Soon after the surgical strikes conducted by the Indian special forces inside PoK against the terror launch pads, Pakistan is back to the decades-long tactics of using terror as an instrument of state policy by directing terror affiliates like the AQIS, leT, and JeM to step up jehadi action in the region, according to security experts.
The Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), an affiliate of the Pakistan Army-ISI combine, has released an online appeal asking Muslims in the subcontinent to join jehad and target the countries that supported India in isolating Pakistan over Uri attack in particular and cross-border terror in general. The Pakistani agencies have already directed the lashkar-e-Tayyeba (leT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) to target vital installations in the Indian hinterland.
Issuing the exhortations under title Tahreek-e-Azadi Kashmir-Call for Deliberations and Implemenations, the chief of AQIS Maulana Asim Umar has claimed to be sympathising with the “plight” Kashmiri Muslims. He also claimed that his sympathies for the Muslims are not hollow claims but his intent is to garner support for their cause and help them achieve “freedom.”
Criticising the role of United Nations and the five permanent members of the Security Council, Umar claimed that these entities are against Islam. “Soon after coming into existence, the first thing that the UN did was to recognise the illegal existence of Israel on the land of Palestine and termed jehad against Israel as terrorism,” the AQIS chief said in his online message.
“The five permanent members of the UN Security Council are habituated to the taste of blood of Muslims….With veto power, these countries are behind the sufferings of the Muslims around the world and realisation of this fact by the Muslims will in finding solutions for the problems of the community, he said.
“Pathankot airbase attack and the recent attack on the Army base at Uri besides numerous other incidents of terror attacks in Jammu & Kashmir during this year amply demonstrate abiding interest of Pakistan-based terrorist groups to carry out sensational attacks in India,” said an Intelligence advisory.
The approaching festive season also offers a conducive environment for the terrorists to inflict greater damage to innocent civilians and seek maximum publicity.
Critical infrastructure projects, important institutions, business establishments and other vulnerable targets, including crowded markets, mass transportation system among others are more vulnerable, the alert added.