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#Pakistan - The Khorasan chapter threat

Muhammad Amir Rana

WITH the Afghan Taliban takeover of Kabul, the militant Islamic State group’s Khorasan chapter (IS-K) has also come under the global radar after its horrific recent bombing in the Afghan capital. Many experts are projecting the terrorist group as a major threat to the Taliban regime as well as to regional peace and security. The terrorist attack in the high security zone of the Kabul airport during the evacuation of foreigners and under-threat Afghans have strengthened perceptions that IS-K will become a major factor of instability in Afghanistan and beyond.

However, the potential threat posed by IS-K must be assessed objectively and scientifically without falling for any vague ‘evidence’. The Taliban may also tend to exaggerate the threat with a view to winning the support of the regional powers especially Russia, China and the Central Asian states, which are concerned about the terrorist group. IS-K may also want to make Afghanistan a launching base in its efforts to restore its lost ‘caliphate’ of Iraq and Syria. But does it have the potential to convert Afghanistan into a new battlefront?

First, one must investigate the strengths of the terrorist group. After taking over power in Afghanistan, the status of the Taliban has apparently changed from a non-state to a state actor. That has ‘elevated’ the status of IS-K as a major violent non-state actor in Afghanistan. Now the group can use all those strategic and propaganda tactics against the Taliban regime, which the Taliban once used against the outgoing regime. IS-K has a history of effective use of its propaganda capabilities. After the Kabul attack, it fed the media with the propaganda it had long been desiring to unleash in Afghanistan. The group conveyed a message that besides being “filthy nationalists”, the Taliban were merely America’s puppets like their predecessors in Kabul, and were not capable of bringing peace to the country. Most importantly, it has challenged the ideological credentials of the Taliban while declaring them apostates and companions of the ‘Crusaders’. IS-K has also claimed that it is the sole custodian of the ideology of an ‘Islamic state’. The potential threat posed by IS-K must be assessed objectively and scientifically.

In recent years, IS-K has managed to survive in Afghanistan in the form of small cells, which were also found involved in sporadic high-impact terrorist attacks. Some reports suggested these cells were used as proxies in many instances. After the Taliban takeover of Kabul, IS-K can make a global call for intensifying its violent campaign. There is no demonstrable evidence available that the group can survive long if it changes its strategy and launches big-scale guerrilla operations. According to the group’s own accounts, the current head Shahab al-Muhajir is considered a great strategist and expert in urban warfare, and he will continue relying on his terrorist strategies. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, the central body of the terrorist group, is also focusing on the restoration of its image and glory and has ordered its chapters all over the world to raid prisons to release its detained members. Hundreds of IS-K prisoners were among those recently freed from Afghan jails and are reportedly being hunted by the Taliban.

Even before the Taliban takeover, the IS-K was creating new pockets in Afghanistan, especially along the borders of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. These border areas have large Salafi populations that suits IS-K because of their sectarian affinity. Also, apart from Afghan and Pakistani members, several IS-K fighters come from Central Asia and China’s Xinjiang region. If the group succeeds in its relocation plan, it could hit several targets. One of the reasons for Russia’s engagement with the Taliban was to seek assurances against the IS-K’s march towards northern Afghanistan and further to Central Asia. The Taliban have taken over the northern regions first, not only to reduce the prospects of any local uprising but also to eliminate the chances of IS-K’s advance. However, IS-K will continue focusing on these areas, as unlike the border with Pakistan, even a smaller resistance by IS-K can create problems for the Taliban regime and can disturb their relations with China and Russia.

The IS-K will also be of advantage to the Taliban regime to get legitimacy through acting against it and winning the support of its regional allies. Meanwhile, it will be a major security concern, and IS-K will remain a big ideological challenge as well.

