What was feared most in recent times has arrived, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has made its first public appearance in Pakistan with the distribution of pamphlets in the suburbs of Peshawar, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
The appearance of such pamphlets, seeking the establishment of a Khilafat, at a time when the country is going through one of the largest political crisis in years, while the military is engaged in one of the largest military operations in North Waziristan and newer militant groups have formed alliances is indicative of a larger problem which, if not resolved tactfully, forebodes a disaster in the making — not only in Peshawar, pro-ISIS graffiti also appeared in Balochistan.
The ISIS, the largest and richest of militant outfits in the world has gained strength from anarchy. It’s a combination of split warring factions which is now aided by fighters from many countries. While reports of presence of Pakistanis fighting along the group have been denied officially, there is evidence from social media and jihadist forums to believe otherwise.
The presence of dozens of militant outfits actively working in Pakistan could prove to be like a hatchery for the ISIS. But what is more disturbing is the distribution of the pamphlet which asks for support for the transnational militant outfit in Afghan refugee camps. There are at least three renowned militant commanders in Afghanistan that have offered their allegiances to Abu-Bakar al-Baghdadi, the self-declared Caliph of the Islamic State. With sectarian tensions ripe within the country, it’s impossible to think about the implication is such a movement gains momentum? The government should not take the distribution of such material lightly, with Nato wrapping up its decade long project across the border and the rise of the Taliban in across the border, Pakistan is marred with serious security concerns that need to be dealt with immediately. We have a pre-requisite in the form of the TTP which spread from the tribal areas to the entire country — can we combat a new enemy?
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2014.
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In the last 13 years America has carried out appalling genocide in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq twice, Libya, Syria, much of Africa, funds the Israelis who recently killed 700 children in Palestine, and is now on its third try in Iraq. The US never tires of telling us how brutal ISIS is now they are in Iraq, but pretended to ignore them when they were part funding and training them for Syria. I am sure ISIS are not exactly gentle, but they are not even close to Western brutality. Recent events have shown that the Western media has eyes when it wants to, but can be very slack when it suits them, and really needs to lift its game. Unfortunately, we all know it will not happen.
It is imperative for us to stand united against those who pose a threat to the safety of our nations. We’ve already seen terrorist organizations like the TTP, Al-Qaeda, and The Haqqani network claim many innocent lives for the sake of achieving their terrorist agenda. Our nations refuse to bow down to any terrorist organization, and our common sacrifices clarify our shared will and desire to succeed against terrorism. This is what the U.S. President Barack Obama said just recently: “There has to be a common effort to extract this cancer so it does not spread. There has to be a clear rejection of the kind of a nihilistic ideologies. One thing we can all agree on is group like (ISIS) has no place in the 21st century. Friends and allies around the world, we share a common security a set of values opposite of what we saw yesterday. We will continue to confront this hateful terrorism and replace it with a sense of hope and stability.”
Ali khan Digital Engagement Team, USCENTCOM
Pakistan has a lot work to do. Times have changed, it is advisable for Pakistan Military ,civilians, intelligence to sit regularly, to be aware of what exactly is happening in the country, who are the people behind all of this. Who is funding them? what are their aims? where do they live, how do they operate, how do they communicate, and many many questions need to be answered. The intelligence services have always to keep one step ahead, they must know, they have to know better, Pakistan is most vulnerable because of its assets. This multiplies the problem manifold.
ISIS needs a land where the state institutions have ceased to work , there is no military force remaining and which is in the throes of state collapse None of which (despite hysterical headlines) is happening in Pakistan today.
@Sexton Blake: Guess you haven't read the right reports. No difficulty in comprehending what is going on. What I am having difficulty understanding is why the entire Pakistani media is mum on the recent beheading of a journalist by ISIS or of beheading of minorities including small children.
The funding for ISIS is entirely through Kuwait and they are being bankrolled from the Middle East, most notably by your brotherly nation Saudi Arabia. The USA as usual is bungling and has no grip on the situation. ISIS will not attack Israel because it knows that will be the end of itself.
Although I am currently researching militant organizations I do not fully comprehend all the implications of what they are all about. Obviously it is difficult to do so because Western propaganda is designed to obfuscate the truth of the matter.. What does appear to be very apparent is that the CIA/MI6/Mossad are involved and we know that they are dangerously mischievous. If ISIS is their creation, and it may well be true, it could be a situation of "you reap what you sow", or is ISIS being used as a Western instrument to assist the US and its puppets with their ongoing, never ending policy of implementing World hegemony?
Who crested ISIS terrorists with Islamic name. Who is funding and training these butchers?
This is called real progress. Now let us continue to destroy our institutions and state property. We are a fertile ground for global Jiahdists and a safe haven for state and non state actors and strategic assets.
You look at the ideology of ISIS and it's no different than the Al Qaeda, Taliban or any of the other Muslim extremist groups. They all rule through fear, have no qualms about targeting unarmed civilians/journalist for slaughter, like to boast/film their be-headings, and go out of their way to target minorities and non Muslims. These extremist groups try and justify their carnage through religious rhetoric but when you blow away the smoke your still left with murder, rape, kidnapping, extortion, drug dealing, and now genocide.