In positive developments against NGOs spreading anti-India propaganda, the funding from Pakistan and related sources has been on a constant decline and now have essentiality reached non-existent levels, reported Zee News.
Indian intelligence officials talking to ZEE News have indicated towards the cash crunch being faced by these organizations. The officials also pointed out that these organizations which operate under the garb of political neutrality were essentially nurtured by Pakistan. These NGOs with a proven track record of spreading anti-India propaganda have been operating within Jammu and Kashmir and in countries like the United States and the UK. However over the past few months, the financial supply from Pakistan related sources has effectively dried up and the groups are now fuming at Pakistan, the officials pointed out.
The officials also pointed out that the Pakistani High Commission in London has been one of the major sources of funding for these anti-India NGOs. In lieu of funding these NGOs then indulge in spreading anti-India propaganda like leveling unfounded allegations which could range from human rights violation to issues of minorities in India and use of force against civilians. However, since 2018 the NGOs have not been functioning at optimum giving serious deficiencies of Funds.
The Home Ministry has also come forward by asking the officials to prepare a list of such NGOs which indulge in anti-India activities, operating within and outside India which receive funding from Pakistan directly and /or indirectly. These steps come as the several Indian agencies turn up the heat on the funding of such NGOs which even percolates directly towards terror activities.
Taking on several terror financing channels, in 2015, ED had also filed a charge-sheet against Firdous Ahmed Shah, member of Syed Ali Geelani’s Hurriyat Conference for having received. Through his “friend”, money from “Madina Traders” in Brescia, Italy through a sender named Javed Iqbal, via Western Union Money Transfer. The same name of Madina Traders and Javed Iqbal was involved with 26/11 attack when a money transfer was made for activating Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) used during the Mumbai terror strikes.
In March, Enforcement Directorate (ED) had imposed a penalty of Rs.14.40 Lakhs on Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani under the Foreign Exchange Management Act. The recent crackdown on the corruption scandal in Jammu and Kashmir Bank has also broken the back of the Hurriyat leaders who used the J&K Bank for illegal activities in collusion with other corrupt officials of the bank. The introduction and implementation of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) was also seen as a progressive step to bring more transparency into the funding process of NGO’s and cracking down of NGOs involved in anti-India activities.
However, for Pakistan which is already struggling with the dire economic conditions, financing covert propaganda NGOs has surely taken a back seat. An evident change in India’s policy against foreign aggression has also contributed to the decreased morale of the Pakistani establishment in continuing its support to these NGOs. India had already set the ‘no tolerance’ tone after 2016 surgical strikes on terror launch pads near the LoC in which around 40 terrorists were neutralized following the terror attack on the Uri brigade which left 19 soldiers dead and the Balakot airstrikes in early 2019 were just an extension of India’s stand against foreign hostility.