New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS) It has been more about relocation rather than revival for terror groups in Pakistan. In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, training camps of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad were shifted out of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The cadres were relocated deep within Pakistan to avoid another hit by the Indian armed forces.
Initially, the cadres of these terror groups were moved closer to the Afghanistan border. They were trained there for a couple of months. However, recent reports by Indian Intelligence agencies suggest that these camps are being moved out of the Afghan border. This is largely to do with the fact that the Pakistan-Afghanistan border has become extremely vulnerable owing to failing ties with the Taliban. There have been skirmishes between the two countries in the last couple of months.
The Pakistan army and ISI fear that the terror camps along the border areas could become the target of the Taliban. This would be extremely embarrassing for Pakistan if the terror camps are hit, says an official. First, these camps were hit by the Indian armed forces, and then if the Taliban would hit them, Pakistan would be in a very difficult situation. The terror groups are already questioning both the army and ISI post Operation Sindoor, as these two institutions failed to provide any sort of protection when the Indian armed forces struck.
The Intelligence agencies say that talks between Pakistan and the Taliban are not going exactly as per script. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khwaja Asif said that talks had broken down and the dialogue had entered into an indefinite phase. Right now, the negotiations are over, Asif said after the Afghan Taliban delegation reportedly refused to sign any written agreement.
The Afghan Taliban has been insisting on a verbal understanding instead. These are clear signs that nothing is alright between the two countries, and hence, the border remains vulnerable.
Currently, there is a very delicate ceasefire that is in place, but officials believe that there would be a breakdown anytime soon. With the border remaining vulnerable, Pakistan has no choice but to shift the training camps to some other place.
Intelligence agencies say that makeshift camps would be set up in Rawalpindi and Lahore. This would ensure better protection for these terror camps. Security agencies that are not involved in another conflict, be it with the Taliban or the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), would be in charge of guarding these camps. This would ensure that the camps are fully protected, as those guarding them would be dedicated to just this job and not anything else, officials explain.
The ISI has a lot on its plate post Operation Sindoor. The operation not just destroyed the terror camps, but also eroded the morale of the terrorists. Further, these battles with the Taliban or the TTP have not boded well with these terror groups. This constant relocation is also not building any confidence among the terrorists, as they see the army and ISI as vulnerable.
Another major reason for the relocation of the terror camps out of the Afghan border is the TTP. The TTP views terror groups such as the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayiba as proxies of the Pakistan state. The TTP’s battle is against the state, and hence it would not hesitate to hit these training camps that the ISI has set up.
Keeping all these factors in mind, the training camps are being relocated yet again. Until the ISI finds a permanent solution to this problem, the terror groups have been told to focus on conducting rallies in cities such as Lahore and Islamabad. This would keep the cadre enthused and could ramp up the recruitments also.
–IANS
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