AHMED BAJWA--A PAKISTANI TERRORIST FROM SIALKOT---A SHORT STORY!

"Sir, the rascals tried to escape---they were shot and one is badly wounded----what to do?"-Lt Col AK Singh (not the real name) ,officiating Commanding officer of a Sikh Infantry battalion was reporting to his Deputy Commander on the Line of Control. It was almost 7 PM in the first week of the month of September 1998.
" Can he be saved? How many bullets he has got? " Deputy Commander of Keran Sector was enquiring.
" Sir, my RMO (Regimental medical officer) has given him the first aid but chances are very bleak---He has four bullets in his left side---he is bleeding profusely----we have tied the bandage" AK singh replied.
" Ok, send him to Chowkibal --we will try and evacuate him by road to field ambulance hospital. I will be there to ask him some vital questions on his group and other details to fill up the Interrogation Report Perofma ." Deputy Commander had said.
Preparing an interrogation report was an official requirement to avoid legal hassels afterwards. Generally, human rights organisations --------- there are aplenty in J&K---they spring up at the sneeze of a terrorist-----make all sort of nasty stories on such encounters and courts tend to believe them because of concocted witnesses. Therefore army has to get important details on these guys to avoid harassment by these human rights organisations. It is a sort of a defensive tactic.
" Fine , sir. Kindly inform Commander too. I will send him on a stretcher to Chowkibal. You can just hope that he survives" AK singh had answered.
I, as a Deputy Commander, informed the commander of the whole incident. He was unhappy with AK Singh for this lapse. He did not understand the logic of moving around with the captured terrorists for more searches without proper precautions. I understood Commander's point but pacified him and moved to Chowkibal by road. We drove from PHARKIAN GALI---it took us two hours or so but the injured terrorist was being transfered on foot from DOMARI---It was four to five hours treacherous journey---. The team evacuating him reached only around 1 AM.
As soon as I learnt of his arrival I put him in the ambulance and started moving to the nearest military hospital. The drive was for 30-40 Minutes to kupwara. One look at the terorrist shook the deputy commander. He seemed just a school boy and he was only crying ---" save me---save me---I do not want to die----we were ill-informed----" His eyes were almost closed . His moans and whispers were slowly losing their pitch. He was crying---"ABU (father)---save me---Abu save me----Ammi jaan ( dear Mummy)----save me---I did not listen to you---Ammi Jan----it is paining too much-----"
I knew that the man would die any momment . He did not seem to me that he would make it to a proper place for the medical treatment-----which was only at Srinagar. I was feeling sorry for him. He was hardly nineteen or twenty. This was no age to die. The boyish looks on his face gave out the innocence in his heart. But there was no way I could save him. He was about to become a victim of his religious frenzy-----stuffed in him by a maulvi of a Mosque in his village BAJWA in SIALKOT district of Pakistan. This frenzy had made him join a militant group.
He was caught in our ambush the previous day at DOMARI GALI along with two more persons. They were part of a group of some 10 militants, which was infiltrating from village ATH MUKAM in the NEELAM VALLEY of Pakistan. They were led by a local guide called Naseem -the LANGDA ( One Legged). Naseem had died in the ambush. He belonged to TAREGHAM in North Kashmir. He used to charge Rs one Lakh for every group he brought across. It is a big business in these forward areas. Similarly there are people who sell such information to security forces on being paid well. There is a business going on here----Sometimes I used to get cheesed off with the race for weapons and kills amongst our own commanders.
AHMED BAJWA had been wounded when he, along with other two terrorists, tried to escape from the custody. of our boys. They had rused the Ambush Party commander that they had hidden more weapons just across the Line of Control. Energetic Company commander fell for the ruse. It was actually a ploy by them to escape. As soon as our escort party had crossed the LC along with them----these guys grappled with them and tried to make their escape. Our boys were tough and had the better of them. In the ensuing chase they all got shot. Two of them from Rawalkot, in AZAD KASHMIR of Pakistan, had died on the spot. This guy called AHMED BAJWA was wounded but alive. He was brought back to our post at DOMARI.
As soon as he was put in the ambulance---he opened his eyes and caught hold of my hand and started crying: " Sir, save me---I don't want to die---sir save me---I was misled" he was frantically making appeals.
" Misled--how Ahmed ?" I shot back.
