Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has devised a new strategy to embed its operatives within mainstream political parties in India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir.

This plan is designed to provide cover for terror recruitment, fundraising, and the movement of weapons under the guise of democratic activity. By infiltrating political structures, the ISI aims to evade counter-terror surveillance and sustain networks that would otherwise be vulnerable to detection.

The sinister plot came to light during interrogations of over ground workers (OGWs) recently apprehended by the Jammu and Kashmir Police. Investigators discovered basic membership cards of national political parties in their possession.

Former Director General of Police S P Vaid warned that such membership cards act as shields during searches, making it harder for security forces to scrutinise suspects. He noted that OGWs have previously exploited party membership to transport arms and ammunition undetected.

This tactic is not unprecedented. In the late 1990s and 2000s, OGWs used party membership cards to deceive security agencies. A striking example occurred in July 2020 when villagers in Reasi apprehended Talib Hussein, a wanted Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist.

Hussein was found to be an active member of the BJP and served as the Minority Morcha’s social media in-charge in Jammu. Two AK rifles, grenades, and other arms were recovered from him. His political affiliation allowed him to take photographs with senior party leaders, granting him access to sensitive areas until his eventual capture.

Historically, terrorists relied on voter cards and forged Aadhaar documents to evade detection. The recent dismantling of a Lashkar module in Malerkotla, Punjab, revealed that Pakistani operatives had managed to operate in India for over 15 years without being detected, largely by exploiting such documentation. The ISI’s current plan represents an evolution of this deception, leveraging political legitimacy to mask terror logistics.

Recent counter-terror operations in Kashmir have severely weakened militant outfits, leaving many groups leaderless after the elimination of top commanders. The OGW network has also been dismantled, disrupting the terror ecosystem.

In this vacuum, the ISI believes embedding OGWs into mainstream political parties will provide them with renewed cover and access to critical locations. This would enable them to supply logistics to remaining commanders without drawing suspicion.

Central agencies are now actively mapping these reactivated OGW cells. Operations are underway to sever their logistics lines and counter online radicalisation before it gains momentum.

Security officials fear that even a single breach could undo years of fragile calm in the region, underscoring the gravity of the ISI’s latest manoeuvre.

Agencies