wake of the Intelligence agencies reporting that Pakistan has been making attempts to foment trouble in Punjab in a big way. It also comes in the wake of a massive man-hunt being launched for pro-khalistan leader, Amritpal Singh.

In addition to arms and ammunition, Pakistan has also been using the sea route to push in drugs, including heroin. A source tells OneIndia that drugs were meant to be sold in Punjab and the adjoining areas and the proceeds of the same were meant to be used to fund terror in Punjab.

Earlier this month, the NIA had filed an FIR against 10 accused persons belonging to the Balochistan region. In it, the NIA said that six-foreign made pistols with six magazines and 120 live cartridges along with 40 kilograms of narcotics, including heroin, were seized following the interception of a boat on December 28 last year near Okha in Gujarat. A report in the Tribune said that the consignment was sent by a drug mafia run by Haji Salim Baloch Wala of Balochistan.

There has been heightened activity in Punjab after Pakistan activated its K2 desk to target both the state and Kashmir. Incidents in Punjab have been on the rise and this is courtesy the special focus that the ISI has put on the state. The source cited above said that Pakistan is using all resources at its disposal to foment trouble in Punjab.

While on one hand, it is sending in consignments of arms and ammunition through the sea route, on the other it has been using drones to drop off drugs and other items along the International Border with Punjab. The other worry is the kind of propaganda that is being done from abroad through proscribed terror groups such as the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). The NIA in a recent probe found that these elements sitting abroad have activated the gangster network to indulge in killings in Punjab.

In all recent incidents, including the RPG attack it was found that terror groups backed by Pakistan had used local gangsters to carry out these attacks. This is a perfect ploy by Pakistan and when investigations commence, it appears as though a local network has carried out the attack. This on the other hand gives Pakistan the deniability factor, the source also said.