Kashmiri Taliban in the offing!

Pakistani leadership engrossed with trivial domestic political considerations, and vested interests, is almost totally oblivious of the happenings across the borders. In fact security of the State is not their concern. This column relates to a machiavellian conspiracy being hatched by India to deflect the ongoing indigenous freedom movement in IHK, cause commotion in AJK and to give a new sinister dimension to its orchestrated propaganda against Pakistan as being a State which harbours terrorism.
Having spent a couple of weeks in gathering information from various quarters and knowledgeable sources, I am certain that this time Indian RAW with the backing of its foreign partners is going to put Pakistan really in a difficult situation, where it would be somewhat impossible for it to get out. The objective of the RAW’s sinister plan is to force Islamabad and the APHC leadership in IHK to bow down before New Delhi.
The conspiracy, for which preparatory work has been completed in all respects, is the formation of a fake group of militants in the name of “Kashmiri Taliban” that will be launched under the guidance of Indian National Security Advisor’s Office. This would be heavily funded from secret fund while arms and ammunition would be arranged from Afghanistan, mainly of the Russian origin instead of Indian manufactured items to prove that the Kashmiri Taliban have surfaced on the pattern of Tehrik-i-Taiban Pakistan, with the backing of TTP and Afghan Taliban.
Those having information about the conspiracy divulged limited information but from several other sources I have gathered that this so-called Kashmiri Taliban group is openly to support an Independent Kashmir which, they would claim, should include Gilgit-Baltistan and Aksai Chin. The objective of this demand would not only be to create an impression in Pakistan that Kashmiris are no longer interested to join Pakistan but also to create some misunderstanding with our time tested friend China. Attacks by this group would also create anti-Kashmiri feelings inside Pakistan.

My sources revealed that the group would be tasked first to launch a few mock attacks inside India to establish its credibility and then carry out a series of devastating attacks inside Azad Kashmir and even in Pakistan in the name of Islamic Army of Kashmiri Taliban (IAKT) on the pattern of banned TTP. The whole purpose is to create the situation like FATA where the Taliban enjoy control before the launching of a final military operation in IHK.

Another benefit to India would be to seek the support of the United States and other Western countries under the pretext that Kashmiris, Pakistanis and Afghan Taliban are chips of the same block and they need to be crushed simultaneously. It is an open secret that ever since 9/11 developments, India has been trying its level best both through diplomatic offensive and media onslaught to equate Kashmiri freedom movement with terrorism. This is because the world today is focused on the issue of terrorism considering it as the biggest threat to the security of the globe. Pakistan following an ostrich like approach has failed to establish that in fact India itself is indulging in State terrorism in IHK. Luckily, there is now growing realization among the international community that the renewed Kashmiri Intifada is totally indigenous. So by creating Kashmiri Taliban, Indians would be trying to give a new dimension to the entire issue so as to win the sympathy of the world.

According to some sources, RAW’s plans to deal with the Taliban were also discussed with some US officials who accompanied President Barack Obama during his visit to India from November 6 to 8. Manmohan Singh had impressed upon President Obama that unless Pakistan was forced to act against Kashmiri militant groups “inside Pakistan” and the US plays a direct and bold role to crush all Kashmiri militants, it would not be possible for India to work in a broader strategic cooperation with the Western world.

It was in this perspective that officials of the two countries debated the issue in detail and agreed upon the intelligence sharing on the basis of “counter terrorism” initiative signed in July 2010. Cooperation will be broadened between the American Homeland Security and Indian Home Department. To seek sympathies of the Americans, Indian officials also handed over a fake list of two dozen alleged training centres in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir for Kashmiri freedom fighters. The Indian side repeated the old propaganda that ISI was actively supporting and training Kashmiri and other Taliban and urged the US officials to take hard line and use all possible means to force Pakistan to close the training network.
The US officials reportedly expressed their limitations over exerting too much pressures on Pakistan. However Obama reportedly urged Manmohan Singh to work in close coordination with the Western strategic interests in order to gain the long-term benefits. Sources were of the view that there was no consensus between Obama and Manmohan Singh on how to tackle the issue of Kashmir but American President did link the resolution of the decades old problem through peaceful means. However, on the sidelines, American security officials and Indian officials did reach an accord to jointly work on a long-term plan to crush militants’ network in the region as part of their counter-terrorism cooperation.

Under this tacit approval by the Americans to crush the militants, Indian occupation forces in IHK would get free hand to crush the indigenous freedom struggle with an iron hand, under the pretext that Kashmiri Taliban were active with the backing of Afghan Taliban and TTP in IHK and if New Delhi succeeded in this conspiracy, the US and its allies would lose faith in Pakistan. This would marginalize Pakistan and remove pressure on India to sit on the negotiating table and resolve the decade old dispute with Pakistan in line with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people for peace and stability in the region.

I am told that Indian Intelligence officials believe that with the launching of this new outfit, Pakistan will be forced to act against suspected Kashmiris and particularly Lashkar-e-Tayyaba group and lead to arrest of the Kashmiris wanted in India. On the other hand, Indian agents in Pakistan also plan to wipe out some of the known targets and would plant stories in Pakistani and international media that ISI is behind the attacks. Few such disguised attacks or assassinations might convince the Kashmiri militants that Pakistan had finally turned against them.

I would like to emphasize that according to my information it is a well-conceived and dangerous move, with input from Israel and would be handled masterly with the help of Indian and Western media that miss no opportunity of Pakistan-bashing.

Pakistan would this be in a difficult position to defend the onslaught by Indian Government with the backing of powerful and aggressive media. Therefore I would warn the relevant authorities to consider it as a wake-up call and take appropriate measures to deflate the conspiracy by taking on board the United States and Western countries before it is translated into a reality. The young and vibrant Prime Minister of AJK Sardar Attique Ahmad Khan too would have to do some loud thinking because he would be one of the prime targets of the “Kashmiri Taliban.”

About Blogger:
Zahid Malik is Editor-in-chief of daily English-language newspapers Pakistan Observer.

The views expressed by this blogger do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of Mahazi Islami. The write-up was first published in Pakistan Observer.

Courtesy: http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=65202