Peace in peril

Renewed infiltration bids by militants threaten the sense of calm the ceasefire agreement had achieved

- TARIQ BHAT

On September 27, Ali Babar Patra became the first Pakistani militant to be caught in India since both countries agreed to uphold the 2003 ceasefire agreement in February. The Indian Army caught Patra and five others sneaking across the Line of Control in the Uri sector on September 18. While four of them turned back, two—Patra and Atiq-ur-Rehman, alias Qari Anas—snuck in. After nine days, the Army traced them down to the Salamabad Nallah (rivulet) in Uri. When challenged, Anas shot a soldier; he was shot down and Patra was captured alive.

“I am 18 and a resident of Dipalpur, district Okara, Punjab, Pakistan,” Patra said in a clip the Army released three days later. “My father was Muhammad Lateef and my mother Shamima Bibi. My father died in 2014. After that, I quit school and worked in a garment factory in Sialkot. [That is] where I met Anas, who worked for the LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba). As I needed money, I went with him. He gave me ₹20,000 and said he would give me ₹30,000 more later.”

He said he had undergone weapons training with eight others at camp Khyber Delihabibullah. “On September 18, Anas and I cut the fence (anti-infiltration fence at the LoC) at night and crossed in,” he said. “Four others retreated after the Army launched an operation.”

He said the Army had treated him well. “They gave me food and tea and allowed me to offer namaz (prayer),” he said. “When I was being taken away in a vehicle, I saw a lot of rush in the markets and also heard azaan (call to prayer).” He also said he hoped to reunite with his mother, a widow, soon.