Daily Times

On Thursday evening, a suicide bomb attack at the shrine of revered Sufi saint LalShahbazQalandar in Sehwan claimed more than 70 innocent lives and left some 250 people injured. In response, Pakistan’s armed forces sealed the Torkham border indefinitely and additional combing operations were initiated. DG ISPR Major-General AsifGhafoor stated that Afghan territory was being used for such attacks by terrorist groups with the backing of ‘hostile powers’.

This is indeed a huge statement by the army as it’s a rare phenomenon to state such a thing. From what may be perceived as a well-coordinated conspiracy to discredit Pakistan’s achievements against terrorism, these ‘hostile powers’ do not wish to seek stability in the region. Hence, the number of terrorist attacks have suddenly surged this week. Several defence analysts believe that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the return of sporting events such as Pakistan Super League (PSL) are the primary target of these powers that are bent upon destabilising Pakistan. Undoubtedly, the role of India cannot be ruled out that has a considerable sphere of influence in Kabul for over a decade. Indian intelligence agency-Research & Analysis Wing (RAW)- and Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) have collaborated with each other for years against Pakistan and these collaborations have been close since AmrullahSaleh’s tenure as NDS chief. Although the Islamic State’s (IS) Khorasan group claimed responsibility for the dastardly attack on the shrine, it is widely believed that RAW and NDS have been providing funds and weapons to such groups for proxy warfare. The incumbent Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Kumar Doval has publicly called for using terror groups against Pakistan a few years ago for he was of the opinion that these groups are no less than mercenaries that could be used as fault lines against the target country. Therefore, the surge in attacks across Pakistan has returned in a deadlier form. Pakistan Army’s top leadership has already summoned Afghan diplomats to General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi and handed over a list of 76 ‘most wanted’ terrorists. Now the ball is certainly in Kabul’s court for dismantling the terror network operating out of Afghan territory, as Pakistan has done its job considerably well in pushing out and eliminating terrorists on its side of the border through Operation Zarb-e-Azb and smaller ones such as Operation Kinetic. The interesting thing to note is that most of the suicide attacks this week were carried out by young Afghan individuals who were likely brainwashed by their handlers in Afghanistan. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani must stand with Pakistan in these dark times for terrorism is a common issue for both countries. Moreover, the Afghans must counter Indian influence in their rank and file, as it is harming regional stability. Pakistan’s National Action Plan (NAP), despite being flawed in some areas, has been useful in containing some of the most dangerous groups that were operating against the state. However, the security apparatus must remain vigilant as the recent spate in attacks is more likely to be part of a wider blowback by the groups based in Afghanistan. Lastly, President Ghani’s government must do the groundwork in locating the notorious Tehrik-e-Taliban Chief, Mullah Fazlullah, who has assimilated his group into IS Afghanistan and is likely being protected by NDS at the behest of New Delhi. *