Opinion Maker

Our agencies need to remain extra vigilant till 2014

By Asif Haroon Raja

The US considers it its birthright to lord over the whole world and expects others to accept its ascendency because it is the sole super power and economically and militarily the strongest nation on the earth. However, despite its unchallenged supremacy, it is also a reality that the US remains fearful of Israel and Jewish lobby within USA. The President of USA reputed as the strongest man of the world remains subservient to the wishes of Israel. He can show eyes to anyone less Israel since the Jews help him in getting elected. Economy, Federal Reserve, banks, business, media, think tanks and most corporations in USA are controlled by the American Jews. Jewish influence is so pervasive that the US leadership has to perforce adopt dual-faced foreign policy to protect and defend offensive and illegal acts of Israel and admonish the victims of Israeli aggression. Its unjust and hypocritical approach particularly towards Palestinian dispute has earned the US a very bad name among the Muslim world.

Of late India seems to be competing with Israel in terms of influence over Washington. Indian lobby in USA has become an effective body to prevail upon the decision makers in Washington and implant India-made perceptions. Deep-rooted equation between the two strategic partners can be judged from the behavior of US leaders towards India. When India gets disturbed on any count, the US gets equally disturbed. Whenever India encounters difficulties, the US rushes to its aid and rescues it. When India makes a wish whether legal or legal, it is promptly fulfilled even if the desired item has international repercussions. If India wants to harm or let down any of its neighbor, Washington extends all out support to its evil program. All American officials including the president visiting India ensure that they do not utter a word which may cause heartburn to Indian leadership. They behave obsequiously and humbly and to gladden their hosts they make it a point to hurl an unpleasant remark against Pakistan or subscribe to India’s allegation against its archrival. Announcement of $10 million award money for capture of Jamaat-ud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and $3 million for Hafiz Rahman Makki by a US official visiting India is a case in point. Anti-Pakistan statements help a great deal in keeping India in good humor and in expediting inking of lucrative defence and economic deals.  

Their behavior is quite the opposite when they visit Islamabad. Here they behave as viceroys visiting a colony. They remain officious, haughty and demanding. Instead of listening to genuine complaints of Pakistani leaders, they put them on the back foot at the very outset by leveling frivolous allegations or showing displeasure over lack of progress made and ask them to do more to deserve next consignment of US aid. They feel offended if on few occasions our leaders pick up courage to meekly utter a muffled protest that the desired demand impinges upon Pakistan’s security.     

It has been a normal practice of Indian leaders to blame Pakistan for any act of terror taking place in India. In almost all cases, it was proven by Indian agencies that Hindu extremists were involved, or the act was engineered by RAW to scandalize Pakistan. This chronic habit of blame game without ascertaining facts was adopted by the West during the ongoing war on terror. Any act of terror taking place anywhere in the world is habitually assumed to have a Pakistani connection. This was purposely done to declare Pakistan as the most dangerous place in the world. Any homegrown terrorist caught in act of terror or a suspect planning to commit an act of terror in USA or any western country would be conveniently linked with FATA. The incident would be blown up and a story woven that the culprit had visited one of the tribal agencies sometime in the past to receive training from Taliban. This was done to project FATA has the most dangerous place within Pakistan. Shooting incident by one Mohamad Maher in France is the most recent example of biased attitudes. His connection was traced to TTP in North Waziristan claiming that he had visited that place sometime back and received training.

This propaganda has been going for years despite the fact that 147000 Pak security forces are relentlessly fighting the militant forces in all seven tribal agencies as well as settled regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 2003 and both sides have sustained heavy fatalities. Unlike Pak Army which has achieved laudable successes and has an upper edge over foreign paid terrorists, Afghanistan which was declared as the hub centre of extremism and terrorism in September 2001 is hardly commented upon since 152000 strong ISAF has performed poorly in containing Taliban led insurgency and in sheer frustration has now decided to give it up as a bad job and quit by 2014. India has hardly done anything to combat terrorism except to grieve and blame Pakistan for all acts of terror taking place in India. In fact Indo-US-Israeli nexus has fueled terrorism for their selfish interests rather than curbing terrorism. Afghanistan and Pakistan have suffered immensely on account of their clandestine operations and use of force.      

Dyncorps was used by USA to develop a parallel network of security and intelligence personnel within Pakistan. Inter-Risk Security Company headed by Captain retired Syed Ali Zaidi was opened in Islamabad in 2008 to provide arms and equipment to Blackwater. In February 2009 it was reported that over 70 American military advisers and technical specialists were secretly working in Pakistan to help the Pak Army battle al-Qaeda and Taliban in FATA. They advised how to go about conducting operations against militants. Joint Special Operations Centres (JSOC) were also established in Peshawar, Kohat, Karachi and Quetta.

$1.5 billion annual Kerry Lugar aid bill (KLB) apparently meant to bolster economy of Pakistan was in actuality designed to fund NGOs, and facilitate entry of CIA under cover contractors and US Special Forces operatives to speed up its efforts to disable Pakistan’s nuclear program.  Funds for expansion of the US Embassy in Islamabad were catered for in the KLB. Massive expansion of the Embassy was undertaken in 2010 so as to house additional force of Marines. Nine storey building including five storied basements were in the design to cater for 15000 Marine forces.  Initially it was reported that up to 1000 Marines had got inducted – thanks to all out efforts made by Hussein Haqqani and Rahman Malik, but now unconfirmed reports indicate that the figure may be much higher. China had expressed its serious concerns over the expansion plan and warned Pakistan of the US sinister designs.

In 2011, the US pressed Pakistan to allow posting of security liaison officers (SLO) at every Corps HQ to allow the US to facilitate effective intelligence sharing mechanism and also to launch covert as well as overt operations to hunt al-Qaeda fugitives in Pakistan. The Army rejected the demand and kept resisting strongly worded warnings during several high-profile visits of American senior military and civil officials. When the pressure became insurmountable, the establishment half-heartedly agreed to allow an SLO in Quetta only but not within the premises of 12 Corps HQ, and that too on need basis. This proposal also fizzled out since it was assessed that the SLOs in all probability would be CIA undercover agents.

Series of American interferences in 2011 impelled Pakistan’s security apparatus to take effective measures to roll back US intrusions and safeguard our strategic assets. Although the US and British military trainers as well as CIA’s contractors and undercover agents involved in covert war were sent back, it is still not known whether the Marines have been extradited. Likewise, several CIA cells have been busted and local CIA agents like Dr. Afridi have been nabbed but there may be many unidentified agents still working for CIA. Current status of CIA network duly complemented by RAW and Mossad agents is not known. Our agencies need to remain extra vigilant till the complete withdrawal of ISAF and five intelligence agencies from Afghanistan.

While efforts must continue to cleanse Pakistan of the presence of undesirable foreign elements at the earliest, reopening of NATO supply and that too for non-lethal items must be made conditional to termination of drone war. At no cost the Kashmir cause and minimum nuclear deterrence should be compromised. Grant of MFN status to India should be made conditional to resolution of Kashmir dispute and stoppage of construction of illegal dams over Indus, Chenab and Jhelum Rivers and link canals to divert water from these rivers. Indo-US efforts to make Pakistan a compliant state must be resisted with full force.