The real potential of the IS-K will be determined by its ability to survive in Afghanistan including through displaying political and ideological flexibility. Since its inception in January 2015, the group’s ideological differences with the Taliban have remained a major bone of contention. It is less likely that the terrorist group will show any flexibility in that regard in the future and allow the entry of recruits from either the ranks of Taliban rebels or from the TTP without their conversion to their brand of Salafism. A recent IS-K statement reflects that the group will not amend its ideologically oriented policy just to gain more recruits. Rather, the group is focusing on expanding its urban network and is hunting for educated youth which was alienated after the Taliban victory and become prone to ideological radicalism.

It is interesting that the IS-K and TTP have survived long while living together in the same vicinity in the Kunar and Nangarhar provinces. Neither have challenged the other and even when the Haqqani Network expelled IS-K fighters from some areas of Kunar, the TTP remained a silent spectator. The TTP might have avoided confrontation with IS-K because many of its former commanders are now in the group. Thus, despite having ideological differences both have tried to keep their human resources intact. There are few chances that the TTP will join hands with IS-K as it is an ally of Al Qaeda with allegiance to Mullah Haibatullah, the Taliban’s supreme leader.

The probability is also very low that the defeated Afghan army and police will join IS-K ranks as happened in Iraq. Unlike the Iraqi army, the Afghan army was demoralised and was not ready to fight. Secondly, the IS-K is an external and weak terrorist outfit, which cannot manage massive inclusions.

The IS-K is a potential terrorist threat, but not beyond being controlled. If the Taliban and regional actors craft better strategies and the ‘drone support’ from the US remains intact, the IS-K can be neutralised effectively.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1644581/the-khorasan-chapter-threat

Taliban confirms meet between leader Mullah Baradar & Pakistan’s ISI chief Faiz Hameed

Hameed dashed to Kabul on an unannounced visit last week, becoming the only high-ranking foreign official to visit Kabul since the Taliban seized the Afghan capital in mid-August.

The Taliban on Monday confirmed that Pakistan’s powerful intelligence chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed has met its de-facto leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, amidst efforts by the insurgent group to finalise a government in Afghanistan.Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt Gen Hameed dashed to Kabul on an unannounced visit last week, becoming the only high-ranking foreign official to visit Kabul since the Taliban seized the Afghan capital in mid-August.

During a press conference in Kabul on Monday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that the ISI chief had met with Mullah Baradar during his visit to Kabul, BBC Urdu reported.

The Taliban has assured Islamabad that Afghan territory will not be used against Pakistan, it said.

Earlier, Pakistani media reported that a delegation of senior officials led by Lt Gen Hameed was in Kabul at the invitation of the Taliban, but the insurgent group said that Islamabad had proposed his visit to Kabul.

On Sunday, the Taliban said that the top Pakistani spy was in Afghanistan to improve bilateral relations between Kabul and Islamabad.

Ahmadullah Wasiq, deputy head of the Taliban’s Cultural Commission, said that the Taliban leaders talked with Lt Gen Hameed about bilateral relations and the problems of Afghan passengers at the Torkham and Spin Boldak passes between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“This Pakistani official has come to solve Afghan passengers’ problems at the border areas, especially in Torkham and Spin Boldak. They wanted (his visit to Kabul) and we accepted, Wasiq was quoted as saying by TOLO news.

Pakistan on Thursday temporarily closed the Chaman border crossing – the second-largest commercial border point with Afghanistan after the Torkham commercial town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to security threats.

At his press conference, Mujahid noted that the recent delegation to Kabul said the crossings had been closed due to security concerns linked to release of prisoners inside Afghanistan, and requested checks for those seeking to enter or leave the country.Citing sources close to Hizb-e-Islami party leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the channel said that Pakistan’s intelligence chief also met him and discussed the current situation in the country.In a short video clip circulated in the media last week, Lt Gen Hameed was seen trying to respond to questions by a journalist who first asked: Will you be meeting senior people in the Taliban?”

“No, I’m not clear ” the ISI chief said and looked towards Pakistan ambassador to Kabul Mansour Ahmad Khan, who was standing by his side, to respond to the question.

In response to another question, Hameed smiled and said: “Don’t worry, everything will be okay.”

