At least 35 mercenaries from Pak, POK lodged in J&K jails

IN JUNE THIS YEAR, INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES HAD PREPARED A LIST OF 149 FOREIGN TERRORISTS, WHO WERE OPERATING IN KASHMIR; 7 MERCENARIES AWAIT DEPORTATION TO PAKISTAN

JAMMU: While the army’s ‘operation all out’ goes full throttle across Kashmir and the tally of militants killed this year crosses the 200-mark, at least 35 foreign mercenaries belonging to Lashkar-e-taiba (LET) and Jaish-emohammed (JEM), all from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), remain lodged in various prisons of the state, largely in high security Kot Bhalwal prison on the outskirts of the winter capital here.

Seven among them await deportation to Pakistan.

“As of today, we have 110 foreigners lodged in various prisoners in the state for various crimes. As many as 42 are from Pakistan, 14 from POK, 16 from Bangladesh, 12 from Nepal, 19 from Myanmar, one each from Holland, South Africa, Afghanistan, Namibia and three from China,” said a top home department source.

“Among them, 35 are mercenaries from Pakistan and POK. They belong to Karachi, Multan, Lahore, Gujarat (Pakistan), Muzaffarabad, Rawalakote, Bahawalpur, Sialkot, Kotli and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (northwesternregionofpakistan with Afghanistan),” he informed.

Presently, the high security Kot Bhalwal prison has 16 militants from Pakistan and POK, which include four convicts, seven detenues under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and five undertrials. “Among 16 foreign militants in Kot Bhalwal prison, five of them await their deportation to Pakistan since 2015,” said the source.

“The delay in deportation happens due to protracted verification process coupled with Pakistan’s reluctance to take them back. Further, these Pakistani militants hide their real identities and give fake names to the security forces at the time of their arrests,” said a senior official.

In June, intelligence agencies and security forces had prepared a list of 149 foreign terrorists, who were operating in Kashmir.