Interior minister Balochistan revealed in a press conference on 26 th June disclosed that two high value commanders of TTP including Maulvi Mansoor have been arrested after a difficult operation. Maulvi Mansoor in his confessional statement in a video played before the journalists said that Indian RAW was supporting TTP and BLA and he was responsible for military, financial and administrative affairs of the banned outfit. The TTP has been working closely with BLA as desired by RAW. According to him RAW wanted the two entities to collaborate and establish camps in Balochistan. The objective of setting up these camps was to establish foothold in the province, target Chinese citizens to sabotage CPEC and carry out kidnapping for ransom which will highlight forced disappearances issue discrediting Pakistan’s intelligence agencies. He also revealed that many missing persons were roaming around in Afghanistan. He also confessed that the current Afghan government fully backed their activities.
The information provided by Maulvi Mansoor establishes beyond doubt the nexus between terrorists out fits, RAW and the Afghan government and also clears the haze on the much trumpeted issue of missing persons and how the enemies were exploiting the situation. As confessed by him the biggest aim of collaboration between TTP and BLA was to sabotage CPEC.
This is the second biggest success of our intelligence agencies in regards to acts of terrorism within Pakistan sponsored by India in connivance with Taliban government in Afghanistan. The first was the arrest of serving naval officer of India Kalbhushan Jhadav in Balochistan on 3rd March 2016. He was awarded death sentence by a military court in the light of his revelation in regards to support to BLA for carrying out acts of terrorism in the province. The terrorist organizations have been carrying out attacks on security forces and Chinese citizens working on CPEC projects.
The arrest of Kalbhushan Jhadav and Maulvi Mansoor leave no doubt about Indian state terrorism. India is not only behind terrorist activities in Pakistan but it has also spread the tentacles of its state terrorism to other countries as well. The involvement of Indian government in the assassination of a Sikh leader in Canada and unraveling of another conspiracy to assassinate yet another Sikh leader in USA provide a ranting testimony to Indian state terrorism.
I think that Pakistan must avail this opportunity and launch a diplomatic offensive to sensitize the world community about Indian state terrorism and also raise the issue at the forum of United Nation. It is perhaps pertinent to point out that when Kalbhushan Jhadav was apprehended Pakistan government had provided a dossier to the UN and important countries of the world including USA that contained irrefutable proofs of Indian sponsored terrorism but regrettably nobody bothered to condemn India for it. Even now no different outcome can be expected considering the fact that USA and its allies look at the situation inour area through the prism of their strategic and commercial interests. Their conscience is subservient to these interests. But that should not discourage us from taking the initiative to propagate the issue at every available international forum.
There is also no doubt the fact that Afghan soil is being used for terrorist activities against Pakistan which is a violation of the commitment that Afghan Taliban made with the international community not to allow its soil be used for acts of terrorism against any other state. It is believed that Pakistan has been raising this issue with the Taliban government from time to time reminding it its international obligations. Regrettably these efforts have also not produced any positive results. I think now the time has come to take a firm stand on the issue and to impress upon the Taliban government that their support to the terrorist outfits could have very serious repercussions for Afghanistan, Pakistan and regional peace and security.
The Taliban government needs to be reminded of the fact that the geographical realities cannot be changed. The two neighbours therefore have to make sure that they cooperate with each other in dealing with the phenomenon of terrorism. If there are any issues they think are undermining relations between the two countries and hence their support for these terrorist outfits then those must be resolved on the negotiating table. The reality is that shared economic prosperity and security of the countries in the region is inextricably linked to cordial relations between them and cooperation in exploiting the economic potential that is waiting to be exploited.
Pakistan has always extended unqualified support to the Afghan Taliban and was one of the two countries which recognized their government. It has supported Afghan-led and Afghan-owned solution to conflict in Afghanistan and also played a significant role in helping the USA and Taliban to reach an agreement on exit of USA and NATO forces from Afghanistan. Pakistan has been making these efforts at bilateral and multilateral forums. It has also made positive overtures to the Taliban government after the exit of US and NATO forces and is willing to play constructive role in rebuilding Afghanistan. Both the countries have historical religious and cultural bonds. There are lot many common grounds on which positive and productive relations between the two countries can be choreographed.
Infact cordial relations with Afghanistan have always been a top priority of Pakistan and foreign minister Ishaq Dar unequivocally echoed these sentiments while speaking in the parliament the other day. He also revealed that he would soon be visiting Afghanistan on the invitation of the Afghan government. It is indeed a good augury and one hopes that it would help in removing kinks in relations between the two countries.
