Pakistan’s intelligence agencies and cross-border terrorist handlers have increasingly been using women to allegedly finance terrorism and separatism in Kashmir. The latest alleged conspiracy came to light with the arrest of six members of a suspected terror-financing module in the Bandipora district of North Kashmir. Four of the six accused are women.
The module, which is allegedly linked to the banned separatist organisation Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen is suspected of establishing networks through jailed terrorists and separatists, raising funds from across the border, and spreading terrorist and separatist propaganda in Kashmir. Police are also searching for a cleric and two alleged couriers suspected of being involved in the network.
According to police, the alleged module’s leader, Waheed Ahmed Butt, was released from prison approximately two years ago. He is a resident of Handwara in the Kupwara district of North Kashmir. The other accused include Irfan Ahmed Reshi, Mubeena Bano, Khushboo Jan, Mehak Jan and Alia Jan. All six have been arrested.
Waheed Ahmed Butt was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in 2022.
According to reports, police received intelligence that a new module allegedly supporting terrorist and separatist activities had become active in North Kashmir, with women also suspected of being involved. An investigation was launched, leading to the identification of Waheed Ahmed Butt.
Butt was previously arrested in 2022 in connection with an anti-national rally in Kupwara in a case registered under the UAPA. He was released in 2024.
After his release, police began monitoring his activities and uncovered important clues about the suspected network. Investigators subsequently monitored other individuals allegedly associated with the module, gathered digital and other evidence against them, and arrested the accused.
Accused of working at the behest of a Pakistan-based handler
According to police, Waheed Ahmed Butt allegedly established contact with a Pakistan-based handler identified as Manzoor Ahmad Shah while lodged in Kupwara jail. He also allegedly enlisted the support of another inmate.
After his release, Butt allegedly began propagating terrorist and separatist ideology in North Kashmir at the behest of his Pakistan-based handler.
He allegedly organised secret meetings, mobilised individuals and incited them to participate in terrorist and separatist activities in Kashmir. According to the report, he attended approximately two dozen such meetings.
Money allegedly transferred from across the border into women’s bank accounts
According to a police spokesperson, Butt was released from prison on health grounds and allegedly used the opportunity to promote separatist activities. He reportedly brought several women into his network and held frequent meetings with them. Five to six of these meetings were allegedly held at a small hotel on the Bandipora-Baramulla road.
Police are investigating the purpose of these meetings, the individuals who attended them and the extent of the suspected network. The women associated with the module were also allegedly involved in propagating terrorist and separatist ideology in their respective areas.
Butt allegedly channelled funds received from across the border into their bank accounts.
Over the past few years, he is suspected of having received approximately Rs 8 lakh through women associated with the module. Of this amount, approximately Rs 2.26 lakh was allegedly deposited into the Jammu and Kashmir bank account of Mubeena Bano, a resident of Dachigam in the Bandipora district. The remaining amount was allegedly delivered through cash couriers.
A cleric and two alleged couriers from Kupwara are being sought
A portion of the funds was allegedly distributed among the module’s associates, while some of the money was reportedly used to pay for Waheed Ahmed Butt’s medical treatment.
A police officer involved in the investigation said the suspected network also included a cleric and two alleged couriers from Kupwara district. Police are searching for the three individuals.
The officer expressed confidence that they would also be arrested.
Simultaneous arrest of four women in Bandipora raises concerns.
A senior Jammu and Kashmir Police officer said the alleged involvement of women in terrorist and separatist activities in Kashmir was not a new phenomenon. However, the simultaneous arrest of four women in a single suspected module in Bandipora has raised concerns among security agencies.
According to the officer, while previous investigations had generally identified one or two women in individual modules, the latest case indicates a possible increase in the recruitment of women into local networks by Pakistani intelligence agencies and cross-border terrorist handlers.
The officer suggested that women could be targeted for recruitment because they may attract less suspicion, potentially making it easier for such networks to operate.