ISI: Vital for our survival
Sajjad Shaukat
Without showing any solid evidence to Pakistan, since November 26, 2008,
while manipulating the Mumbai tragedy and concealing Hindu terrorists,
behind it, India has been blaming Pakistan’s banned Lashkar-i-Taiba and
Jamaatud Dawa for alleged links with the Inter-Services Intelligence
agency (ISI) in one way or the other in that connection. It is of
particular attention that recently, Indian Minority Affairs Minister
Abdul Rahman Antulay who changed his statement afterwards due to an
unending pressure of Hindu fundamentalist parties, BJP, Shiv Sena and
RSS, had stated in the Lok Sabha that the killing of Anti-Terrorism
Squad Chief Hemant Karkare in Mumbai during terror attacks was a
conspiracy—indicating, “he was shot due to his leading role in the
investigation against Hindus regarding the 2006 Malegaon bombings”. In
the Indian Mail Today, Narayan Rane, an Indian-Hindu leader of the
Congress also disclosed on December 16, 2008 that Hindu politicians
provided logistical and financial support to Hindutva terrorists for
killing Karkare. While Maharashtra’s former Chief Minister Vilasrao
Deshmuch said on December 2, last year that Pakistan has no links with
Mumbai carnage. But, instead of showing any proof, Indian leadership and
media have coined a number of fictitious stories, based upon
contradictions about the arrested gunman, Ajmal Kasab to prove the
involvement of Pakistan, Lashkar-i-Taiba and even ISI which is the first
defence line of our country in thwarting the conspiracy of foreign
enemies. Our interior ministry clarified that Ajmal Kasab is not
national of Pakistan.
However, revival of blame game against ISI is not confined to India, on
December 15, 2008, US Senator John Kerry, while putting pressure on
Islamabad, remarked that the Mumbai gunmen came from Pakistan. He
further remarked that ISI must be brought under control. Before him, US
Assistant Secretary of State, Richard Boucher had said on September 15,
2008 that ISI needed to be reformed. Nevertheless, intermittently, US
high officials, media and so-called thinktanks have been accusing
Pakistan’s army and our superior spy agency of cross-border terrorism in
Afghanistan and the Indian-held Kashmir. For example, in July and
August, 2008, The New York Times claimed presumed ties between
Pakistan’s ISI and the Taliban of Afghanistan, accusing this agency for
the bombing of Indian embassy in Kabul. In that context, Indian National
Security Advisor M. K Narayanan had pointed out; “The ISI needs to be
destroyed”.
Question arises in the mind of every patriot Pakistani that as to why
US-led India and some countries have been targeting our superior spy
agency? We cannot see their vile propaganda against ISI in isolation as
there are a number of nefarious designs which are part of the
international plot against Pakistan which is the only Islamic country,
possessing nuclear weapons. ISI is also being defamed because it not
only counters the threat of foreign intelligence agencies against the
integrity of Pakistan but also protects the nuclear weapons and atomic
installations of our country. America, India and Israel are exaggerating
through western media that safety of the atomic weapons is doubtful as
these can go in the hands of Al Qaeda operatives who are likely to use
them inside the US and Europe. The purpose behind is to convince
Washington to continue air strikes on Pakistan’s tribal areas, and even
to invade the settled areas of FATA. Without any doubt sporadic attacks
by American drones are the worse example of cross-border terrorism.
Being vital for our survival as the first pillar of our country, ISI has
become target of the external intrigue. Under the cover of Mumbai
carnage, US, India, Afghanistan and Israel have intensified their
collective covert strategic game by exploiting Pakistan’s present
multiple crises which they have themselves created through their secret
agencies, CIA, RAW, Khad and Mossad respectively. While acting upon
anti-Pakistan conspiracy, they, sometimes, take new turns in their
continued campaign in tarnishing the image of our Inter-Services
Intelligence Agency. In fact, they have badly failed in crushing the
stiff resistance of Afghan Taliban and Kashmiris who have been fighting
against the occupying forces. In this respect, senseless accusations
against ISI are essential for these countries to divert the attention of
their publics from their frustrated misadventure in Afghanistan and
Kashmir. Just like the sole super power, it has become fashion in India
to blame ISI for every mishap to conceal RAW-backed Hindu terrorism. In
the recent past, concrete evidence has surprised the international
community about Hindu terrorism. On April 6, 2008 in the secret office
of Bajrang Dal extremists in Nanded, a bomb exploded. The investigation
proved that the militants of Bajrang Dal were engaged in bomb-making and
were involved in the bomb attack on a mosque in 2003 and in other cities
in 2004. In this context, Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested a serving
Lt. Col. Srikant Purohit and a retired army Major Samir Kulkarniand,
having close ties with prominent politicians of BJP, VHP, RSS and
Bajrang Dal, who are pressurizing Indian government to release the
arrested persons. Inquiry revealed that these army officers helped train
the Hindu terrorists, supplying them military-grade explosive RDX, used
in the Malegaon bombings and recent terrorist attacks. ATS also
indicated that Lt. Col. Purohit confessed that in 2007, he was involved
in bombing of Samjhota express, which burnt alive 68 Pakistanis,
traveling in that train.
Before these proofs, Indian leaders were accusing Pakistan’s ISI in
connection with the bombings of these cities and Samjhota express.
Besides, under the cover of blame game against ISI, New Delhi also wants
to distract the attention of the west from her own atrocities, being
perpetrated on the innocent Kashmiris. Since 1989, Indian military
troops which massacred more than 20000 innocent people have been using
barbaric methods of ethnic cleansing to disturb the majority population
of Kashmiris. It is well-established fact that CIA-led RAW and Mossad
have been creating unrest in our country on massive scale. Penetration
of foreign agents along with sophisticated weaponry in FATA and
Balochistan has become a routine matter. In this respect, Afghanistan
where India already set up terrorist training camps has also started
building new cantonment areas as she announced to increase her troops up
to 150,000. Besides, causing lawlessness in our country, another aim
behind is also to get a strategic depth to encircle Pakistan with the
tactical support of the US. As regards Indo-Israeli nexus against
Pakistan, during Mumbai devastation, attack on the Jewish Center (Nariman
House) surprised the Indians as they never knew about it and clandestine
presence of Israeli commandos there.
There is no doubt that every country has a superior intelligence agency
to protect the national interest of the state. American CIA, Russian KJB,
British MI-6 etc. might be cited as an instance. Just like the other spy
agencies, ISI keeps a vigilant eye on the borders, assesses the
nefarious designs of the enemies and counters anti-Pakistan subversion
through various means. Despite its limited resources, ISI is the most
professional and effective intelligence agency in safeguarding the
national interests of Pakistan. On a number of occasions, this agency
has castigated various conspiracies against our country. In this
connection, in the Zia regime, New Delhi had made a secret plan to
suddenly attack Pakistan through operation, Brosstac, under the pretext
of military exercises.
And it also prepared a joint plan with the help of Israel to destroy
Kahuta nuclear plant through a surgical strike. Nevertheless, all these
external schemes were failed due to the pre-information of ISI. Some
other deeds like capturing foreign spies, fake currency notes etc.
inside Pakistan might also be cited as an example. While, at present,
our country is facing multi-faceted threats, no doubt, ISI is vital for
our survival.
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