" Sir, I am a graduate in economics from Punjab university--Lahore. I had just started business with my uncle in Sialkot---we were in the construction business----My job was to bribe police and government officials----there I met one police officer, named Katil Khan----he was actually working for ISI-----He had arrested me for bribing a police official---I was enticed and trapped by the duo----I was asked to work for ISI, if I wanted to be free--------I had agreed------Katil khan introduced me to ABU HAMZA---who was recruiting persons for JIHAD in KASHMIR---we were told-----it is only a month's job----once we come back ---we would get Rs two Lakhs each------'
" So, you fell for your greed----" I had interjected.
'Yes sir, you can say that-----But I had no heart in this---I swear I did not want to go to jail-- Being from a respectable family it would have been a big shame--------I told lies to my parents too---I told them that I was enrolled as an Inspector in RANGERS and I was going for a month's trining----I did not tell them that I hasd joined ABU KADIL----he belonged to a nearby village----He was actually a head of a MOSQUE --he used to narrate stories of atrocities on MUSLIMS, particully the women of KASHMIR by soldiers of Indian army------ -------"
" I don't believe this nonsense"-------I had stated.
" Sir, you can check with my parents---Ring up my village---this is my telephone Number XXXXXXXXX in Village Bajwa---save me Sir"
"Can we do something, Major Malhotra (not real name)", I turned to our medical officer---who was attending to him.
"Sir, his case is hopieless-- He must reach Srinagar in next two to three hours------too much blood has oozed out-----he will soon lose his consciousness---He needs blood transfusion immediately----which can only be done at the nearest hospital in Srinagar-----we need to evacuate him by helicopter immediately------" Malhotra had advised.
"By helicopter at midnight----How Doc?" I showed my surprise.
" Then, he would not survive---he won't reach even Kupwara, sir" Doctor gave his professional verdict.
I then turned to ahmed and said, " How many brothers you have Ahmed?"
There was no answer----he just caught my hand and said in a very faint voice------" Sir, s----a---v---e m---e"
I shook him----he had gone into comma--doctor confirmed.
He was injected by Major Malhotra---He checked the heart beat----It had begun to slow down---
He gave another injection and suddenly---
I found some life returning to AHMED-----he was not leaving my hand---He was incoherent but said , " -----you must tell my parents to punish this ABU HAMZA and the maulvi of our village-------You ring up---t------ell my ABU not to allow Idris ---my younger brother------- to become a Victim of this ABU HAMZA--------you must kill him---I will see him there-------" his voice became inaudible suddenly but his grip on my hand tightened.
Then suddenly---it was all over. Doctor saw the pulse and confirmed the ultimate. With great difficulty --I got my hands freed.
First time I became emotional in this game of COUNTER TERRORISM---I had been in it for the last 15 years---but this was aweful--- There were tears in my eyes and I did cry for the young Man------I realised how young men become victim of religious frenzy--------whether this side of the border or the other side-----
I have a message for AHMED BAJWA's ( This was the name he ghad given to us---I think it must be true) PARENTS of village BAJWA in SIALKOT DISTRICT of PAKISTAN--------I had your telephone number given by AHMED but ----I had lost it-------- In any case I couldnot have spoken to you because of our tense relations.
----He was a nice young man ---He did remember his parents and younger brother----he died on September 2, 1998----He was caught at Domari on August 31 , 1998-----His uncle who worked for military engineering service as a Contractor at Sialkot had all his money----He wanted him to give it to his parents --------I hope his younger brother IDRIS did not become a terrorist too----I don't know---I can not say---there are plenty of ABU HAMZAS in Pakistani Punjab-----
Why have I come with this story now---I just remembered him----I thought someone will read this and convey to his parents in Pakistan----any Pakistani on this line---------------------Please---we are Not enemies but prisoners of our National egos------Stop this hatred-----------You have lost far too many youngmen in Kashmir-------Atone their death by shunning these ABU HAMZAS--KATIL KHAN----and these MAULVIS---------TERRORISM will never get you KASHMIR-----Perhaps LOVE MIGHT---Just might-----If you had not goofed up by carrying out TRIBAL RAID--in 1947---who knows it would have been yours---You are again goofing it up by listening to these GILLANIS of HURRIAT or SALLAHUDINS ------They will never succeed------------------------- BUT JHELUM WILL TURN CRIMSON RED WITH THE BLOOD OF YOUR BOYS.