Impairing Pak-Afghan and Chinese Interests

By Zaheerul Hassan

A group of terrorists targeted innocent Ismaili individuals sitting in a Bus near Safora Churangi Karachi, and killed more than 44 and many injured when Prime Minister Nawaz sharif was chairing All Parties Conference over Pak-China Economic Corridor project on 14 May 20l5. Moreover, six police officers have become victims of target killers within a month or so. Earlier, on 16 December 2014, more than 100 school children including staff were gunned down in Peshawar. Numbers of sabotage activities starting from frequent abduction, murdering, destroying gas pipelines by the anti-state elements have been noticed.
On the same day of 14 May 2015, militants’ hostage a guest room and killed 4 foreigners in Kabul. Two days earlier then this,while visiting Kabul, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif together with his Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif and other high officials arrived in Kabul and assured Afghan rulers that any attack on Afghanistan would be taken as attack on Pakistan. Militants without caring of PM Nawaz Sharif’s statement again on 17 May 2015, attacked Kabul Air Port and killed three individuals.

Pakistani agencies traced back the linkages of terrorists’ phones calls and confirmed that in most of the activities Afghan land has been used for planning and launching of militants. Military and political establishments this time openly admitted that neighboring country’s notorious Agency RAW is involved in Pakistan’s militancy. In this context Defence Minister of Pakistan, Khwaja Asif , Interior Minister Sindh Memon also expressed that RAW is behind militancy in Pakistan. On 16 May 2014, while addressing a seminar of National Defence University Corps Commander Karachi, Lt General Naveed Mukhtar very rightly expressed that there is a determination to eliminate terrorists and their facilitators. He explained security forces have challenged their physical capabilities, their facilitators, and their financial supporters. He also stressed that maintaining peace in the city was their responsibility.

In fact, India has started two prong strategies against Pakistan, China and Afghanistan, common interests. Firstly, she has started proxy war through clandestine operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Secondly, on diplomatic and political front she is trying to nullify Chinese President recent visit to Pakistan. During this visit Chinese President concluded almost worth $46 billion of  MoUs with Pakistani political elite. The developing energy sector, agreement over developing Pak-China Corridor and handing over of operational control of Gwadar Port are some of the landmark victories of both the countries. Therefore Indian PM failed to counter-balance the recent Chinese President visit to Pakistan.  Interestingly, China has fought war in 1962 with India and still both the countries failed to resolve dispute over territory. On 16 May 2015, U.S. Sectary to State has also shown concern over Chinese territorial  disputes with neighbouring countries. The U.S. Sectary of State’s statement at this point of junction is just to display American solidarity towards New Delhi.

Reportedly, Indian PM has been given cold shoulders by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s landmark when Mr. Narendera Modi raised objections over China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The Chinese authorities, made him clear that they have complete trust in Pakistan.
In this regard, Indian Prime Minister Modhi during his recent visit managed to conclude $22 billion of trade MoUs with China. But the biggest controversy was kicked up in electronic and print media since China’s state-owned television CCTV shown India’s map without Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh while reporting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit. Moreover, the analyst even compared Indian PM Visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping and they considered that the visit was a failure. Some considered that the motive behind Indian PM Chinas’ visit was to disrupt CPEC and stop its future connectivity with Russia and Central Asian States (CAR) via Afghanistan.

However, its connectivity with CAR states directly depends on the security situation of Afghanistan, western provinces like KPK and Balochistan. The connectivity of Central Asian State Routes to CPEC would likely to change regional political and economic dynamics. Thus, peaceful Afghanistan and Pakistan do not suit to India and its ally U.S. Therefore, to incapacitate Pak-China agreements over CPEC , Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), has created two special desks to monitor day to day progress over CPEC. A special allocation of a huge sum of money (&300million) at its headquarters on Lodhi Road, New Delhi has been placed at the disposal of the desks, to scuttle the CPEC. Rajinder Khanna, the present chief of RAW, is personally supervising the desk as he reports to Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly and seeks instructions from him.

In this connection, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan possesses the evidence provided by various agencies regarding the nefarious designs of RAW in Pakistan and he could soon share those evidences with the nation, the sources pointed out. RAW has planned a strategy to create security problems along the route. However, Pakistan has created complete formation under a Major General to ensure the safety of the route and individuals deployed to construct it. The force would be strong enough to deal terrorists with iron hands.

Anyhow, political governments should support security agencies, provide good governance and infrastructure to tackle Karachi and Balochistan problems. Moreover, there is a need to take actions against sectarian, ethnic rivalries, interest groups, criminals, terrorists and mafias. At the same time security agencies should also try to strengthen the major political set up of Sindh and Balochistan since without taking them on board, the possibility of permanent peace is impossible. Any culprit found in their lines should be treated under the state laws. Moreover, security and intelligence agencies should be given clear mandate to fight the terrorism.
The writer can be approached through zameer36@gmail.com