A R Bhat
In the past few years, Kashmir has seen a sharp increase in Narco trade and related activities. The interrogation reports of persons caught in relation to drug trade have convincingly proved the connection of such illicit substances with our ideological Northern neighbour. It is not very difficult to know the smuggling routes and methods, through which Pakistani drugs are being sent to the valley, if we are just a little privy to the current militancy situation in the valley. On several instances opium derivatives worth crores have been recovered from slain militants during counter terrorism operations in the valley. The amount of drugs recovered from militants alone on an yearly basis, is more than enough to cause severe damage to the Kashmiri society. The situation is made even more dangerous when we note that drugs travelling through Kashmir are finding their way to other parts of the country as well. Earlier expensive opium derivatives were popular for abuse only in metropolitan cities but at present the menace has started devouring tier-II cities and rural areas too.
About 40 years back all drugs being grown in Pakistan were consumed locally with in the country. The ISI during General Zia Ul Haq’s timewere the first ones to bring in the idea of tapping the power of drug addiction for money. Gen Zia pushed the pedal on increased opium production in Pakistan and also brought in a covert network of criminals to raise money through illegal drug trade. On one particular occasion, his ADC was caught smuggling heroin in fancy lamps at the New York Airport thereby exposing his links with a famous drug cartel. History is replete with such examples. The role of ISI in decision making in the Pakistani government is well known across the world. Even after Gen Zia, the ISI carried on and left no stone unturned in reaping money from drug trade to run their foreign policy plans. The military government in Pakistan was further forced to increase smuggling of Drugs into India and other parts of the world in the wake of cancellation of LoC trade agreement.
The ISI run government has failed majorly and runs the Kashmir narrative as their scapegoat and does all in its reach to cover up for their failures. In fact that is easiest option available around for Pakistan who traces its root to the existence of Islamic State for muslims of Indian Subcontinent. There is a huge cost involved in the mission which is sponsored for by the illicit trade being run by criminals across Indo- Pak borders. This current phase of Pakistan sponsored hybrid war is characterized by drugs and extortion.
The OGW – militant network running the Narco Terrorism module inside Kashmir valley is using drugs to raise money for operations. This horrendous act not just places a dent on the Indian economy by helping Paki businesses but also is degenerating the Kashmiri youth. Pakistan aims at hollowing Indian Kashmir by forcing the youth to run on their terms and use them to rage a hybrid war on India. The drug menace in its present state is a phenomenally managed and a well organized business.The business plan is quite simple to employ, the profit involved is too large against the risk involved and the Kashmiri society seem motivated due to rumors of success stories. One kg of opium products cost up to Rs 5 Crore in the international market. The money minted by
ISI through exploitation of the wide user base available in valley, Punjab and other parts of the country are more than sufficient to sustain terror operations in India. ISI’s evil plans and desgins have been adequately unearthed during counter narco terror operations.
Due to political mismanagement of Kashmir, the Kashmiri society has witnessed societal depression. The Kashmiri society has lost one generation to militancy and the next one is being devoured by drugs. After Srinagar, nacro militancy has begun to consume Pulwama & Shopian as well. The relative human resource index in these two districts has seen to be falling rapidly. A survey finds that out 31 percent of the drug abusers in Kashmir valley are women. The greed for money generated by drugs has eaten into Kashmiri politics and offices and resulted into a corrupt society. In return the criminal network keeps prospering and caused societal degeneration.
Counter Terrorism operations against militants have been clearly ramped up. Synergised efforts by civil and security forces have started to hunt down terrorists and the situation seems to be normalizing. What the common eye does not spot is the rotten support base made available by drug abuse for sustained ISI operations in Kashmir, there is a felt need of fighting this manace in under to deal with the worsening sit in the valley at present.
The need of the hour is a multipronged approach to target mainly three issues. First is a requirement of a doctrine defining synergy between Security forces and civil administration to cause maximum attrition to the morale of Pakistan support base. Secondly, there should be a morally right no tolerance policy while dealing with the narco chains. Thirdly, de addiction of the Kashmiri youth should become a non negotiable mission and be dealt on a war scale. Until these issues are not properly addressed, there are no hopes for the Kashmiri society to improve
