The present govt’s efforts to negotiate peace with the militants in the FATA came to an abrupt end with the killing of Hakimullah Mehsud, head of the TTP, in a CIA drone attack. The timing of the attack and what followed raised many questions.
Was it a coincidence or was it a deliberate act carried out at the behest of those who did not want any peaceful negotiations to take place?How come CIA could not locate him earlier on? Apparently, a tip-off by those who obviously knew his whereabouts did the job.
His hurried replacement by the hardliner Mullah Fazlullah (a known agent of RAW) was yet another question mark. He had fled to Afghanistan after the Swat rebellion led by him was crushed by the Pak Army. He had subsequently been sheltered in the Kunar and Nuristan provinces of Eastern Afghanistan from where he carried out sporadic raids into Pakistan’s Dir-Bajaur areas. The fact that he was neither from the Mehsud tribe nor was he living in South or North Waziristan clearly indicated his suitability to his paymasters.
Pakistan had long been protesting that India’s RAW having entrenched itself in Afghanistan (after the ouster of Taliban by US/NATO forces) had been the main perpetrator of terrorist activities in Pakistan. The Insurgency in Balochistan and terrorism emanating from the FATA were being orchestrated by the RAW in collusion with the Khad (and possibly the Mossad and elements of the CIA?), with the obvious blessing of the Afghan government, dominated by the anti-Pakistan and pro-India Northern Alliance.
Some prominent foreign observers including no less a person than Chuck Hagel, the present US defence secretary (before his appointment), had disclosed that India was destabilising Pakistan in several ways. Christine Fair of the Georgetown University and Charles Ferndale - a freelance reporter from the UK, had also observed RAW’s (and Mossad’s) anti-Pakistan activities after visiting Afghanistan.
The recent capture and disclosure by Latifullah Mehsud, (second to Hakimullah Mehsud), had unequivocally confirmed RAW’s involvement along with the Khad with the support of Afghan government in perpetuating terrorist activities in Pakistan. No wonder Afghan President Hamid Karzai insisted on the handover of Latifullah Mehsud, from the US forces, lest he disclosed more.
While PM Nawaz Sharif’s sincere efforts and good intentions to seek peace and friendship with Afghanistan and India are indeed desirable, yet it cannot be a one-sided affair. We cannot ignore the death of our 50,000 mostly civilians and servicemen nor can we afford to suffer the horrendous loss to our economy of $100 billion - and counting.
We should ask Afghan government not to provide shelter to Mullah Fazlullah nor allow India’s RAW based in Afghanistan to destabilise Pakistan. Failing which we may consider closing the Pak-Afghan border and even forcing the 2.5-3 million Afghan refugees back to Afghanistan.
As for India, we should categorically state to the highest Indian authorities, that should RAW not stop aiding and abetting insurgency in Balochistan and terrorism through FATA, it could invite similar response from Pakistan. For enough is enough.
We should also ask the USA to look into the possible involvement of (elements of) the CIA with the RAW/Khad and urge Uncle SAM to rein in its two strategic partners from making further mischief against Pakistan.
The USA and the world at large must realize that a destabilised nuclear Pakistan would be a far greater threat to peace - not only for the region but also far beyond. Besides, US/NATO forces need Pakistan in facilitating their exit from Afghanistan. Lastly, without Pakistan’s active involvement, the Afghan imbroglio cannot be resolved amicably.
We should also take due cognizance of certain ground realities. Our political masters have failed to grasp that what Pakistan has been facing for the past decade was not “run of the mill“ terrorism - it was indeed nothing short of war - a covert (hidden) war, totally beyond the ken and capacity of the police and the civil armed forces to deal with it on their own. No wonder terrorism is continuing unabated for more than 10 years. Only the armed forces are well equipped and capable of effectively dealing with a well-planned and a well-financed covert war, eating into the vitals of Pakistan. Our 600,000 strong armed forces are among the best in the world. They must be allowed to take a lead role in coordinating the activities of the secret agencies and provide operational guidance and support to the civil armed forces to be able to effectively counter insurgency in Balochistan and terrorism emanating from the FATA.
It is further recommended that there should be no political inhibition in establishing an apex body like the National Security Council - powerful and capable enough to take grand-strategic view of the security challenges facing the country and formulate a holistic security policy to eliminate the curse of terrorism once for all.
Last but certainly not the least, majority of the terrorists are going scot-free (by one estimate 80%) because they are being tried by civil courts. Whereas, the country is facing war - the terrorists should be tried by the military courts under the constitutionally-approved Army Act. These is nothing more demoralising for a soldier than to see his killers going free while he and his comrades-in-arms are sacrificing their lives in combating those terrorists. (The air marshal is a member of a think tank - National Security Forum - comprising retired senior military officers based in Lahore)
RAW fully exposed - thenews.com.pk
Was it a coincidence or was it a deliberate act carried out at the behest of those who did not want any peaceful negotiations to take place?How come CIA could not locate him earlier on? Apparently, a tip-off by those who obviously knew his whereabouts did the job.
