On Sunday Dawn Pakistan’s leading English
newspaper published from Karachi ran a story on signs of emergence of ISIS in the
country. According to details ISIS is attracting
the attention of radicals in Pakistan and Afghanistan, unnerving authorities
who fear a potential violent contagion. The successes of ISIS play a very
dangerous, inspirational role in Pakistan, where more than 200 organizations
are operational. A banned outfit the TTP says it broadly support both ISIS
militants and Al-Qaeda.
The report also quoted US officials saying the group is
generating tens of millions of dollars a month from black market oil sales,
ransoms and extortion. This financial heft is proving a big draw — including
for the five Pakistani Taliban commanders who announced their support for the
ISIS. The splinter groups are facing financial crisis, so they are contacting
Daesh, another name for IS. They also say they have sent 1,000 fighters in
recent years to help the militant struggle in Syria and plan to send 700 more.
By late evening there was a horrendous blast in which more
than 60 people died and over 100 critically injured near Wagah border, the
responsibility of which was claimed separately two outfits Jundullah and TTP affiliated
Jamaat-ul-Ahrar. Jundullah and TTP are among loosely aligned militant groups
that frequently share personnel, tactics and agendas but claims for specific
incidents are often hard to verify.
One is completely taken aback by the statement of Rehman Malik,
Interior Minister of previous PPP government. He has urged the government to
immediately convene a joint session of parliament and share information about Jundullah
with the lawmakers. If a person like Malik is not aware of the details, what else
can one expect from PML-N government, which is often alleged for having contacts
with extremists groups operating in Pakistan? This statement is based on the
fact that PPP and ANP came under severe attack but PML-N didn’t during the
election campaign.
As Dawn has rightly alarmed ISIS could be serious threat for
Pakistan. Although ISIS is a product of the Western super powers, it also draws
support from many Muslim countries. It could not have emerged without support
from western powers and their regional allies. These facilitated the travel of
jihadis from 80 countries into Syria, funded them, and then trained and armed
them.
Terrorism is a product of relations of domination. As long
as such relations are not addressed, we can see no end to it. ISIS is not an
internal phenomenon of Syria and Iraq but an international one. The US, Europe,
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Persian Gulf Arab regimes are often alleged
for creating a monster that is now threatening their interests. All the
countries involved in the disaster in Syria through which ISIS has emerged and
who are responsible for the present catastrophe need to get together and agree
to stop funding and arming the parties involved.
Shiites and Sunnis must know that any action or remark,
including insulting one another, leads to increased sensitivities and ignite
flames. This will certainly benefit the common enemy of all Muslims. The
supposed grand plan hits two birds with one stone: to pit Arab against Arab
until they are too weak to face Israel, and to gather the Sunnis against
Shiite Iran, foment a sectarian cross-border conflict and encircle Iran.
