Who is Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat?
Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat was born in Zawsoo, a small village in Pulwama, Kashmir. He joined militancy in the late 1980s, during a time when violence was at its peak in the Valley. Coming from a family that supported the Congress party, he was often targeted and isolated by pro-Azadi groups in his area.
With no government protection and security forces missing from the ground, Mushtaq felt that picking up arms was the only way to protect himself and his family.
In 1989, he crossed over to Pakistan, where he trained with Afghan warlords. He even took part in fighting in Afghanistan, alongside the Taliban, against Ahmad Shah Massoud’s Northern Alliance.
By 1990, Mushtaq returned to Kashmir as a trained militant and joined the Hizbul Mujahideen, a group supported by Jamaat-e-Islami.
But what he saw in Pakistan deeply disappointed him. “I realized Pakistan was using the idea of Kashmir’s freedom just for its own benefit,” he said.
In 1994, he made a life-changing decision: Mushtaq began secretly working for the Indian Army, starting a new chapter as a covert operative.
Mushtaq’s undercover mission for India
After secretly joining hands with the Indian Army in 1994, Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat began working deep undercover. He lived among militants, pretending to be one of them, while secretly passing on valuable information to Indian security forces.
His role was so important that he’s believed to have helped over 100 militants become informants for the Army. One of his biggest achievements was crossing into Pakistan four times to collect critical intelligence. One of those missions led to early warnings about the 1999 Kargil infiltration, giving India time to prepare.
Mushtaq said he never used weapons against Indian soldiers after 1994. “My job was intelligence — to save lives by giving the Army the right information at the right time,” he explained.
According to him, his work helped in the elimination of more than 300 terrorists and the deradicalization of over 500 young people. Many of those youths were steered toward education, while others were given a new chance through recruitment into the Territorial Army.
Mushtaq’s journey after his cover was blown
In 1999, Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat’s secret identity was discovered. But instead of leaving him behind, the Indian Army stood by him. He was officially made a part of the 162nd Battalion of the Territorial Army. For his courage and service, the President of India gave him a direct commission as a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO). Over time, he earned the rank of Captain before retiring in 2021.
Mushtaq formed a special group made up of former militants who had left violence behind. This group was nicknamed the “James Bond Group” in the Pulwama-Shopian region. They carried out many successful anti-terror missions, helping to bring peace to the area.
Even though his life was constantly in danger, Mushtaq chose to stay in India. “I was attacked twice, shot in both legs, my house was burned down two times, and my uncle was killed,” he shared.
Because of threats, his children had to change schools 16 times. But he made sure they stayed strong. Today, his daughter is a doctor, one son lives in Canada, and his other son lives with him in Kashmir. Though his son in Canada wants him to move abroad for safety, Mushtaq has decided to stay. “My fight is not over. I want to break the cycle of violence and guide the youth toward a better future,” he says with quiet determination.