Bhubaneswar: The Pakistan-ocupied Kashmir (PoK) has of late become a powder keg for the Pakistani State and its non-State actors of the likes of Hafeez Sayeed.
The common man on the streets there seems frustrated by the pressing problems like rising electricity tariffs, ultra-high inflation and tax burdens.
Recently, some of the key so-called non-state actors in Pakistan have been eliminated by unknown persons in the region, though Pakistani State blame the targeted eleimination at RAW, India vehemently denied the accusation. And Pakistani State failed to produce any evidence about the so-called targeted killings spree underway in Pakistan.
Amidst the serial elimination, Sunday morning came another kill story. A shoot out incident happened at Mangala in PoK.
In the shootout, Naeb Ul Rehman, one of the volunteers of a charity organisation Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation owned by Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) led by Hafeez Sayeed died.
Later, multiple media reports claimed that Hafiz Saeed’s aide Abu Qatal was also killed in the shootout.
The killing of Abu Qatal comes as a big development for Indian securtiy and news agencies. The killing appeared significant because, Abu Qatal has been a close aide of 26/11 mastermind Hafeez Sayeed, some reports also claim Abu Qatal nephew of Hafeez Sayeed, has been the mastermind of January 2023 Rajouri and June 2024 Reasi attacks.
Reports suggested that Hafiz Saeed had appointed Abu Qatal Chief Operational Commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba. The reports say Hafiz Saeed used to give orders to Abu Qatal to execute major attacks in Kashmir.
WHO IS ABU QATAL?
Take a glance at the timeline.
Jan 1, 2023: Terrorists killed four civilians, and injured seven others at upper Dhangri village in Rajouri Tehsil (revenue unit) of Rajouri District in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).
Jan 1, 2023: 2 more civilians killed following explosion of IED device at the Dhangri village in Rajouri Tehsil.
June 9, 2024: Terrorists had opened fire at a bus carrying yatris from Shiv Khori to Katra in the evening hours in Pouni area of Reasi district. This led to fall of the bus into a nearby gorge, killing nine people, including a child.
NIA has identified Abu Qatal alias Qatal Sindhi as the mastermind behind the terror attacks. He is also popular by the name Faisal Nadeem.
He is a Pakistani national. He has infiltrated into Kashmir in the year 2002-03. He was active in Poonch region then. The NIA says, he exfiltrated (crossed back) to Pakistan sometime in the year 2002. Since then, he has been executing terror attacks trhough his handlers in Jammu and Kashmir, sitting in Pakistan.
A close aide of Hafiz Sayeed, Abu Qatal, therefore is the one of the most wanted terrorists in India. He predominantly figures in NIA watchlist, and Indian Army’s hit list.
As per NIA Chargesheet, investigations reveal that the trio had orchestrated the recruitment and dispatch of LeT terrorists from Pakistan to target innocent civilians, particularly from the minority community in Jammu & Kashmir, as well as security personnel. The attacks were carried out under the directions of these Pakistan-based handlers.
