Multi-prone Attacks on Pakistan
By Sajjad Shaukat
In the past, conventional forces of a country used to attack on a rival country in order to achieve its strategic aims. But in the modern era of globalisation and technology, a rival country can be invaded through ‘different war’ which includes various tactics of psychological warfare. In these terms, Pakistan has become the target of multi-prone attacks such as suicide attacks, bomb blasts, abductions, targeted-killings, ethnic and sectarian violence, coupled with sporadic battles of the security forces with the militants in some tribal areas and assaults on the security agencies including their premises.
Besides subversive acts of the past eight years, a new wave of terrorism has once again enveloped Pakistan. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has perennially been facing latest terror-activities. In some major incidents, on March 2 this year, 58 people were killed in a suicide bomb blast outside a mosque at Tirah Valley, while ten soldiers embraced martyrdom in clashes with the militants. 26 Shias were killed on February 17 in a suicide bomb assault in Parachinar.
On February 28, this year, gunmen disguised in military uniform hauled 18 Shias off buses and shot them in the Kohistan region. On February 26, militants damaged fourteen railway tracks across Sindh. New subversive events such as target killings, setting the vehicles on fire, kidnappings in Karachi etc. has again started. Several innocent people, workers of different political parties, three Shia lawyers, two activists of the Sunni Tehreek (ST) and a doctor, two students, Baluch MPA Nawabzada Bakhtiar Khan Domki’s wife and daughter were killed. In the past 50 days, more than 60 persons have been targeted brutally in Karachi.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik told the National Assembly on February 2 this year that the deteriorating situation in Karachi was the result of a well-planned conspiracy. He revealed that links between the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Sipah-e-Sahaba had been uncovered in carrying out joint terrorist activities. On July 18, 2011, Rehman Malik, while disclosing the involvement of foreign hands in Karachi, had openly stated that the miscreants were using Israeli-made weapons for fomenting unrest in the city.
Notably, the situation has deteriorated in Balochistan where subversive events and human rights violations have intensified. In this regard, BLA and an another group, Jundollah (God’s soldiers) which have been fighting for secession of the province gets logistic support from American CIA, Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad, and are also trying to sabotage Pakistan’s relationship with China and Iran. In the past few years, their militants kidnapped and killed many Chinese and Iranian nationals in Pakistan. Jundollah also arranged a number of suicide attacks in Iran, while Tehran had directly named CIA for assisting those terrorist attacks.
It is mentionable that Dana Rohrabacher introduced a House Concurrent Resolution in the US House of Representatives on February 17, 2012, calling upon Pakistan to “recognise the right of self-determination for Balochistan.” The resolution has noted that “Baloch people are subjected to violence and extrajudicial killings,” by security forces and intelligence agencies.
In fact, US-led India and Israel have been inciting the general masses of Balochistan to openly speak against the federation of Pakistan and the Punjabis for all the injustices, created by the Baloch feudal lords (Sardars) who have been fighting for their own so-called status, prestige and influence. While Balochistan’s mineral resources and ideal geo-strategic location with Gwadar seaport, has further annoyed America and India because China has already invested billion of dollars to develop it. However, it is due to multiple strategic designs that the US which signed a nuclear deal with India in 2008, intends to control Balochistan in containing China and destabilising Iran.
Recently, Pakistan’s high officials and some politicians have indicated foreign hands in backing the separatism in Balochistan. In this respect, Balochistan Chief Minister, Nawab Aslam Raisani disclosed on February 27, 2012 that there were confirmed reports of external intrusion in the province in the backdrop of prevailing circumstances.
However, we cannot see the terror-events in one province in isolation as these are part multi-prone attacks on Pakistan. Especially, America has been supporting cross-border infiltration in Pakistan with the assistance of CIA, RAW and Mossad which have well-established their espionage network in Afghanistan from where highly trained militants, equipped with sophisticated weapons are being sent to Pakistan’s various places, who are perennially conducting multiple acts of sabotage in the country besides fuelling sectarian violence. Now, these secret agencies have also established their collective network in Pakistan. These agencies have recruited Pakistani nationals who are vulnerable and can work on their payroll. They have recruited smugglers, criminals, experts of the psychological warfare and journalists so as to obtain anti-Pakistan goals of their countries. Their main purpose remains to ‘disintegrate’ and ‘denuclearise’ Pakistan.
Besides other high officials, Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit without naming CIA had revealed, “The evidence of foreign powers’ involvement in the destabilisation of Pakistan will be shared with relevant countries.”
It is noteworthy that the agents of CIA, RAW and Mosssad are well-penetrated in various foreign-based and Pakistan-based NGOs and human rights organisations including media which are being used for vile propaganda, spreading disinformation against Pakistan’s security forces and spy agencies, especially Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
In the recent past, ISPR spokesman, Maj-Gen Athar Abbas, while rejecting human rights groups’ reports as a conspiracy against Pakistan, called for probing the funding of these organisations as this could be traced back to those forces which want to destabilise Pakistan. In this regard, Senate Standing Committee on Finance on February 27 strongly supported a bill seeking regulation of NGOs, operating with foreign funding.
At this critical juncture, while Pak Army and ISI are countering the sinister designs of external secret agencies against Pakistan, without knowing the ground realities and services of these security agencies, just like the foreign enemies and their media, some political leaders, human rights activists and media anchors of the country have been distorting the image of Pak Army—particularly ISI. Sometimes, it is memogate issue and sometimes, it is the case of missing persons and sometimes, it is Mehran Bank Scandal which are being manipulated by these internal entities, taking the same to the Supreme Court. While the political wing of ISI was closed when Ahmed Shuja Pasha became its director-general, but internal entities spread disinformation that this wing still exists.
Let us know the reality behind missing persons. Since 2001, a majority of Pakistanis joined the Jehadi groups and most of them also left for Afghanistan for Jehad, without informing their families. In case of Balochistan, BLA and Jundollah have claimed responsibility for kidnapping and killing of many innocent people on various occasions.
Nevertheless, in this context, what the difference one can note about our political leaders, media commentators and so-called human rights groups who speak in tone of Pakistan’s external enemies in maligning Pak Army and ISI. It seems that some of our politicians and journalists are either on the payroll of US-led anti-Pakistan elements or they want to get good coverage in the western media by targeting especially Pakistan’s superior intelligence agency. No doubt, their such acts are benefiting the US and India which want to create a division between Pakistan’s security agencies on the one side and general masses led by political parties on the other so as to cause further anarchy in the country. In fact, the main purpose of US-led India and Israel is to divert the attention of Pakistani Army and ISI from their real role in defending the national interests of the country.
Particularly, Islamabad is redefining its relationship with Washington after the US-led NATO air attack on Pakistan Army border posts in Mohmand Agency. While, America has also requested Islamabad to play a key role in the peace talks with the Afghan militants, but US has re-started drone attacks on Pakistan’s tribal areas, which have killed several people. These strikes have provocated the Pakistani Taliban who suspended the peace talks with the government, and again began terror-attacks inside the country.
Meanwhile, some other developments such as Pakistan’s new relationship with Russia, enhancing regional cooperation with Iran, assurance to support Tehran’s stand in case of Ameran or Israeli invasion, and rejection of US pressure to abandon the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project in wake of US Secretary of States Hillary Clinton’s recent threat of dire consequences—all show that US does not seek stability in Pakistan.
Now, terror-activities will create further political and economic instability in wake of other related-problems. Nonetheless, Pakistan has become a special target of multi-prone attacks arranged by CIA, RAW and Mossad which are implementing various tactics of psychological warfare coupled with US double game with Islamabad.
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