Hameed’s visit to Afghanistan came amidst mounting pressure on the Taliban to form an inclusive government acceptable to the international community. The insurgent group is struggling to give shape to a broad-based and inclusive administration acceptable to the international community.

It was the first high-level visit of any Pakistani official to Afghanistan since the Taliban took over Kabul on August 15, in a move that surprised both their foes and friends.

Since then, the Taliban have been trying to form a government but so far have held back the announcement.

Pakistan was often accused by the Afghanistan government of giving the Taliban military aid, a charge denied by Islamabad.

https://theprint.in/world/taliban-confirms-meet-between-leader-mullah-baradar-pakistans-isi-chief-faiz-hameed/728837/

پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی کبھی بھی چور دروازے سے اداراتی دھاندلی کرنے کی اجازت نہیں دے گی اور اس کی ہر فورم پر مخالفت کرے گی۔ سیکریٹری جنرل پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی پارلیمنٹیرینز سینیٹر فرحت اللہ بابر

پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی نے سینیٹ کی کمیٹی برائے پارلیمانی امور کی ساخت میں یکطرفہ تبدیلی کرکے اسے حکومت کی جانب جھکانے کی سخت مذمت کی ہے۔ ساخت میں یہ تبدیلی اس وقت کی گئی ہے جب حکومت الیکٹرانک ووٹنگ مشین پر متنازعہ قانون سازی کرنا چاہتی ہے سیکریٹری جنرل پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی پارلیمنٹیرینز سینیٹر فرحت اللہ بابر نے ایک بیان میں کہا ہے کہ پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی کبھی بھی چور دروازے سے اداراتی دھاندلی کرنے کی اجازت نہیں دے گی اور اس کی ہر فورم پر مخالفت کرے گی۔ 

جمعہ کے روز سینیٹ سیکریٹریٹ نوٹیفکیشن کے ذریعے پی ٹی آئی کی ایک رکن کو پارلیمانی امور کی کمیٹی میں شامل کر لیا اور اس کے لئے نہ تو قائد حزب اختلاف اور پارلیمانی امور کمیٹی کے چیئرمین سے کوئی مشاورت بھی نہیں کی۔ ایک نیا ممبر شامل کرنے کا مقصد اس متنازعہ بل کو بلڈوز کرنا ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ اس کمیٹی کی اصلی ساخت میں 13ممبر شامل تھے جن میں اپوزیشن اور حکومت کے چھ چھ ممبر تھے اور اس کمیٹی کے چیئرمین پی پی پی کے سینیٹر تاج حیدر ہیں ۔ اس کمیٹی میں توازن خراب کرنے کے لئے پہلے چیئرمین سینیٹ نے یکطرفہ طور پر پی پی پی کے سینیٹر مصطفی نواز کھوکھرکو بغیر کوئی وجہ بتائے کمیٹی سے نکال دیا حالانکہ یہ ان کا اختیار ہی نہیں ہے۔

 جب اس اقدام کی پرزور مخالفت کی گئی تو مصطفی نواز کھوکھر کی کمیٹی کی رکنیت بحال کر دی گئی۔ جس کے بعد سینیٹ سیکریٹریٹ نے ایک نوٹیفکیشن کے ذریعے پی ٹی آئی کی ثمینہ ممتاز کو اس کمیٹی میں اضافی رکن کے طور پر شامل کر دیا۔ سینیٹر فرحت اللہ بابر نے کہا کہ کچھ عرصہ قبل سینیٹ سیکریٹریٹ نے اس کمیٹی کے چیئرمین کو اس بات کی اجازت نہیں دی کہ وہ فافن کو الیکٹرانک ووٹنگ مشین کی بریفنگ پر دعوت دیں۔ یہ تمام اقدامات یہ ظاہر کرتے ہیں حکومت ہر صورت میں انتخابات میں دھاندلی کرنا چاہتی ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ پیپلزپارٹی کا موقف اس بارے میں نہایت واضح ہے۔

