No information on desertion from the Mujahid Force Regiment could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

However, an 8 December 1998 article published in the Indian Express reported that Shahnawaz Malik, a deserter from the 834 Mujahid Battalion, had been caught in September 1998 by Pakistan officials and "given the choice of going into Kashmir or facing punishment." Malik was later apprehended by Indian authorities (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Indian Express. 8 December 1998. Vikram Jit Singh. "Pak Sends in Armymen to Guide J&K Militants." http://www.indian-express.com/ie/daily/19981208/34250084.html [Accessed 8 Nov. 2001]

IRB databases

Jane's Intelligence Review

LEXIS/NEXIS

Oral sources:

Unsuccessful attempts to contact one academic source

One academic source was unable to provide information

Internet sites, including:

BBC

CNN

Dawn

Frontier Post

International Relations and Security Network

News International

Pakistan Daily

Pakistan News Service

UN News

World News Connection

Search engines:

Lycos

Google

Rediff
Note: This list is not exhaustive. Country or region-specific publications available at the Resource Centre are not included.