Towards A Safe Pakistan

Towards A Safe Pakistan : Major (R)Khalid Nasr Pakistan and Pakistanis are in the crosshairs of Afghanistan’s major export, other than opium, "paid assassins." Who is training and paying these assassins are nations, who want instability in Pakistan. They have found Afghanistan as a fertile ground for assassins for hire. The possibility does exist India and its surrogates are exporting terrorism to Pakistan through Afghanistan. We propose the following: Pakistan needs a consolidation of it's security agencies and the establishment of a Ministry of Homeland Security, independent from the Ministry of Defence. Pakistan should establish a Council of Homeland Security with National Security Czar reporting directly to the President. Pakistan needs a goverment mandated Pakistan Homeland Security Think Tank, which should have members from private Security Think Tanks like Brasstacks, academia, the services, retired armed forces officers, intellectuals, writers, artists and poets (yes, creative people have out of the box thinking), intellectuals, journalists and commentators, and religious scholars of all faiths. During World War II, Britain had established such an organization, at Bletchley House.(Please read the history of this organization and how they broke the German Code, by deciphering the ENIGMA machine). An alarming development is that the Indian intelligence services have made recent alliances with Israel. According to INDIA – ISRAEL RELATIONS: THE IMPERATIVES FOR ENHANCED STRATEGIC COOPERATION, by Dr.Subhash Kapila, a member of the Indian RAW Think Tank, called, SAAG. Indian Imperatives – The Intelligence Field * Israel from its existence recognised "that they needed excellent intelligence to aid their fight for survival. Their country was among the tiniest on earth but would have to develop the finest services in the world". 8 They have done so in the form of Mossad (Foreign Operations), SHIN BET (domestic security) and AMAN (Army’s Intelligence Agency). Each one of them have acquired global reputation for excellence.9 This was achieved both by the imperatives of national survival and being "a synthesis of various traditions that were learned, adopted, inherited, or copied from other countries that have longer histories as states and more deeply ingrained intelligence customs".10 * With India facing both internal and external onslaughts from adversaries, India’s intelligence agencies need toning up. Israeli expertise would be invaluable as inputs for strengthening of India’s intelligence agencies. * India is under attack from Islamic fundamentalists. Intelligence exchanges with Israel would provide valuable inputs as Israel too is under similar attacks and has developed considerable expertise in dealing with them. * Israeli industries produce hi-tech sensitive gadgetry for intelligence purposes. India could tap this source for its requirements. * India’s counter-terrorism mechanisms and responses are poor. Israel experience could help. One of the critical factors in the Israel-Palestinian conflict is the use of assassination as tool to eliminate potential threats which range from military, as well as civilian targets. The recent spate of assassinations of Iraqi academics, scientists, and religious leaders has also been linked to black flag operations of Israeli Intelligence agencies. Currently, Afghanistan has been pock-marked by a large number of NGOs (no-gooder disguised as do gooders), under whose cover foriegn intelligence operatives function. Afghanistan is also a land of extreme poverty and illiteracy. Anyone posing as a religious leader can lead individuals to commit extreme acts, while others can be hired as assassins, if paid in the right currency. The nexus of interest of India and Israel is taking place in Afghanistan. According to Saleem Shahzad of Asiatimes, The India-Israel nexus, however, is not a new development. Israeli intelligence has consulted with India ever since Hamas and Islamic Jihad recruits trained in Afghanistan during the Taliban days, when Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had complete influence in that country, as well as orchestrating the Kashmiri struggle. However, the situation has changed completely in Afghanistan following Musharraf's reversal of support, under US pressure, of the Taliban, and even in Kashmir, overtly at least; the ISI has had to back away from supporting militants in the Kashmir struggle. Nowadays, after US and French intelligence agencies, Israeli and Indian intelligence have the biggest presence in Afghanistan. Israel, reportedly through Mossad, has established indirect contact with Kabul, and both countries are secretly making trade deals and cooperating in various fields. According to Pakistani security sources, Israel and India aim to further their aims on Pakistan's western border with Afghanistan. Under the guise of non-governmental organizations, they are coordinating with Pakistani Pashtun nationalists and providing them with resources to promote the idea of a "Pashtun land" and revive the contentious issue of the Durand Line. The Assassin Inc. Afghanistan Ltd, started its work early ‘50s with the training of Said Akbar, the Afghan Intelligence trained assassin of Shaheed-i-Millat, Liaquat Ali Khan. This followed a string of killings, including that of Dr.Khan Sahib, who served as the Chief Minister. The killing of Maulana Hassan Jan, a revered religious scholar of the country and a vice president of the Wafaqul Madaris, near Wazir Bagh in the suburbs of Peshawar on Saturday evening seems to have hallmarks of Assassins Inc. Another high profile, assassination of the Brig (retd) Masood Islam, project director of the new Islamabad airport may have its roots in Afghanistan. The assassination of SSG commandos in Ghazi, by a denizen of WAPDA Colony is another example. Pakistan should learn from the U.S., which has made its nations security, its NUMBER ONE priority. It should get rid of the Ministry of Interior and create a new Ministry of Homeland Security. Pakistan's intelligence priorities should refocus taking in view the geostrategic environment and the possible convergence of interests of our enemies and our allies against us. Check out the article at the bottom Indian intelligence agencies are overly active in Afghanistan, since there fingerprints cannot be traced back and the along with their mentors can operate with impunity. What are options for Pakistan? · Pakistan should track the operations of the Indians and their surrogates in Afghanistan. Pakistan MUST keep sharp eye on the DUAL ROLE of Foriegn and Local NGOs representing Foriegn Interests · Pakistan should provide extra protection to its academics, scientists, intellectuals, and religious scholars, and military leaders, both active and retired. Pakistan should map trends and patterns of locales, where most of these killings have occurred and focus in those areas in particular · Pakistan should stop blaming every assassination on Lal Masjid veterans, we may be looking the wrong way, the fire is in our western backyard. Pakistan especially monitor MQM, which has a history of political assassinations, whether, it has found new partners · Pakistan should confront the Western Allies and use their influence to STOP these covert operations and also confront Mr.Karzai, the evidence of these dastardly acts being committed. Pakistan should keep a draconian watch on Afghan in its midst as refugees. This does not mean "gestapo tactics," it means close observation. Afghans have settled in large numbers in Delhi, they can crossover into Pakistan from either the Durand line or Eastern border.