Countering Foreign Sponsored Intrigues

By Zaheerul Hassan

The Future role/relevance of Pakistan and ISI in international / national scenario becomes utmost important for creating stability in the country and guarding national interest. ISI is an important tool in assisting government in protecting national security, integrity and countering covert and overt operations launched by our adversaries. Practically speaking CIA, RAW, RAAM and Mossad are operating in Asia for accomplishments of their nefarious designs and posing constant threat to Pakistan. Pakistan Security Forces and ISI would be playing pivotal role in eliminating foreign sponsored militancy and countering foreign intelligence agencies intrigues in the coming years.

The foreign intelligence agencies are influencing local political groups and leaders for the attainment of their objectives. RAW through RAAM  is supporting BLA (Balochistan Liberation Army under the nose of President Karzai In this connection, Brahamdagh Bugti along with other rebellions of Pakistan have been provided shelters by Afghan government. The ISI is very well aware of their means of influencing, operating and launching subversive acts against Pakistan by the troika. Few days' earlier Pak media even mentioned that Afghan Intelligence detachments No.33 are operating against Pakistan. These detachments facilitates India intelligence agency with a elaborated tasks to create instability in Pakistan through distorting political set up, suicidal bombers looting and kidnapping of innocent people.

These anti Pakistan Intelligence agencies have full support of their political tops brass in defaming and tarnishing the image of Pakistani security forces and defaming ISI and its Chief Lt General Ahmed Shuja Pasha just after the announcement of new strategy on Afghan Issue. At number of occasions three top class American leaders, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Richard Holbrook, Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Army General David Petraeus, head of the US Central Command, said that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence service had links to militants on both its western border with Afghanistan and its eastern border with India. 

These leaders leveled baseless allegations against Pakistan intelligence agencies while saying that ISI's links specifically to the Al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani militant network to the forces of Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. On the other hand Obama number of time revealed that his ground forces will not enter into Pakistan territory while chasing the militants. Moreover targets inside Pakistan will be neutralized in collaboration with Islamabad.

The statements of American's leadership and Obama depicting double face since President and his CIA has adopted a new strategy of maligning Pakistan Intelligence agency. The currant Washington stance regarding war on terror gives two results, either president and its government are working in two different directions or tarnishing the image of ISI purposely with a view to weaken Pakistan. In July, 2009 Western and Indian media again made a try of defaming ISI while revealing that ISI Chief Shuja Pasha has summoned his Indian counterpart KC Verma for a meeting through the Indian defence attaché in the Indian High Commission Islamabad. Pakistani authority strongly negated this news and declared it rubbish thrown by foreign media.  Basically it was all preemptive launched by India since her political and military leadership knew that Pakistan would be presenting the proofs of Indian involvement in Balochistan and attack on Sri Lanka team on the eve of meeting of Prime Ministers Gillani and Manmohan Sing at Sharmul Sheikh.

President Zaradari, Prime Minister Gillani , General Ashfaq Parwaiz Kyani and ISPR Chief also very clear mentioned at various for a that  allegations against the ISI published earlier  in a section of the international media New York Times. We all knew that contentions of US officials and Indian political leaderships are totally baseless and mala fide. Now it's the general perception of world masses that the war on terrorism has been forced by US.

The commitment of Pakistan in fighting terrorism can be judged from the sacrifices rendered by its security forces, intelligence organizations and Internally Displaced persons. Pakistan security and intelligence agencies has suffered more losses than American and foreign troops deployed in Afghanistan since 9/11. Pakistan has defeated Swat militancy as result Number of foreign sponsored terrorists like Mulana Fazlullah, Shah Doran, Baitullha Mehsood and Number two of Therikae Taliban Swat along with hundreds of militant either killed or injured.

 According to ISPR ,on July 28,2009 Lt General Jonathon Riley, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) deputy commander, called on Corps Commander Lt General Muhammad Masood Aslam at Corps Headquarters and discussed the matter of mutual interests. He also appreciated the efforts of Pakistan Security Forces in elimination of militancy. Later, the ISAF deputy commander visited the Frontier Corps Headquarters where he was given a detailed briefing on the FC's role in assisting the Pakistan Army in the war against terrorism.

It is worth mentioning here that Pakistan security forces are fully determined to eliminate the foreign sponsored terrorism form the country. On August 8, Corps Commander Peshawar Lt General Masood Aslam was briefed at the Circuit House in Swat about the progress of the ongoing military operation "Rah-e-Rast". In-charge of the operation Major General Ashfaq Ahmad and other senior army officials were also present. The corps commander later visited Government Girls' College, Saidu Sharif where he met the students. He asked the students to concentrate on their education. The locals of the area and students ensured their support to the armed forces and admired their role against insurgents. Commander Peshwar Corps appreciated the high moral of the troops operating in the area.  I would also like to mention here about the troops of a mechanized Infantry Battalion (The Volunteers). The unit did wonders in elimination of militancy from Swat and Mangora districts. The officers', juniors' commissioned officers and soldiers set the examples of bravery and laid their lives for the motherland. One brilliant officer (Major Ehsan), six soldiers embraced Shahadt and 12 x soldiers received severed injuries during the conduct phase of operation "Rah-e-Rast'. It is worth mentioning here that it's the only unit which cleared Mangora district under the leadership of Lt Col Azhar by carrying out swift actions against anti Pakistan elements. The unit is a renowned segment of Frontier Force Regiment which is famous because of her rich history against India at Siachen and Jalwala Sector (along Indian Border). The unit also displayed an excellent performance during her stay with United Nation Peace keeping Force Mission Kango. 

Coming back towards the topic, I would simply say CIA and her supporting agencies are altogether working on some different agenda. American Agency has started playing and bluffing Obama as per her past experience of providing false information to Former President Bush on the issue of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Similar approach is being now adhered in Afghanistan too.

Basically CIA has its own strategy of creating instability in South Asia particularly in Pakistan, Bangladesh, China and Sri Lanka. ISI is one of the strongest and patriotic intuition which is guarding national interests. ISI Probably has translated the actual motive of CIA, RAW and RAAM against Pakistan. Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Army General David Petraeus are extensions of former US government, thus statues quos is maintained and no visible change has yet been noticed on ground regarding Afghanistan.

The current wave of terrorism in the country is directly linked with the covert and real strategy of CIA and its sister's organizations against Pakistan. Attacks on Police Training center Manawa & Sri Lankan Team in Lahore, Suicide attack on a mosque in Khyber Agency were carried out just after the conclusion of Swat Pact between government and Sofi Muhammad group (religious leader), unrest of Balochistan and settlement of Chief Justice Problem are clear indication of involvement of India in collaboration with CIA.

On July 30, 2009, raising questions over the success of the Swat military offensive, US Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke has said it is unclear whether the Taliban has really been hit hard in the operation. Talking to media persons after returning from his visit to Pakistan and Afghanistan Holbrooke said that Washington is yet to ascertain whether scores of Taliban insurgents are actually being killed, as claimed by the Pakistan Army. The undermining Pakistani efforts by Holbrooke are not understood and would be termed as mistrusting the main ally of war against terror.

In fact American and Indian probably never liked to have stable Pakistan. Washington and her watch dog desire is to continue with their state's sponsored intrigues in Pakistan. Thus, government, security forces and ISI should devise some measures to consolidate the recent success through gaining the confidence of the locals, prompt rehabilitation of IDPs, induction of unemployed individuals in various provincial and federal departments and ensuring the safety and protection of peaceful people of the area.