Pakistan Army, ISI involved in Pulwama terror attack: Corps commander

The Pakistan Army and its espionage agency ISI were involved in the car bomb attack that left 40 CRPF personnel dead, a top Army official said on Tuesday, also sending out the message that anyone picking up the gun in Kashmir would be eliminated unless he surrenders.

The Jaish-e-Mohammad leadership in Kashmir was eliminated within 100 hours of the February 14 terror attack in Pulwama, General Officer Commanding of Army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt General K J S Dhillon added at a press conference along with IG Kashmir S P Pani and IG CRPF Zulfiqar Hasan.

On Monday, three Jaish terrorists were killed in a 16-hour operation in Pinglan area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district, 12 km from the spot of the February 14 terror attack on a CRPF convoy. An Army major and four security personnel also lost their lives.

"The Jaish-e-Mohammad is the brainchild of Pakistan army and it is the Pakistan Army and ISI that controls Jaish-e-Mohammad. The involvement of the Pakistan Army is 100 per cent and there is no doubt in it," Dhillon told reporters.

He also appealed to the parents of Kashmiri youth who have joined the ranks of militants to persuade their sons to surrender or face elimination.

"I would like to tell the parents of Kashmiri youth, especially the mothers... to request their sons, who have joined terrorism, to surrender and return to the mainstream.

"Anyone who has picked the gun in Kashmir will be eliminated, unless he surrenders. This is a message and request to all of them," he said.

Giving details of Monday's operation, he said the three Jaish terrorists killed included Kamran, the self-styled chief operations commander of the outfit in Kashmir valley.

"On specific information the day before (intervening night of Sunday and Monday), we hit this module and I am happy to inform the country that in less than 100 hours of the car bomb attack, we eliminated the JeM leadership in Kashmir," he said.

Security forces were tracking the Jaish's top leadership ever since the February 14 attack for which the group has claimed responsibility, the Army officer said.

"The attack was carried out by JeM and it was being controlled by Pakistan with the support of the ISI and the Pakistan Army. The local top commanders, most of them Pakistanis, who were in charge of controlling, coordinating, fabricating and execution of this operation were the main people of the JeM in the Valley," he said.

Last week's strike, when a suicide bomber drove an explosives laden car into a bus, was a first for Kashmir, he said.

"With this type of intensity, it has never happened before. However, similar incidents have happened in other countries like Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"Since this modus operandi has now been started by terrorists, we are alive to it... we are keeping all options open to deal with this type of modus operandi in future," he added.

Asked if Gazi Abdul Rashid, one of the Jaish terrorists killed on Monday, had an Afghanistan connection, Dhillon said, "Many Gazis have come and gone. There is nothing new in it... We will handle it, Let any Gazi come."
"There has been infiltration on the other routes, that is from the international border sector and south of Jammu in the area of Samba, Hiranagar and Pathankot sector. That infiltration is continuing... Pakistan is carrying out infiltration into Kashmir for the results theywant."