Zarvan
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INDIA AND THE WORLD
Anchal Vohra
The father of the Taliban, the most dreaded ISI chief, the man who pushed insurgency in India and invaded Jalalabad in Afghanistan, had agreed to meet me. A short drive from Islamabad and I was at his headquarters in Rawal Pindi.
A Tuesday in February, 2013:
Chattering students leaving school for home, the street half packed with cars, no spies chasing us and no security to scan our bags.
In short, there was nothing spy about where I was. I was looking at a flat in a residential colony, far from what I expected. Perhaps a cover, I thought. Gul wasn’t the ISI chief anymore but with inroads in the Taliban he continued to exercise authority and never shied to own up to his legacy.
As I entered, disappointment followed me. Wearing a desperate look as if waiting for clients, Gul, now operated from what resembled a property dealer’s office. True to a property dealer’s character he was interested in the land of others and profits without any spending.
A shelf covered with folders on Kashmir was stuck to one of the walls. On the table was a sword, more for pretence than practise.
On another wall, hung a big painting depicting Pakistan's army at war. Shooting at will, throwing bombs, Pakistani soldiers appeared victorious. Interestingly the image lacked the enemy, only one fighting side that of Pakistan was reflected.
Adorning the fire place was Hamid Gul's photograph from at least twenty years ago. Successfully hiding the blemishes on his face and of his career.
As I waited for him, I was more curious than intimidated. The general was clearly missing action and lamenting the good old days he would lead his army to conquer and kill.
Tall, big built, an uncle like figure appeared. Very Punjabi.
"Pashtun not Punjabi", my father was a Pathan, said Gul. He felt insulted on my comparison and emphasised his Pashtun roots. The general had a lot to say.
I ended up interviewing him for more than an hour largely in disbelief. Every response he gave would start a fresh round of heated argument. Some of his statements were provocative, others reflected deep rooted fundamentalist, medieval thinking.
"India has always been on the wrong side. It was with the Soviets when the U.S. was leading and we were with them. Now India is closer to the U.S. when china is leading. Learn from us, how we are always with the right power".
Inflicting a thousand cuts on India he nurtured militants in Kashmir and Punjab.
Gul truly started bragging when speaking on Afghanistan. He was the ISI chief in the middle of the Afghan - Soviet war and conducted the operation to capture Jalalabad, an Afghan city bordering Pakistan. The attempt failed though it wasn’t just a defeat for Pakistan and mujahidin it backed but also Gul. Furious with the outcome Benazir Bhutto relieved him from duties as ISI chief. An insult the general could never recover from.
He continued to spit venom against India and support the Taliban and openly claimed to be a channel to reach the Taliban leadership.
Candid, he didn’t mince words while threatening India, "Afghan Taliban is winning, this will give a new boost to their Jihadi brothers on Kashmir border. They will think if Afghans can defeat a superpower why can’t we defeat India".
More than a decade after being thrown from the all powerful position of ISI chief he still harboured a dream that one day Pakistan will be the key power in Afghanistan and will use assets there to bleed India.
Sometimes his rant would be completely incomprehensible. Consider this- "We are Muslims, you are a Hindu, you should live like a Hindu and India should be a Hindu country like Pakistan is an Islamic one. Along with China we three can be a regional power. Why do we need America?".
I had not heard a more bizarre concept. Was he promoting the idea of theological states or a continental approach to gain power? It was simply bewildering.
How much power could he really exert? Was the current military & ISI leadership giving him any importance at all or was he famous only in India in TV studios?
As I was leaving he offered to help me in finding my ancestral home. Even though I was brought up on stories of undivided India, I lacked the nostalgia and the connection. Rawal Pindi would be great to roam around as a journalist I said. "Then you should have come in 87,' Gul replied.
ISI chief from 87-89, Hamid Gul an Indian enemy passed away this 15th and even though his deeds hurt us deeply, I will say- General I wish now, you rest in peace.
Anchal Vohra's Blog : When I met Hamid Gul
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