- Take Iran seriously
The Pakistani government should take Iranian intelligence’s findings – about new, large pockets of ISIS on the Afghan side of the Durand Line – very seriously even if it might disagree with Tehran’s position that Washington is positioning Daesh there to destabilise the whole region. However, strange though it may sound, already Russian, Tajik and other Central Asian governments have voiced concern about ISIS setting up fresh camps in Afghanistan; and almost all of them tend to agree that Uncle Sam is providing logistic and financial, if not material and weapons, support as well to Abu Bakkar Baghdadi’s renegade brigade that America, at least officially, remains at war with all over the world.
For the longest time Pakistan’s civilian as well as military high command kept its head buried in the sand regarding the developing ISIS threat. Former interior minister Ch Nisar went to the extent of ridiculing anybody, or institution, that so much as sniffed ISIS presence on Pakistani soil. Yet then, year after year, Daish exploits killed hundreds and injured thousands across Pakistan, and indeed the rest of the world. That is why Pakistan should be particularly wary about ISIS proper settling down next door in large numbers. The world is no more a stranger to the kind of violence that can be expected even from people just inspired by ISIS.
Pakistan is at a very sensitive stage in its own war against terrorism. The menace of terrorism has grown strong over decades, and it has only been a few years since we took the fight to the enemy. Already, the gains are impressive. TTP, al Qaeda, etc, have all but disappeared from Pakistan and melted across the border. Any complacency now, especially when it comes to a new, battle-hardened enemy, risks not only undoing the gains of the last many years, but also putting many, many more lives in danger. Tehran should be thanked for any actionable intelligence it can provide, and then proper action must be taken.
