Begging for mercy
Spies are usually very unlucky blokes as their godfathers deprive them of their actual and original identity; they are the people with no names and no addresses. During the completion of some mission or assignment, it also happens that sometimes a spy is caught red-handed by security forces of the ‘hostile’ country and is put behind bars or pushed to the other side of the realm of life. In such situations, things become more complicated for his own self and for his family too. Muhammad Shabbir; an Indian spy, is also one of such unfortunate characters who became a tool in the hands of the RAW and is now counting the remaining days of his life as he has been ‘awarded’ death penalty by the Sessions Court and by the Qazi Court of Mirpur Azad Jammu Kashmir.
Mohammad Shabbir is an Indian national and belongs to Sakan Topo, Tehsil Maindar District Poonch of Indian Occupied Kashmir. Somewhere in 1987 he got an opportunity of sneaking into Azad Jammu Kashmir after crossing the Line of Control. With the help of his facilitators in IOK he became a frequent boarder crosser. During this activity, he started doing some business of fruits and vegetables also. One day an officer of the Indian Border Security force caught him red-handed while crossing the border. He was taken to a police station where he was threatened that he would be stamped as an agent of Pakistan’s intelligence agencies if he did not promise to work for the Indian agencies in IOK. To save his life and the life of his family and no doubt for the expected perks and privileges, he agreed to work with them.
The first assignment given to him was to carry out a bomb blast in Islamgarh; a town near Mirpur 140km south of state capital Muzaffarabad. On 17 Dec 1999 he succeeded in fixing a bomb in a passenger-filled bus ready to leave from Islamgarh. Nine innocent passengers died on the spot and more than thirty were seriously injured. As a result of a very quick and rapid action of the law-enforcement agencies, he was arrested a few hours after the tragic incident from Islamgarh. After thorough investigation, a case was registered against him and the matter was sent to the court for further action. Since Mohammad Shabbir was an Indian involved in anti-Pakistan terrorist activities and there were chances that India would exploit his case to malign and disrepute Pakistan, he was provided all possible legal assistance and support by the government but they could not prove him innocent. In short under 337-A/1 to 6, 3/EXPA, 302/427 AND 324/APC he was awarded death sentence. His appeal is pending in Supreme Court/Shriat Court AJK Mirpur Bench since 2015.
During this period, no one from the Indian side came forward to help him but after the arrest of the Indian intelligence officer Kalboshan Jhadev, and after getting a temporary green signal from the International Court of Justice, the issue of Mohammad Shabbir also started coming to surface. According to different news sources, India has recently asked for consular access to Mohammad Shabbir. God knows better how this demand would be treated by Pakistan but as far as moral values and our own national interests are concerned, a terrorist involved in murder of nine innocent passengers does not deserve any sympathy or kindness. Kindness with spies, courtesy with murderers and gentleness with terrorists simply opens new doors of courage and support for more spies, more murderers and more terrorists.
Unfortunately we had been very kind on another Indian spy too in the past; Kashmir Singh. He was released from jail by the government of Pakistan and sent back to India just to convey a gesture of goodwill and cordiality but the government of India gave no importance and value to this gesture. Moreover when release of Kashmir Singh was under process, Kashmir Singh started telling the world media that Pakistani authorities had been very kind on him during all his jail-years but as he crossed the boundary and stepped into India, he started barking against Pakistan.
Learning a lesson, Pakistan showed no softness in case of Kalboshan Jhadev; same must be the behaviour now in case of Mohammad Shabbir. Sometimes to save the diplomatic relationship even with countries hostile to Pakistan and sometimes to convey a soft image of our country to the world we had been very kind and forgiving in our approach towards disguised terrorists but now we will have to be very clear and strict. Be it the Indian naval commander Kalboshan Jhadev or the agent of RAW Mohammad Shabbir; we will have to decide unanimously that we would not shower any kindness on any terrorist.
