DNA Exclusive: Pakistan terror apparatus planning strikes to derail talks in Valley

The Pakistan army, along with terror groups and ISI, has stepped up attempts to infiltrate and carry out attacks in Kashmir to derail efforts of special representative Dineshwar Sharma to initiate talks in the conflict-hit state, intelligence inputs shared with top security officials suggest.

According to ground intelligence two days after the announcement of Sharma’s appointment on October 23, Syed Salauddin, who heads the United Jihad Council, an umbrella group of terror organisations active in Kashmir, in a meeting on October 25 gave instructions that 45-50 terrorists should infiltrate India and carry out strikes aiming to disrupt any efforts for a dialogue.

ISI and Pakistani army officials were also present in the conference held in Muzaffarabad, according to reports based on human and technical intelligence shared with top officials in the security establishment.

Sharma, a former Intelligence Bureau chief, reached Srinagar on Monday to begin talks with all stakeholders.

The Centre decided to initiate talks with all stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir hoping to restore peace by appointing Sharma as a “special representative for a sustained dialogue” following a prolonged period of violence in the state over the last one year.

The separatist Hurriyat Conference has already rejected the offer of any talks through the …read more