Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir at a time when a belligerent Taliban threatens to interfere in matters pertaining India’s sovereignty.
Issues related to security and development in J&K as well as border preparedness also discussed. This was the first such high-level meeting held in North Block, which houses the Home Ministry, after the Taliban took over Afghanistan.
J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, senior officials from security agencies, along with CRPF Director General Kuldeep Singh and BSF chief Pankaj Singh were among those who attended the meeting.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Director of Intelligence Bureau Arvinda Kumar, R&AW chief Samant Goel also attended the meeting.
Reports have recently emerged that Pakistan-based terrorist outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba – both active in J&K and responsible for several terror attacks in the past – have relocated their bases to Afghanistan to work with the ‘friendly’ Taliban regime.
Sirajuddin Haqqani, the new acting interior minister of Afghanistan, runs the dreaded Haqqani terror network that was responsible for a large number of attacks on Indian assets, including our embassy in Kabul.
“As Muslims, we also have a right to raise our voice for Muslims in Kashmir, India or any other country,” Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen had last week said.
The leaders and officials have also reportedly discussed the political and security implications in the Valley following the death of Hurriyat Conference chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani. The hardline group has already elected Masarat Alam Bhat, currently in prison, as its new chairman.
