SITUATIONER – Split and differences among various militant groups are intensifying day by day while clashes among the militants of once strong and united Lashkar-i-Islam, headed by Mangal Bagh, have been in progress for two days in Bazaar area of Tirrah Valley. The rifts erupted among the ranks of Lashkar-i-Islam a couple of days back when its top commander Mangal Bagh ordered execution of Maulana Muhammad Hasham, a respectable religious figure of Zakhakhel clan of Afridi tribe. Maulana Hasham was punished when he denounced kidnapping and killing of local tribesmen by the LI elements. After the execution of Maulana Hasham, Zakhakhel tribesmen revolted against Mangal Bagh.
The LI lost its important commander along with several gun-toting loyalists while the Zakhakhel tribesmen succeeded in forcing Mangal Bagh and his associates to leave the area and slip into another area. Rifts within Lashkar-i-Islam are not new. Earlier, similar rifts have been experienced in other militant and religious groups. Rift in Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan of North Waziristan has already claimed lives of dozens of militants, including Qari Usman Punjabi and Sabir Mehsud (a reliable aide of Hakim Ullah Mehsud). Similarly such rifts also led to the killing of Khalid Khawaja and Col Imam, former ISI officers, who have made a great contribution to the promotion of the extremist groups, especially Taliban. The death of Col Imam has not been confirmed as his body has yet to be handed over either to officials or relatives.
No one could overlook external involvement in the militancy and terrorism trends. In fact, the trend developed in this region after 1971 when Pakistan disintegrated, but formally it emerged when King Zahir Shah’s regime was toppled by his cousin Sardar Muhammad Daud Khan on July 16, 1973. As a result of such involvement, jihadi groups not only ousted the Russian army from Afghanistan but also caused disintegration of former Soviet Union. With the pullout of the Red Army and disintegration of former Soviet Union, internal rifts and hostilities developed amongst the Afghan jihadi groups.
Little before the 9/11 tragedy, Pakistan’s religious groups and factions united mysteriously. First some of the groups united in the so-called Afghanistan Defence Council through a gathering at Dar-ul-Uloom Haqqania Akora Khattak on January 10, 2001, and, later, six leading groups were facilitated for the formation of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA). Keeping in view the birth and death of religious groups of Afghanistan, assignments of certain groups like Lashkar-i-Islam now are close to its completion.
Rifts and hostilities amongst the militant groups couldn’t be jubilated as it could be another turn. The ongoing trends of militancy and terrorism are a part of the “great game” and only management is aware of its logical conclusion. Internal rifts amongst the militants in Pakistan could sabotage the strategies and planning of the authorities concerned for the return of peace and rehabilitation in the terrorism-affected areas.
Lashkar-i-Islam has not only been involved in heinous criminal acts, including suicide attacks on civilians, officials and installations but also in target killings of tribal elders, religious scholars and kidnapping for ransom.