His hurried replacement by the hardliner Mullah Fazlullah (a known agent of RAW) was yet another question mark. He had fled to Afghanistan after the Swat rebellion led by him was crushed by the Pak Army. He had subsequently been sheltered in the Kunar and Nuristan provinces of Eastern Afghanistan from where he carried out sporadic raids into Pakistan’s Dir-Bajaur areas. The fact that he was neither from the Mehsud tribe nor was he living in South or North Waziristan clearly indicated his suitability to his paymasters.
Pakistan had long been protesting that India’s RAW having entrenched itself in Afghanistan (after the ouster of Taliban by US/NATO forces) had been the main perpetrator of terrorist activities in Pakistan. The Insurgency in Balochistan and terrorism emanating from the FATA were being orchestrated by the RAW in collusion with the Khad (and possibly the Mossad and elements of the CIA?), with the obvious blessing of the Afghan government, dominated by the anti-Pakistan and pro-India Northern Alliance.
Some prominent foreign observers including no less a person than Chuck Hagel, the present US defence secretary (before his appointment), had disclosed that India was destabilising Pakistan in several ways. Christine Fair of the Georgetown University and Charles Ferndale - a freelance reporter from the UK, had also observed RAW’s (and Mossad’s) anti-Pakistan activities after visiting Afghanistan.
The recent capture and disclosure by Latifullah Mehsud, (second to Hakimullah Mehsud), had unequivocally confirmed RAW’s involvement along with the Khad with the support of Afghan government in perpetuating terrorist activities in Pakistan. No wonder Afghan President Hamid Karzai insisted on the handover of Latifullah Mehsud, from the US forces, lest he disclosed more.
While PM Nawaz Sharif’s sincere efforts and good intentions to seek peace and friendship with Afghanistan and India are indeed desirable, yet it cannot be a one-sided affair. We cannot ignore the death of our 50,000 mostly civilians and servicemen nor can we afford to suffer the horrendous loss to our economy of $100 billion - and counting.
We should ask Afghan government not to provide shelter to Mullah Fazlullah nor allow India’s RAW based in Afghanistan to destabilise Pakistan. Failing which we may consider closing the Pak-Afghan border and even forcing the 2.5-3 million Afghan refugees back to Afghanistan.
As for India, we should categorically state to the highest Indian authorities, that should RAW not stop aiding and abetting insurgency in Balochistan and terrorism through FATA, it could invite similar response from Pakistan. For enough is enough.
We should also ask the USA to look into the possible involvement of (elements of) the CIA with the RAW/Khad and urge Uncle SAM to rein in its two strategic partners from making further mischief against Pakistan.
The USA and the world at large must realize that a destabilised nuclear Pakistan would be a far greater threat to peace - not only for the region but also far beyond. Besides, US/NATO forces need Pakistan in facilitating their exit from Afghanistan. Lastly, without Pakistan’s active involvement, the Afghan imbroglio cannot be resolved amicably.
We should also take due cognizance of certain ground realities. Our political masters have failed to grasp that what Pakistan has been facing for the past decade was not “run of the mill“ terrorism - it was indeed nothing short of war - a covert (hidden) war, totally beyond the ken and capacity of the police and the civil armed forces to deal with it on their own. No wonder terrorism is continuing unabated for more than 10 years. Only the armed forces are well equipped and capable of effectively dealing with a well-planned and a well-financed covert war, eating into the vitals of Pakistan. Our 600,000 strong armed forces are among the best in the world. They must be allowed to take a lead role in coordinating the activities of the secret agencies and provide operational guidance and support to the civil armed forces to be able to effectively counter insurgency in Balochistan and terrorism emanating from the FATA.
It is further recommended that there should be no political inhibition in establishing an apex body like the National Security Council - powerful and capable enough to take grand-strategic view of the security challenges facing the country and formulate a holistic security policy to eliminate the curse of terrorism once for all.
Last but certainly not the least, majority of the terrorists are going scot-free (by one estimate 80%) because they are being tried by civil courts. Whereas, the country is facing war - the terrorists should be tried by the military courts under the constitutionally-approved Army Act. These is nothing more demoralising for a soldier than to see his killers going free while he and his comrades-in-arms are sacrificing their lives in combating those terrorists. (The air marshal is a member of a think tank - National Security Forum - comprising retired senior military officers based in Lahore)
RAW fully exposed - thenews.com.pk
