Foreign hands: India suspected of creating unrest in FATA

Corps commander Peshawar says authorities have credible evidence of external interference in tribal regions .

ISLAMABAD: The Peshawar corps commander’s statement earlier this week blaming “foreign hands” for the unrest in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) was a reference to India, an official source told The Express Tribune while requesting anonymity.

“Yes, Indian hand was actively involved in last month’s killing of 11 Pakistani  soldiers by Afghan militants at checkpoints in Mohmand Agency,” the official said.

“We have strong and undeniable evidence that the attack was sponsored by India. Indians are involved in terrorist activities in Fata like they are involved in Balochistan,” the source added.

Corps Commander Peshawar, Lt Gen Asif Yasin Malik had said authorities have gathered credible evidence of external interference in the restive tribal belt bordering Afghanistan.

“We have credible evidence of the involvement of foreign hands in the restive tribal regions along the Afghan border and we have informed superior authorities to take necessary action,” he said.

Malik, while talking to the media on the sidelines of a seminar at the Corps Headquarters in Peshawar, said that “foreign hands are helping anti-state elements to destabilise Pakistan’s tribal regions for their vested interests.” The terrorists enter Pakistan through the western border to disturb law and order in the tribal areas and then return to war-torn Afghanistan, he added. On December 24, 11 soldiers were killed when about 150 militants attacked five paramilitary checkpoints in the northwestern tribal region of Mohmand. At least 24 militants were killed in the fighting. “Militants ran away, leaving behind dead bodies. Twelve soldiers were wounded in the fighting,” an official said.

In a telephone call to the media, Taliban spokesperson for Mohmand Agency Sajjad Mohmand claimed his fighters had killed 12 soldiers and captured a checkpoint.

In June 2008, then Foreign Office spokesperson Muhammad Sadiq had said:  “Foreign governments and militants are involved in the turbulent situation prevalent in the tribal areas”.

Officials in Islamabad claim that there are fundamental reasons behind Indian backing to militants in Fata. “Fast growing economic power China coupled with her strategic relationship with Pakistan — Beijing’s investment in development of Gwadar, a seaport of geo-strategic importance have irked the Indians,” they claim.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2011.