Real Face of Terror Exposed

By Sajjad Shaukat

Terrorism which is inhuman has enveloped almost entire world in general and South Asia in particular.

Pakistan is a country subjected to terrorism itself. Present military and civilian leadership is determined to unearth and root out the menace from its soil, because the survival of the country itself is at stake and the entire nation shares this resolve.

However, various developments have exposed the real face of terror, which need special attention.

In this regard, Pakistan has become hub of cross frontier proxies and the role of India has become naked after the arrest of Kulbhushan Yadav, on March 24, 2016. Yadav openly admitted that he was the serving agent of Indian secret agency RAW in Balochistan province, and during his stay, he contacted various Baloch separatist leaders and insurgents, including Dr Allah Nazar Baloch, to execute the task to damage the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project (CPEC).

In this context, while addressing a joint press conference with Federal Minister for Information Pervaiz Rasheed, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt. Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa said on March 29, 2016, “Kulbushan Yadav’s arrest is a rare case that does not happen very often.” He  disclosed that Yadav was an active officer of the Indian Navy prior to his joining RAW. He also served as a scrap dealer and had a jewelry business in Chahbahar, Iran, after he joined RAW in 2013.

In a video, during the press conference, Yadav confessed that he spied for India. Yadav admitted that he was assigned with the task to create unrest in Karachi and Balolchitan to destabilise Pakistan and to target the Gwadar Port. Yadav also disclosed that he was funding Baloch separatists along with other terrorists—he was captured, while heading Iran.

Although in the past too, various agents of Indian secret agency RAW were arrested in Pakistan, yet the case of Kulbushan Yadav has exposed the real face of India’s terror.

The fact of the matter is that admission of the Indian spies, particularly of Kulbushan Yadav clearly prove that Indian RAW has a well-organized espionage system in Pakistan.

In this connection, RAW with the assistance of some external entities, particularly Israeli Mossad have well-established its espionage network in Afghanistan, and besides backing other similar terrorist groups, it has been supporting Afghanistan-based Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which has claimed responsibility for several terror attacks inside Pakistan, including the recent one at  Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park (Children Park) in Lahore on Easter Sunday (March 27, 2016), which killed at least 72 persons, including 29 children. RAW is also behind sectarian violence in Pakistan.

With the tactical backing of CIA and Mossad, RAW have also been assisting the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA)  and other separatist outfits and Jundollah (God’s soldiers) which have committed various subversive acts in the province of Balochistan—abductions and killings of several nationals of China and Iran. These agencies are also weakening Pakistan, because it is the only nuclear country in the Islamic World.

It is time that the international community must understand the true picture, denounce India for its involvement in terrorist activities, and support Pakistan’s stance and efforts in curbing the menace.

India which apparently,  claims to be the largest democracy, acting upon the principles of liberalism and secularism has  broken all the records of violence, genocide and massacre perpetrated on various ethnic and religious groups, entailing the community of its own lower castes.

Since the leader of the ruling party BJP Narendra Modi became Prime Minister of India, various developments like unprecedented rise of Hindu extremism, persecution of minorities, forced conversions of other religious minorities into Hindus, ban on beef and cow slaughter, inclusion of Hindu religious books in curriculum, creation of war-like situation with Pakistan etc. clearly show that encouraged by the Hindu fundamentalist outfits such as BJP, RSS VHP, Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena including other similar parties have been promoting religious and ethnic chauvinism in India by propagating ideology of Hindutva (Hindu nationalism). Especially, assaults on Christians and Muslims including their places of worships and property have been intensified by the fanatic Hindu mobs.

Under Modi rule, as part of anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan approach, New Delhi accelerated unprovoked firing at the Line of Control in Kashmir and Working Boundary across Pak-Indian border. While, in the recent months, extremists of Hiudu fundamentalist groups intensified assaults on the Muslims and Pakistani artists, famous literary persons—members of the cricket boards etc., and even on moderate Hindus.

Thanks to the policies of Modi’s Government, even Indian media is already actively highlighting the radicalization of Indian society and pathetic state of minorities which are eroding secularism in India.

In this respect, in the recent past, more than 200 Indian writers, authors, scientists, artists, filmmakers, film-stars etc. decided to return their national awards in protest to rising Hindu extremism, while more than 100 persons have returned their rewards. Former Indian military personnel have also started returning their medals, criticizing the policies of the BJP government.

In order to discourage Modi-led extremist policies, all such atrocities including indifferences to other minorities, human rights etc. and New Delhi’s strategy to destabilize Pakistan by sponsoring terrorism-related activities must be thoroughly debated in the regional and international media.

And Pakistan needs to adopt fresh pursuance of regional cooperation in strengthening the fight against terrorism. Regional forum, including China and Central Asia will be a great platform to pursue the theme in addition to the media and diplomacy.

China and Pakistan are woven together in the CPEC project. Beijing already understands Islamabad’s efforts in confronting terrorism. However; there is a requirement to sensitize China about the Indian conspiracy to spoil Pak-China friendship and cooperation. As already pointed out,  activities of Kulbhushan Yadav were aimed at scuttling the CPEC in particular.

It is mentionable that Pakistan as a nation does not believe in sectarianism.  All the proxies against Pakistan aimed at creating sectarian divide have failed.  Pakistan’s effort to settle crises in Yemen and Syria is testimony of its stance on such issues which has been appreciated by international community.

Nonetheless, Indian extremist policies have exposed the real face of terror.

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@yahoo.com