In the tumultuous landscape of post-Taliban Afghanistan, a clandestine web has woven itself under the aegis of the Taliban’s so-called Islamic Emirate, governed by what is globally unrecognized government headed by the shadowy Non-state actor known as the TTA. This malevolent entity, infused with a violent ideology spreads chaos through an assortment of terrorist proxies, strategically directed towards neighboring countries. Notably, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) for China, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), and the wildcard Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), all dance to the TTA’s tune. To dissect the convoluted narrative surrounding the alleged connections between ISKP and Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, one must scrutinize the facts.
Following the TTA’s takeover of Afghanistan, a perplexing move ensued – the release of incarcerated leaders and fighters of ISKP under the orders of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the so-called Interior Minister of Afghanistan after they established their Islamic Emirate in 2021, casting a shadow on the Taliban’s true intentions.
Kunar and Nangarhar provinces serve as the harmonious haven for a confluence of terror groups, including TTP, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA), and ISKP, all operating under the patronage of the present Afghan government. Remarkably, a seamless exchange of personnel between TTP and ISKP occurs, akin to routine career changes in the corporate realm, albeit within the terror enterprise.
A discernible pattern emerges as the TTA delegates specific roles to its proxies. ISKP specializes in targeting religious leaders and foments sectarian violence, unleashing bomb blasts in mosques and Imam Bargahs. Meanwhile, the TTP is strategically deployed for assaults against security forces, constituting a symbiotic relationship under the TTA’s auspices.
Recently, TTP’s spokesman Ehsan Ullah Ehsan claimed that ISKP was the brainchild of ISI which is evident from the fact that its first head Hafiz Saeed Khan was from Pakistan. If a certain terrorist organization headed by individual of a particular country is attributed to be sponsored by same country then we should assume that Al-Qaeda which was headed by Osama bin Laden was brainchild of Saudi Arabia. Certainly, no sane argument can be expected from pseudo-mullahs taking refuge of cloak of religion.
Other than exporting terrorism to neighboring countries, ISKP has another important role to play, playing bad cop for TTA. ISKP is a patsy used by TTA to justify internal destabilization of Afghanistan. This deliberate internal unrest becomes a pretext for heavy-handed actions by IAG and the GDI effectively transforming Afghanistan into a security state.
Financing these nefarious endeavors relies on a bedrock of illicit activities – smuggling, extortion, and narcotics trade. The recruitment pool for these groups primarily taps into economically vulnerable and religiously conservative segments of the Afghan and tribal populations. Their sustenance hinges on porous borders between Afghanistan and Pakistan, buttressed by the presence of a large population of illegal and undocumented Afghan refugees within Pakistan.
Pakistan’s resolute decision to repatriate illegal Afghan refugees, while morally, economically, and legally justified, is a strategic move to disrupt the terror enterprises’ lifelines. The leaders of these groups find their illicit businesses hampered by regulated borders and controlled commodity flows.
The Afghan government’s vociferous objections and finger-pointing towards Pakistan, whether insinuating support for ISKP or attempting to link the repatriation of illegal Afghans with unrelated disputes like Amu River Canal, have lost their ground. The global community, cognizant of the multifaceted threat posed by these terror enterprises within Afghanistan, must discern the duplicitous game played by the TTA.
In conclusion, the intricate tapestry of proxy warfare orchestrated by the TTA in Afghanistan demands a thorough understanding. The world must recognize the perpetual chaos sown by the TTA through its arsenal of proxies and appreciate Pakistan’s pragmatic response to safeguard its interests and regional stability. A collective and informed global effort is imperative to unravel the enigma of Afghanistan’s proxy menagerie and to thwart the sinister designs of those orchestrating this symphony of terror.
