Recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan are serving the stark reminder of clear and present danger. After the foiled attacks at port complex Gwadar and naval base Turbat, terrorists carried out an attack against Chinese nationals in Basham. Recurrence of terrorist attacks with alarmingly short interval and extreme precision indicates availability of ample support to the terrorists from some very powerful players. Undeniably, these terrorist attacks were aimed at sabotaging the Pak-China bilateral ties. Apparently, the terrorist outfits involved in these attacks and their handlers are trying to derail the projects linked with CPEC and aimed at economic stability of Pakistan.
A security crisis for the Chinese nationals amid targeted attacks can hinder the completion of the ongoing projects. Question arises that which group executed the attacks on Chinese led projects? From where did these terrorist groups acquire the sophisticated weapons, training, intelligence support and foot soldiers? Obviously, local ethno-lingual separatist outfits and religiously motivated extremist factions lack sufficient capabilities required to conduct such high-profile attacks in short span of time. Equally intriguing question about the handlers of these attacks is mostly tackled with the guess work. Absence of precise disclosures from state institutions about the handlers moving the strings of terrorist groups provides enough space for rumour mongers.
However, clear stance of Pakistan about the troublesome presence of banned Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Afghan soil is getting validated with every passing day. After a much-compelled retaliatory strike on safe havens of splinter terrorist group, Pakistan has reminded Interim Afghan government of its unfulfilled commitments on the issue of cross-border terrorism. Unfortunately, Afghan Taliban are not in a mood to take the concerns of Pakistan in serious manner. Official stance of Interim Afghan government and violent provocative firing on Pakistani troops have left a bad scar on fragile bi-lateral ties.
Further fuel was poured on fire of mistrust with the leaked video of a Taliban commander, guiding and motivating the foot soldiers of banned Afghanistan based faction of TTP affiliated outfit for attacking the military targets inside Pakistan. Though saner quarters in Afghan Taliban ranks oppose the idea of supporting anti-Pakistan outfits but advocates of opposite opinion are prevailing so far. In the absence of diplomatic global recognition, Interim Afghan Government should be more worried about treating its soft corner for terrorist groups thriving with impunity against in Afghanistan. Long list of terrorist groups prevailing in Afghanistan comprising TTP along with numerous splinter groups (like Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, Jamaat ul Ehrar etc), Al-Qaeda and IS-KP is a point of worry for all neighbors.
Recent abhorrent attack on a concert hall in Moscow, which led to more than 135 deaths, reflects the deadly capabilities and alarmingly extended outreach of terrorist outfits. Russia has not minced words in accusing of USA, UK and Ukraine for the brazen attack. However, ground execution of attack on Moscow concert hall seems the work of hired foot soldiers affiliated with the Afghanistan based banned terrorist outfits. So is the case about recent attack on Chinese nationals near Bisham in Pakistan.
Non-disclosure of any clue about the handlers of terrorists involved in Bisham attack does not mean that Pakistan is actually clueless on the issue. Silence might be a self-imposed investigation driven temporary restriction on part of Pakistan but connecting the much obvious dots is not too difficult. India, being a blue-eyed ally of anti-China Western powers and all-weather rival of Pakistan, has all the reasons to derail the CPEC related projects. Soft corner prevailing in Interim Afghan government about militant groups is a kind of much needed bonus for any power interested in hiring the foot soldiers.
No rocket science is involved in connecting the dots to establish an understandable link between the hired foot soldiers and their handlers involved in terrorist attacks inside Pakistan and Russia. Such penetrating and precise attacks cannot be executed without the support of a power having deep pockets and larger designs. Rapid sliding of Afghanistan down the slope on account of cross-border terrorism, human rights violations and gender discrimination against women has been a source of constant trouble for regional players. An epicenter of terrorism like Afghanistan under unrecognized unelected regime of Taliban would continue to endanger the regional security on many accounts. Pakistan is on a course to straighten up the matters with Afghanistan without tolerating the nonsensical acts. Interim Taliban regime should weigh out the consequences of hurting the interests of neighbors like Pakistan and China. It will not be easy for Afghanistan to move ahead while carrying on her back the baggage of internationally banned terrorist outfits, foreign sponsored proxies and freelance extremist foot soldiers.
