Who is going to cut the roots of fundamentalist forces?

"Pakistan is still supporting Al-Qaida and Taliban terrorist elements and not doing enough for flushing them out..."

The recent terrorist attacks in Central Asian State of Uzbekistan and the latest confession made by the arrested young Uzbek terrorist have once again reconfirmed that despite several assurances and promises, Pakistan and the Inter Services Intelligence(ISI) are still continuing to support the cross border terrorism. The statements of American Ambassador in Afghanistan and senior officials of US in their remarks have also said that unfortunately “Pakistan is still supporting Al-Qaida and Taliban terrorist elements and not doing enough for flushing them out, especially those who are presently based on Pak side of Afghanistan –Pakistan border. Not only this, it is already confirmed that the dangerous Uzbek terrorist who subverted Uzbek youth, under the banner of Muslim religion were also trained on the territory of Pakistan and despite several official requests of Uzbekistan, till date Pak is not ready to hand over the resident IMU cadres to Uzbekistan.

The president of Uzbekistan Mr. Islam Karimov has in the past several times accused Pakistan and this time during the 14th session of the Uzbek Parliament, addressing diplomats, MP’s and Journalists, he openly confirmed that routes of these terrorist acts lay beyond the border of Uzbekistan. The perpetrators of these acts underwent training in extremist camps in South Waziristan in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where they were subverted by false ideas and promises.

On the other hand, like always, president Musharraf repeatedly assured the world community about his determination to fight against fundamentalism forces including the Al-Qaida & Taliban. It should be mentioned here that Mr. Musharraf himself assured and certified to the world community that foreign terrorists were no longer been trained in the training camps in Pakistan.

However, this runs contrary to the statements made by the arrested Uzbek terrorist suspects, who were involved in the recent attacks in Uzbekistan. Though the world community is quite well aware of the realities of General Musharraf’s promises and speeches. All this throws an important question. That General Musharraf may have personally unaware of such camps which are located on Pakistan territory, may be possible but certainly it is impossible that such developments took place without the knowledge of the omnipresent PAK, ISI, on its own territory. It is necessary to state here that the PAK, ISI, as has been admitted even by President Musharraf, has been actively involved in providing material and other logistic support and facilitating the training of terrorist cadres of several banned international extremist organization such as Islam Movement of Uzbekistan, Al-Qaida, Talibans etc.

It must be remembered that the Inter Services Intelligence(ISI) was created for the purpose of espionage against the enemy or enemies of Pakistan to safeguard the interests of the nation. But contrary to and in total violation of its basic duty, the personnel of this organization have been meddling in the politics and civilian affairs of the country has reached to such a level that now ISI can make or break any government and in involved in the fractioning of the political parties. Thus no one from the political establishment of Pakistan wants to take on the ISI.

To prove the real faces and to shed a little light on Pak's, ISI (which is disturbing directly or indirectly the international community), not only the international journalists but the Pakistani writers also have written volumes in this regard. For example, internet editions like THE NEWS, HERALD TRIBUNE,THE NATION, DAWN, SOUTH ASIA TRIBUNE, PAKISTAN-FACTS.COM, DAILY TIMES & SOUTH ASIA MONITOR etc. have published real facts of the actual role and functioning of the ISI and its unethical practices.

Under the heading Don’t be fooled by Musharraf an ex-editor of Pakistan’s most influential English daily The News, Mr. Shaheen Sehbai has written in his article(19.3.2002): --- Over 20 years ago, another military dictator, Zia-ul-Haque, created the first reign of the ISI when he empowered the agency to run a different war in Afghanistan—the one against the Soviets. Billions of American taxpayer dollars and weapons of every imaginable type flowed through the ISI into mujahedeen hands—while the US government looked the other way as Zia built Pakistan's nuclear capacity, trained Islamic militants and inculcated radical Islam into the barracks and the schools. Rogue terrorist armies were born and no one paid attention.”

Naeem Mansoor Khan of Karachi has written; “Pakistan intelligence agency(ISI) not only involved in politics but also involved in all criminals activities like “Heroin” arms smuggling, blue literatures, terrorism. Now a day took all over religious matters in hands, they made many jihad organizations and use that so called jihad groups against state and throughout the world."

A retired Pakistani Colonel and a freelance columnist Mr.Masud Akhtar Shaikh has written in “The News” on 15th of June 2003 that: “The imposition of military rule and the forced suspension of the democratic process has always been a child’s play in this country ever since the first Commander-in-Chief Ayub Khan tried his hands at this game with remarkable success.”

Ahmed Rashid of Lahore in his article for “Far Eastern Economic Review” has written: “The equation has not changed, despite Musharraf's need to maintain a strong alliance with the United States. The religious parties platform of anti-Americanism did not deter Musharraf: In fact, it appears that the army and the ISI sponsored the religious leaders, or mullahs –“Waqar Alam, of Karachi: --- The face of ISI sponsored JEHADI organizations is now clear to the whole world….

In view of the foregoing it is time that the leaders of international anti-terrorist coalition and their erudite planners and advisers focused on the activities of the ISI rather than go after individual cadres of several terrorist organizations in the world which are somehow linked to the ISI.

Finally, we should remember one wise proverb that: “It is better to finish the problem at its roots rather than trim the branches.”

It's almost certain that if the ISI is reined in, operational functioning of a large number of terrorist organizations in the world would be hampered. Certainly, the problem in Afghanistan would also show a marked improvement.

Here also a question arises: Who will proceed to cut the unwanted roots of fundamentalist forces?

UZBEKISTAN