J&K: Rumbles of an approaching storm

The bomb blast at Varanasi on 7 December may well be the first shot fired in an extended campaign of terror that may be launched this winter by the religio-terror-military complex operating out of Rawalpindi in Pakistan – headquarters of the Pakistan Army.

A look at some developments in Pakistan and Jammu & Kashmir over the year should make us sense the rumbles of an approaching storm.

The earliest indication that the military / terror establishment in Pakistan is re-energising its terror machine was on 14 May this year when the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), quoting its local sources, reported that terrorists had regrouped in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).

The report quoted important local and political personages as saying that "Jihadi activities have been restarted during the last few weeks. Most of the activities are concentrated in the Neelum Valley along the Line of Control. Militants were based there in large numbers and have set up camps in the area. The men are not locals - they have long hair and beards. Most do not speak the local language."

It also quoted other locals in the area as saying: "We are scared. The armed men are moving around the area and are trying to cross the border. We can make out from their appearances and languages they are not from any part of Kashmir..." and "...they have set up camps in the region and many are crossing the border. This is the start of another proxy war."

Commenting on the report then, respected ex-Indian intelligence official and analyst, B Raman, warned, ''An increase in acts of terrorism in J&K, with the participation of not only Pakistani Punjabis, but also the Pashtuns of the Taliban, is a risk to be guarded against in the months and weeks to come.''