Second element in the new ISI strategy is the activation of terrorist campaign in the 140 km long strategic Pir Panjal range, which overhangs the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. This range which extends from Arnas in Gool to Budhal in Rajouri, has always been special for the separatists in their greater Muslim Kashmir gameplan. As per Army reports full scale war is going on in this range, between our security forces and terrorists. Hundreds of local youth have been lured to militancy. Many of them are being given training in local camps, while others are being taken across to PoK.

The other dimension of the threat is extention of militancy to Hindu-dominated regions of Jammu province and the attempts to destabilize the winter capital of the state. For the first time, a convoy of security forces was made the target of attack on this side of the Patnitop. In May, a fifty three year old doctor, Fakiruddin, hailing from Hyderabad and affiliated with ‘Deendar Anjuman’ was arrested near Mata Vaishno Devi Cave for attempting sabotage. Recently terrorists blasted two high-tension power transmission towers near Kot Bhalwal Jail in Jammu city. Militants have carved out hideouts in several areas of Jammu district and have been found roaming about in parts of Jammu city. On July 8 at Iqbal Chowk in Gujjar Nagar, there was a shoot out between security forces and militants.

There has also been escalation of terrorist activities in the Kathua-Jammu sector, which was previously unaffected. In 1999 around four hundred militants were killed by the security forces in Jammu province. Of these ten percent were killed in Kathua sector alone. Pakistan has been trying to destabilise Jammu city, by pushing people from border areas. Around forty thousand people from two hundred villages of Jammu district have been living as ‘migrants’.

By far the most sinister element of ISI-strategy in Jammu region is the hooking up of youth from poor Hindu families and criminals in the subversion network. On the eve of independence day, one Bharat Malhotra was arrested for engaging in subversive activities.