Pakistani Woman Shehnaz Akhtar Arrested While Infiltrating Across LoC in Poonch; Jaish Women Wing Link Suspected

Jammu & Kashmir: The Indian Army has thwarted an infiltration attempt along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, arresting a Pakistani woman who was trying to sneak into Indian territory from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The intelligence agencies are now probing her possible link to the women’s wing of the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed.

The woman, identified as Shehnaz Akhtar, was apprehended the day before yesterday near the LoC in the Mendhar sub-division of Poonch after alert Army troops noticed unusual movement along the border. She was intercepted through Army surveillance devices while attempting to cross over the border.

Shehnaz Akhtar is a resident of Gimma village in Kotli district of PoK. According to initial findings, Shehnaz had stayed close to a Pakistan Army post in PoK before making the infiltration attempt. As per sources, she was given breakfast by the Pakistan Army before being sent towards the LoC. It has also emerged that an individual named Zehen allegedly gave her Rs 1,000 before she attempted to enter India, crossing the border.

The arrest comes weeks after a viral audio message by Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar surfaced, in which he claimed that thousands of women had joined the terror outfit. Intelligence agencies are now examining whether Shehnaz’s infiltration attempt is linked to Jaish’s women’s wing, Jamaat ul Mominaat. 

After her interception, Shehnaz was immediately detained and shifted to an Army camp. A joint team of the Indian Army and lady police personnel is currently questioning her to determine her motive, background, and any possible terror links.