ISI's Kashmiri kingpin

(Editorial, dailyexcelsior, 21 July 2011)
National Security Authority in the US is reported to have arrested a person of Kashmiri origin but of US citizenship on the charges of participating in a long-term conspiracy to act as agent of the Pakistani government in the United States without disclosing his affiliation with the Pakistani government as required by law. Ghulam Nabi Fai, originally from a village in Budgam, has a history of association with Jamaat-e Islami (Kashmir) before he migrated to the US and settled down in Virginia to run the secret mission for Pakistan. In its affidavit to the court, the US Attorney General has given stunning picture of Fai working as the points man of ISI in Virginia carrying forward the mission of the ISI in the US through a fake NGO named Kashmir American Council and Kashmir Centre. The strategy of the ISI, of which Fai was the US-based instrument, was to influence the opinion of American politicians, Congressmen, press, sections of American intelligentsia and NGOs through a number of ways in favour of Pakistan's stand on Kashmir. He regularly organized high profile seminars and symposia in prestigious hotels in the US, Europe and the Middle East to which important political personalities including opinion makers, academics and social and human rights activists were invited and fended for. His job was to intensify a massive disinformation campaign to tarnish the image of India in Kashmir and support armed insurgency. According to the affidavit, ISI passed on enormous funds to Fai through another conduit Ahmad, a US-based Pakistani national, but now at large as the National Security Authority has issued a warrant of arrest against him also. The affidavit states that till date ISI has passed on a huge sum of money to the tune of 4 million US dollars to Fai for the assignment given to him.
Working under the label of Kashmir American Council (KAC), Fai regularly attended the sessions of the U N Human Rights Council in Geneva, funded the ISI-sponsored group of pro-Pakistani speakers at the sessions in Geneva, and arranged high profile seminars in different parts of the world especially in the US to which many from J&K would be invited. The Hurriyat (M) usually sent its delegation to participate in Fai's seminars; besides, a well-known journalist from Jammu made many jaunts to foreign countries to pour out anti-India venom in those seminars. Included among Fai's invitees to various seminars/symposia/exhibitions were one or two Kashmir Pandits also known for their pro-militant proclivity? Some known India bashers from UK are paid by Fai to travel to Geneva and speak against India on Kashmir in the briefings arranged by pro-Pak NGOs especially those based in Brussels. Some Kashmiri separatist leaders, too, have been the beneficiaries of Fai's largesse. He invariably attends the meetings of the OIC at all levels and he played a big role in securing the status of observer for the APHC (M) at the OIC. Fai has a big publication establishment wherefrom tons of anti-India and pro Kashmir militancy literature is produces and disseminated. Some American and British academics claiming to be Kashmir experts like George Galloway and Victoria Schofield are permanent invitees to Fai-sponsored seminars wherever these are held. Making interesting revelations of how anti-India campaign was carried forward on international platforms by ISI through Fai, the Attorney General says that no fewer than 4000 times did Fai and his ISI handlers meet during the current year at secret places. National Security authorities have been interrogating Fai for more than a year and each time he has denied any links with ISI. The charge is that while staying in the US he is working against a third country clandestinely and to the risk of US' home security. It has also come to light that Fai has been struggling hard to obtain ECOSOC status for his KAC NGO but because of opposition by the Indian delegation, the NGO Committee has so far declined his request.
These revelations, made by the security agency of the US, expose the claims of the separatist leadership in Kashmir that their struggle is only for azaadi. In this background, India needs to take serious action against those Indians including state subjects who enjoy the courtesy and largesse of Fai's munificence and of his ISI-backed organization. India should ask Belgium to order shutting down of ICHR Kashmir Centre. EU in Brussels with another pro-separatist Barrister Majid Tramboo as its Chair & Executive Director because it is a branch of Kashmir Centre, Washington, run by Fai through ISI funding. Likewise the Kashmir Centre in UK should also be closed down. There is strong justification for a demand like that because these organizations are working with the funding of ISI and have the designs of destabilizing a third country namely India. New Delhi should immediately take up the issue with the European Parliament and the British government simultaneously.
Assertive NC
Government's announcement of opening new 22 colleges in the State, mostly in rural areas, has led to a row between local leadership and the coalition government. Among those who have resented the locations approved for the new colleges, the Congress party is in the lead. It claims to rise above party politics and speak for the deprived and genuinely deserving people of rural areas especially in Jammu. If the statement of the Youth Congress leader is to be taken in its stride, it is rather surprising that in such crucial issues in which the public is deeply involved, the NC is not taking Congress into confidence. It is an aspersion and cannot be taken lying low. It reflects that the element of arbitrary decision making is somewhere at work but creates misunderstanding. The UGC has set down norms for opening new colleges. Politicizing education and giving priority to political constituency as the recipient of government's benefit to the detriment of deserving people is a dangerous game and the NC would be advised better avoid playing with fire. The government has to be equitable, and above all statistics with the revenue department should help identify the really backward and needy people to whom the facility of higher education should reach. Government should avoid creating wedge between the people along political lines.