E-Paper
Water stortage used to fuel anti-India sentiments
Punjabi Taliban – a mix of Jihadi outfits based in Pakistani Punjab are using the shortage of water to fuel anti-India sentiment and use this as a recruitment tool, in a major strategic shift, reports Arun Joshi.
Punjabi Taliban – a mix of Jihadi outfits based in Pakistani Punjab are using the shortage of water to fuel anti-India sentiment and use this as a recruitment tool, in a major strategic shift .
These jihadis are being indoctrinated and given training in arms and ammunition to attack in a very big way. The ground work has been done and now it is launching time, according to the informed sources, keeping a tab on the activities of militant outfits in .
As the gloomy specter of drought facing now and in coming years because of the climate change, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, which are deeply connected to Al-Qaeda and Taliban, are exploiting the sentiments of Punjabi youth against blaming it for blocking the waters of the rivers and thus asking them to rise up in arms against Hindu India.
Intelligence agencies have got firm reports and possibility of attacks planned by these groups in on the pattern of 26/11. These reports were also confirmed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Chidambaram in their recent speeches and interviews.
Water has become a precious thing for the farming community in Pakistan Punjab. This year the shortfall of water has already caused lot of desertification in Punjab.
The climate change has affected the water flow. While India is within rights to use the water as per its requirement from three rivers flowing from eastern Punjab to Pakistan - Ravi, Satluj and Beas. Pakistan has watch dog role as far as Indus, Jhelum and Chenab - three rivers flowing from Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan is concerned, as per the Indus Water Treaty.
Water scarcity and the resultant fall in the agriculture produce in, especially cotton, has aggravated the sentiments of the farming community which the militant outfits are making full use of it.
“This has become a big militancy fuelling factor for Pakistani militants”, an intelligence officer told Hindustan Times.
These jihadi groups are using the ill-effects of the climate change, especially water scarcity to raise pitch against. They substantiate their arguments by pointing to the recent statements of Pakistani leadership, which has accused of blocking its waters, especially Chenab waters, after the construction of Baglihar hydro-electric project in Jammu and Kashmir.
