Pakistan has conceived a plan to send Hizbul Mujahideen jihadists disguised as members of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, the Kashmir affiliate of global terror outfit al-Qaida. Intelligence agencies have intercepted a 17-minute conversation between a top Hizb operative near Lipa Valley across the LoC and a resident in Gurez in north Kashmir, showing how Pakistan will circumvent the requirements imposed by watchdog Financial Action Task Force. 

Hizb boasts of role in Zakir Musa killing 

In the chat, Hizb operative Imtiyaz Alam boasts of playing a role in the elimination of Zakir Musa, who founded Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind after quitting Hizbul Mujahideen. Musa had succeeded Hizb commander Burhan Wani when he was killed in 2016.

To an enquiry by the Gurez resident, Alam replies, “ Idhar koi manta hai Ansar ko? Nahi. Isliye hum Ansar ke saath jayenge. (Is Ansar known here? No. That’s why we will go with Ansar)”

In the next answer, Alam further explains that the jihadists will have the option to purchase arms either locally or bring them from Pakistan. “ Wohi to tension hai na, samaan jab wahan se lana padta, sajish karni padti hai (That’s the trouble. When you got to bring arms from across, you got to conspire).”

The civilian replies saying, “ Mein aapko guidance de doonga, aap koshish karo udhar se aane ki, yeh mein kar sakta hoon.”

Most of the Ansar members have been killed by the Indian security forces before and after Musa’s elimination on May 24, a day after BJP stormed to power at the Centre. 

Many in the terror ranks still believe that Musa was set up by one of their own to give a safe passage to other Hizb jihadists.

One of the top counterinsurgency officers told TOI that all terrorists switch from one group to another or even change the names of their groups as and when they require. “These measures are taken when they get desperate,” he said.