 اس سے قبل 2018ءکے انتخابات میں آرٹی ایس کو بٹھا دیا گیا تھا اور اس کے علاوہ مشین کے ذریعے پلاٹوں کی قرعہ اندازی میں بھی ٹیکنالوجی کی ساکھ پر سوالات اٹھا دئیے ہیں۔ اس تجرے کے بعد الیکٹرانک ووٹنگ مشین پر اعتماد کا سوال ہی پیدا نہیں ہوتا اور جب تک تمام سیاسی پارٹیوں کا اتفاق رائے نہ ہوجائے الیکٹرانک ووٹنگ مشین استعمال نہیں کی جا سکتی۔ اس کے علاوہ الیکشن کمیشن اوار تمام اسٹیک ہولڈروں کو بھی اس تمام معاملے میں شریک کرنا انتہائی ضروری ہے اور یہ بات بھی دیکھنا ہوگی کہ دیگر ممالک میں الیکٹرانک ووٹنگ مشینوں کا استعمال کیوں کامیاب نہیں ہو سکا۔ 

پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی چوری چھپے اس قسم کی دھاندلی کی ہر قیمت پر مذاحمت کرے گی۔

https://www.ppp.org.pk/pr/25445/

شہداء کی لازوال قربانیاں، فوجی جوانوں کا غیرمتزلزل عزم اور عوام کا ناقابل تسخیر اتحاد ہماری طاقت اور ہمارے روشن مستقبل کی ضمانت ہے، چیئرمین پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی بلاول بھٹو زرداری

اسلام آباد / کراچی (5 ستمبر 2021) پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کے چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے کہا ہے کہ شہداء کی لازوال قربانیاں، فوجی جوانوں کا غیرمتزلزل عزم اور عوام کا ناقابل تسخیر اتحاد ہماری طاقت اور ہمارے روشن مستقبل کی ضمانت ہے۔ یومِ دفاع کے موقعے پر میڈیا سیل بلاول ہاؤس کی جانب سے جاری کردہ اپنے پیغام میں پی پی پی چیئرمین نے کہا کہ پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کی جدوجہد پاکستان کو مضبوط سے مضبوط تر بنانے کے لیے ہے۔ 

یومِ دفاعِ پاکستان کے موقعے پر قوم کو مبارکباد دیتے ہوئے چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو

زرداری نے کہا کہ یوم دفاع منانے کا مقصد پاکستان کی جغرافیہ، اس کے نظریے اور جمہوریت کا تحفظ کرنا ہے۔ پی پی پی چیئرمین نے نشاندہی کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ یہ ملک کے پہلے منتخب وزیراعظم شہید ذوالفقار علی بھٹو تھے، جنہوں نے قوم کو ایٹمی پروگرام کا تحفہ دیا، جبکہ یہ ان کی دختر وزیر اعظم شہید محترمہ بینظیر بھٹو تھیں، جنہوں نے ملک کو میزائل ٹیکنالوجی پروگرام دیا، تاکہ ملک کے دفاع کو ناقابل تسخیر بنایا جائے۔

 بلاول بھٹو زرداری کا کہنا تھا کہ وہ تمام فوجی جوان، جنہوں نے پاکستان کے دفاع کے لیے اپنی جانیں قربان کیں، ہماری قومی تاریخ کے ناقابل فراموش ہیرو ہیں۔ انہوں نے مزید کہا کہ میں آج یوم دفاع کے موقع پر پوری قوم کی جانب سے اپنے شہداء کے خاندانوں کو مکمل یکجہتی کا یقین دلاتا ہوں۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ وہ ان تمام شہریوں کو بھی سلام پیش کرتے ہیں، جنہوں نے دہشت گردی اور انتہا پسندی کے خلاف جنگ میں بے مثال قربانیاں دی ہیں۔

 بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے اس عزم کا اعادہ کیا کہ وہ قائد اعظم محمد علی جناح کے فلسفے کی روشنی میں نظریہ پاکستان کی پیروی مضبوط دفاع کے ساتھ کریں گے۔

https://www.ppp.org.pk/pr/25442/