LOC trade and contraband haul

Shiban Khaibri   

Allowing trade on LOC between the two countries was meant to be a pure trade of commodities meant for the benefit of the people, the trading community and a goodwill gesture towards co -operation and friendship between India and Pakistan. In this, in consonance with the cherished Indian values, India like always, took more initiative towards this process to ease tensions, unveil mistrust and build confidence. It is a matter of concern and surprise that Pakistan should not reciprocate sincerely and normally and instead try to hunt for occasions to harm India in whatever small or big way. It is, therefore, absolutely unacceptable that in the garb of trade and the rhetoric of "emotional relations" between the two sides of Kashmir, the trucks coming from the other side should indulge in impure trade and carry deadly narcotic substances. Recently, such a nasty poisonous substance valuing at Rs.100 crores in the international markets was clandestinely tried to be unloaded here. The shabby and the sordid incident reportedly came to light when Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel detected as much as 100 kgs of brown sugar in a truck coming from Pakistan occupied Kashmir at Salamabad in Uri sector last month. The truck was seized and the driver arrested. The personnel of Jammu and Kashmir deserve due appreciation. We in India, have stringent laws to discourage, ban and prohibit production, sale, possession, consumption and transporting any of the drugs and substances coming under the purview of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) with latest amendments made in 2001. Under this Act , the suspected truck drive r has to face the prosecution and is liable to get a minimum term of 10 years rigorous imprisonment extendable to 20 years with a fine of up to Rs.2 lacs. That any sort of pressure or blackmail by Pakistani authorities to release the offender truck driver should not be given any importance and law allowed to take its recourse smoothly. Mere possession or transporting the contraband too constitutes a cognizable offence under the said Act.

It is unethical, untenable and incomprehensible, besides a blatant breach of trust, that Pakistan should arrest our 27 drivers and seize their trucks as our drivers have not violated any of the laws and are innocent. This sort of blackmail does not behove a country in today's type of international polity which aims at refined and meaningful relations between the countries. How much a criminal and a hostile act under the garb of trade has taken place from the POK in this incident that the challan of the truck mentioned almonds while the truck carried in its bosom, as many as 114 packets of brown sugar, weighing 114 kgs. Since 2008 when LoC trade began, this is the second incident taking place at the LoC. It is absolutely silly on the part of Pakistani authorities to say that this is the "first test" of the arrangements on contacts and movement of goods between the two sides of the region. It, however, seems strange that the Police manning the Chakoti post in PoK should not at all conduct verifications of the consignments meant for this side and the fact is that the truck reached our post and our Police found the stuff and seized the truck. In other words, it means that complicity and connivance of the elements from PoK authorities can-not be ruled out. It has exposed Pakistan, besides a terror breeding country, to be a hub of drugs and narcotic substances, the supplies coming mainly from Afghanistan. It is absolutely another issue that India, because of its wavering and weak policy, Pakistan has not been extensively exposed internationally. We appear to be always under obligation to take unilateral steps towards normalization of relations and extend our stretched hands of friendship with that country, separated from us 66 years back but have always been betrayed by them right from 1947. Like all hostile acts against this country, Pakistan has always feigned innocence and instead tried to indulge in blame game. In this case also, Pakistani authorities are trying either to downplay the incident or make it look doubtful by attempts to get the issue prolonged, dragged on and get mired up in documents, findings of investigations or even the extent of going to question the findings of the FSL authorities. Instead of co-operating with the Indian authorities, they chose to unilaterally suspend the cross border bus service and trade for resolving which India had to summon the acting High Commissioner of Pakistan in New Delhi. Though the bus service has been resumed, it is beyond comprehension as to why India should be so eager to request for resumption of the bus service and the trade. On the contrary, the request should have come from Pakistan. India has shared with Pakistan full details of the seizure, as also even handed over the relevant documents along with a copy of the FIR. It is again strange on the part of Pakistan in not responding with their part of "investigations" in the matter with this country, instead are demanding release of their arrested driver.

The element of terrorism and jihadi mind set in the drugs racket sponsored by Pakistan can be gauged by the investigations revealing that the supplier of the contraband is from Rawalpindi Pakistan and having been associated with the terror outfit Hizul Mujahideen. It is a matter of concern that reportedly part of the consignment was meant for Srinagar and the rest for Punjab. Narco -terror is posing threat to our security, peace, economy and social health. Recently on Feb4, Delhi Police arrested three persons including one terrorist with 10 kgs of heroin valuing over Rs.35 crores. The arrested terrorist is reported to be a serving constable in a battalion of the state Police. The link revealed is not only deep rooted but extensively wide in operation as the contraband was to be received by two people from Tamil Nadu somewhere in Delhi. The Police, however, arrested all the three. With the tightening of the Hawala routes and other channels of funds, terrorists do appear to be hard pressed for financing of their anti human activities and thus have adopted the route of funding through narcotics. It is worth noting that the constable has "succeeded" in "disposing off" 80 kgs of heroin in the country last year valuing at Rs.280 crores. It is left to not mere conjectures but rough estimates as to how much of the narcotics substances could not get detected due to various problems and thus getting melted in the specified markets.  

We need not lower our guard to protect the unity and the security of this country on this front. Union Minister Dr. Frooq Abdullah has expressed the apprehensions of a looming grave threat for the entire country in general and Jammu and Kashmir in particular on account of withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan. He has re - emphasized that Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)should continue in the border areas of the State so that "the security personnel could take on the forces inimical to the peace with heavy hands." Speaking in an informal interaction with the media persons on Feb4 in Jammu, Dr. Abdullah further said, "We are worried about what is Taliban going to do, what is Al – Qaeda going to do because there is a feeling that the Pan- Islamic forces want to spread through gun and it is going to be dangerous for all of us."  These observations of the Union Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah who also is the Chief of the ruling National Conference in the State should jostle the thinking of Regional Parties like AAP whose some senior leaders have views on the sensitive issues like AFSPA with connotations of compromising with the security and safety of the country. Such newly born political parties do not see beyond free water, electricity and Jan Lok Pal and dolling of freebies and holding sit in "Dharnas". They, though have political ambitions quite high, yet are lacking in their strong tangible policies on sensitive national issues. Less said the better about other Regional Parties who are busy in their vote Bank programmes or caste and

regions based politics. We wonder what shall the so called "third option" the seasonal third front or Federal Front etc; offer to the country on such critical issues excepting landing the country in a state of confusion and mess if cobbling together to form the next government in Delhi. When the country is fully secured, protected, guarded and strengthened, all of our states, regions, societies, cultures stand fully protected strengthened.

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Courtesy: Shiban Khaibri and The Daily Excelsior: 10th February, 2014