NOVANEWS
By Sajjad Shaukat
In its recent report, submitted to the Congress by the Department of Defence, US has revived
blame game against Pakistan. The Pentagon report allegedly said, “Afghan-and Indian-focused
militants continue to operate from Pakistan territory to the detriment of Afghan and regional
stability. Pakistan uses these proxy forces to hedge against Afghanistan and India…Taliban
attacks are launched from sanctuaries in Pakistan’s tribal areas and Baluchistan.”
On November 5, this year, Pakistan’s protest over these unwarranted comments was conveyed
by the Prime Minister’s Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz to the US
ambassador Richard Olson who was summoned to the Foreign Office.
In this regard, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasneem Aslam pointed out that despite “Pakistan’s
cooperation with the US in areas of mutual interest, Pentagon report carries unsubstantiated
allegations of the existence of terrorist ‘sanctuaries’ in Pakistan or that proxy forces are operating
against Afghanistan and India from inside Pakistan.”
She elaborated, “Ambassador Olson was told that such allegations were of particular concern
at this point when the Pakistani government has launched a comprehensive ‘Operation Zarb-i-
Azb’ against militants in tribal North Waziristan region bordering Afghanistan, which has been
broadly welcomed internationally as well as in Washington…which has also been a long-running
demand from US and its allied forces in Afghanistan.”
It is notable that in the past few years, US top civil and military high officials have continuously
emphasized Pakistan to ‘do more’ against the militancy in the tribal regions in order to stop
cross-border terrorism in Afghanistan. In this respect, by reviving US old blame game, US
Defence Secretary Leon Panetta allegedly said on June 7, 2012 that the US was reaching the
limits of its patience with Pakistan due to safe havens, “the country offered to insurgents in
neighboring Afghanistan.
During his trip to India and Kabul, Panetta encouraged New Delhi on October 26, 2012, saying
that India had vital role to play in Afghanistan and it would be helpful for peace and stability in
the region, adding, “Our new defence policy hinges upon this strategy.” The US-led NATO has
decided to keep around 24,000 troops in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO forces in
December 2014. In fact, America seeks to obtain multiple strategic designs by controlling the
energy resources of Central Asia, and weakening Pakistan, China, Iran and Russia.
However, Afghanistan has become part of the sinister designs of the US and India against
Pakistan. Therefore there are a number of American aims behind accusations against Pakistan.
Facing defeat and having failed in coping with the Afghan Taliban and to pacify their public,
particularly, US has shifted the blame game towards Pakistan’s security agencies.
In the recent past, following the US blame game, Afghanistan’s former President Hamid Karzai
openly accused Islamabad of sponsoring a series of terrorist attacks in Kabul, while from time
to time, India has also raised similar allegations. While, America, India and Afghan government
has ignored the fact that Afghan Taliban are fighting for the liberation of their country, and from
Alexander, the Great to the intervention of the former Soviet Union, Afghanistan has proved
graveyard of the foreign invaders.
It is mentionable that Afghanistan is responsible for terrorists’ penetration into Pakistan. Since
April, 2011, some 200 to 400 heavily-armed militants from Afghanistan’s side entered Pakistan’s
region, from time to time, and targeted the security check posts, civil and military infrastructure
of the tribal areas. So far, these terrorists have killed several personnel of Pakistan’s security
However, the way the Afghan militants are challenging a highly professional Pak Army is
enough to prove that with the tactical assistance of American CIA, Indian RAW and Israeli
Mossad which have well-established their collective network in Afghanistan are fully backing
these cross-border incursions with a view to destabilizing Pakistan which is the only nuclear
country in the Islamic World.
While, Afghanistan has become a hub of anti-Pakistan activities from where these external secret
agencies are also sending logistic support to Baloch separatist elements to dismember Pakistan
so as to obtain the secret strategic designs of the US, India and Israel. Besides martyring several
personnel of security agencies in Balochistan, these foreign-backed entities kidnapped and
massacred many innocent people including Hazara-Shias and Chinese nationals.
