By
Sajjad Shaukat
In the recent years, when the US-led NATO forces
felt that they are failing in coping with the stiff resistance of the Taliban
in Afghanistan, they started accusing Pak Army and country’s Inter-Services
Intelligence (ISI) of supporting the Afghan Taliban. The high officials and
media of their countries not only blamed Pakistan for cross-border terrorism in
Afghanistan, but also presumed that a plot to attack the US homeland would be
prepared in FATA where safe-havens of Al Qaeda exist. India avail the
opportunity and also accused Pakistan of similar allegations.
It is notable that
Pakistan’s Armed Forces broke the backbone of the militants through military
operation Zarb-i-Azb which started on June 15, 2014 in North Waziristan Agency,
and afterwards, extended to some other tribal agencies—killing thousands of
insurgents including foreign terrorists, while, ISI and other law-enforcing
agencies captured several terrorists in various regions of Pakistan, including
suicide-jackets and weapons. What the US-led NATO countries could not do in
Afghanistan in the last 14 years, Pakistan’s Armed Forces have done in one
year. Taking note of the ground realities, the US and other western countries
have started appreciating the capabilities of Pakistan Army and other security
agencies, and are, now, recognizing the sacrifices of the country against
terrorism. They also recognize the fact that there is a co-relationship of
stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Highlighting
inter-related regional problems in his speech at the Central South Asia
Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General
Raheel Sharif said on September 29, this year, “Practical steps are required to
manage Pak-Afghan borders for gainful conclusion of the military operation
Zarb-e-Azb—Afghan instability had telling effects on the region”. He stressed
on all stake holders to revive reconciliation process, despite hurdles, and
elaborated, “A peaceful Afghanistan can open regional connectivity—China
Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) benefits can be shared—it is essential for
socio-economic development of the whole region”.
During his recent trip
to UK, and during his interaction with the British top officials and addresses,
Gen. Raheel Sharif again emphasized upon south Asian security. In this regard,
he said our environment need to be understood by the world—we are fighting
various terrorist groups, no new entities can be allowed to emerge—we want to
finish terrorists and their nurseries, while, we also expect the international
community to play its part for regional peace—terrorism is a global issue and
it warrants global response—for long term success, funding of all terrorist
outfits has to be checked by all—we are against use of proxies and won not
allow it on our soil.” Gen. Raheel indicated that India has been continuing
border violations to divert attention of Pakistan from its war against
terrorism.
However, regional
security is not only important for Asian countries, but also for the US and
other western countries and even for the whole world. In this respect, in their
recent statements, American, British, German leaders and high officials
including those of other NATO countries appreciated progress of Pakistan to
counter terrorism, and acknowledged the nation’s contribution towards regional
peace and stability.
But, it is regrettable
that India is destabilizing the regional countries in general and Afghanistan
and Pakistan in particular. In order to obtain its secret designs, aimed at
augmenting Indian hegemony in the region, India is foiling the peace process
between Afghanistan and Pakistan by managing terrorist attacks like the recent
ones in Afghanistan which revived old blame game against Islamabad.
In this respect, in the
recent past, cordial relations were established between Pakistan and
Afghanistan when Afghan President Ashraf Ghani realized that Afghanistan and
Pakistan are facing similar challenges of terrorism and will combat this threat
collectively. They also set up a mechanism to check infiltration of the
militants through Pak-Afghan porous border.
While, it is misfortune
that on direction of New Delhi and like the former regime of Afghan President
Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan’s present rulers have also started accusing Pakistan
of cross-border terrorism. In this context, after hours of the Taliban captured
Kunduz city, on September 28, 2015, during his address to the UNO General
Assembly, Afghanistan’s chief executive Abdullah Abdullah blamed Islamabad for
carrying out cross-border attacks and destabilizing Afghanistan. On June 1,
2015 President Ashraf Ghani condemned Pakistan for waging undeclared war.
Despite Islamabad’s rejection of these baseless allegations, and instance on
Pak-Afghan joint cooperation against terrorism, this blame game continued.
In fact, in collusion
with Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS), Indian secret agency
RAW has well-established its network in Afghanistan, and is fully assisting
cross-border incursions and terror-activities in various regions of Pakistan
through Baloch separatist elements and anti-Pakistan groups like Baluchistan
Liberation Army (BLA), Jundullah (God’s soldiers) and Tehreek-e-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP). In this connection, on September 18, this year, the TTP
militants attacked a Pakistan Air Force camp in Badaber area, Peshawar and
martyred 29 people including army personnel. In this regard, Pakistan’s civil
and military sources pointed out those TTP terrorists came from Afghanistan,
having connections with Indian RAW.
Notably, RAW is making
efforts to weaken Afghanistan, Tibetan regions of China and Pakistan,
especially Balochistan by arranging the subversive activities, promoting
acrimonious sense of dissent, political volatility, sectarian violence and
arousing sentiments of separatism.
It is mentionable that
New Delhi which has already invested billion of dollars in Afghanistan, also
signed a wide-ranging strategic agreement with that country on October 5, 2011.
And, the then President Karzai had also signed another agreement with India to
obtain Indian arms and weapons. While, under the cover of these agreements,
India has further strengthened its grip in Afghanistan. By taking advantage of
lawlessness in Afghanistan, India is up to its usual tirade to foment an
environment by conducting terrorist attacks in that country to prove that
Pakistan is creating trouble for Afghanistan.
It is notable that Gen.
Raheel accompanied by the DG of ISI went to Kabul on December 17, 2014. During
his meeting with his Afghan counterpart, President Ashraf Ghani and the ISAF
commander, he presented the evidence of linkage between the massacre of children
at Peshawar school and TTP sanctuaries in Afghanistan. He also asked about
action against the TTP and handing over of its chief Mullah Fazlullah to
Pakistan.
Nevertheless, Indian
desperation in Afghanistan is increasing in the backdrop of growing engagements
of Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and US. Therefore, by arranging terror-assaults
in Pakistan and Afghanistan, India is also thwarting the peace process between
the Afghan officials and representatives of Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan,
which started in Murree, Pakistan, on July 8, 2015 through a meeting, hosted by
Islamabad, and in it, Chinese and American representatives, also participated.
While, the US, China and Pakistan are jointly working to facilitate the process
so as to bring peace both in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the whole region.
Moreover, New Delhi is
also trying to sabotage the CPEC and is targeting growing Pak-China-Afghanistan
relations.
Furthermore, on the
instruction of the Indian leader of the fundamentalist party BJP and Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, Indian forces have accelerated unprovoked shelling
across the Line of Control and Working Boundary, while creating war-like
situation between Pakistan and India.
Meanwhile, Pakistan
raised the question of Indian cross-border terrorism and RAW involvement in
Pakistan at the UNO forum, with strong evidence in light of open statements of
Indian defence minister and prime minister who recently confirmed assistance to
anti-Pakistan elements including separation of East Pakistan. Islamabad also
raised the issues of Indian cross-border shelling and human rights violations
in the Indian occupied Kashmir.
It is of particular
attention that waging a prolonged war in Afghanistan, the US and other NATO
countries have realized that after the withdrawal of foreign troops,
Afghanistan would be thrown in an era of uncertainly and civil war. They
realize the fact that terrorism or stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan is
interrelated. Therefore, US-led developed nations which also spent billions of
dollars for the development of Afghanistan have repeatedly agreed that without
Islamabad’s help, stability cannot be achieved there. Unfortunately, India does
not intend to see peace in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Hence, India is
undermining Pak-Afghan stability by creating unrest, and by sabotaging their
cordial relations.
So, the US-led developed
countries must also show realistic approach by realizing that unlike India,
Pakistan shares common geographical, historical, religious and cultural bonds
with Afghanistan, while Pak-Afghan stability is inter-related, which is
essential for their global and regional interests. Especially, America must
abandon its faulty strategy in this region and double standard, and must check
Indian secret strategy against Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, America, Russia
and other Asian countries.
Nonetheless, in order to
obtain its cover aims, India has been destabilizing South Asian security which
is equally essential for American and other major powers’ global interests.
Sajjad Shaukat writes on
international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants,
Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations
Email:
sajjad_logic_pak@hotmail.com
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