Posing themselves as Pakistani Taliban, these enemies have joined Tehrik-e-Taliban, Pakistan
(TTP) and other banned extremist outfits. In the recent years, especially TTP’s insurgents
and its affiliated banned groups conducted many terror-activities like suicide attacks, ruthless
beheadings of tribesmen, assaults on security personnel and prominent figures including
Shias, Ahmadis, Sufis, Christians and Sikhs. Besides, terror-attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,
Balochistan and Karachi are part of the scheme to create chaotic situation in the country.
A recently released video by Washington Free Beacon pointed out that the US new Secretary
of Defence Chuck Hagel disclosed during a speech at Oklahoma’s Cameron University in
2011, “India has always used Afghanistan as a second front” and “has over the years financed
problems for Pakistan on that side of the border.” Earlier, the then NATO commander in
Afghanistan, Gen. McChrystal had revealed: “Indian political and economic influence is
increasing in Afghanistan…is likely to exacerbate regional tensions.”
Notably, in the recent years, a series of international conferences were held in order to bring
stability and peace in Afghanistan. For this purpose, US-led developed nations also pledged
billions of dollars for the development of Afghanistan. Besides, American top officials
have repeatedly agreed that without the help of Islamabad, stability cannot be achieved in
Nevertheless, taking note of Indian negative approach, in the recent past, US Senator John
McCain reminded the Obama administration that encouraging India to take a more active role
in Afghanistan, while simultaneously criticizing Pakistan could be a recipe for disaster. In
fact, India wants instability in Afghanistan, which favors its secret goals against Pakistan. But
Pakistan seeks stability in Afghanistan, which is not possible owing to Indian presence in that
country. Therefore, Pakistan has legitimate concerns in Afghanistan.
Pakistan accommodated three million Afghan refugees for more than three decades; supported
Afghan-led reconciliation process by facilitating opening of Doha office, and release of Taliban
prisoners on Afghan government’s request; conducted wide range military operations to root out
terrorists’ safe havens from its soil and supported Afghanistan in socio-economic fields.
Meanwhile, since October 6, this year, India accelerated cross-border shelling along the Line
of Control and Working Boundary and killed several innocent persons. While, leader of the
fundamentalist party BJP and Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi is reported to have given a
free hand to the Indian forces to go on aggressively with the violations.
As regards the issue of cross-border militancy, Indian Prime minister Modi neglected the fact
that on July 19, 2013 the Indian former home ministry and ex-investigating officer Satish Verma
disclosed that terror-attacks in Mumbai in November 26, 2008 and assault on Indian Parliament
in January 12, 2001 were carried out by the Indian government to strengthen anti-terrorism laws.
Similarly, Modi also ignored the statement of Indian ex-Home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde
who revealed on January 20, 2013 that organized training camps run by the fundamentalist
parties, RSS and BJP were promoting Hindu Terrorism. He also explained that these extremist
parties were behind the Samjhauta Express, Meccca Masjid and Malegaon blasts. Earlier, New
Delhi has been accusing Pakistan’s spy agency ISI of these terror attacks, while Indian prime
minister is again blaming Pakistan for the Mumbai carnage.
Regarding cross-border terrorism, former Indian Army Chief Gen. VK Singh openly confessed
in September 2013 that special intelligence unit like Technical Services Division were raised
by him to operate inside Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan and Azad Kashmir to conduct
terrorism and to bribe the politicians in the Indian-occupied Kashmir.
In fact, by manipulating the US contradictory approach towards Islamabad, Indian and
Afghan rulers have intensified cross-border shelling and terrorism in Pakistan. In this context,
Washington, New Delhi and Kabul also wants to create pressure on Islamabad and the Armed
Forces in wake of present political turmoil—and a full scale military operation Zarb-e-Azb
which continues successfully against terrorists in North Waziristan Agency.
Nonetheless, by showing realistic approach, America should realize that unlike India, Pakistan
shares common geographical, historical, religious and cultural bonds with Afghanistan, while
stability in Afghanistan and Pakistan is interrelated, which is essential for American global and
regional interests. Therefore, US must abandon its blame game against Pakistan.
Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants,
Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations