Prof. Kamal Chenoy
A new threat is rising in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. With the allied troops leaving, it is going to be tough for Afghanistan to defeat the Taliban. More so because the Taliban has decided to take on the Pakistan Army if necessary.
According to one estimate 5,000 Pakistani troops have died fighting the Taliban and allied forces. But the Pakistani role is complex. In the recent attack on the Indian mission in Herat, President Karzai claimed, based on Western sources, that the Lashkar-e-Toiba’s which is linked to Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) had planned the attack. US Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl who was captured in Afghanistan, is believed to have been held by the Haqqani network since June 30, 2009 mostly in Pakistan.
The Taliban and its allies are not only a threat to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India but also to Russian interests in Central Asia, and to Chinese interests in Xinjiang, where there is significant unrest. No country can fight these forces alone. The cynical use of the TTP, LeT and other terrorist groups by ISI is increasingly destabilising Pakistan. There have been high profile political kidnappings by the TTP. To cover up The Hindu’s reporter Meena Menon was expelled from Pakistan. Some Pakistani’s are realising that to sup with the Devil is to ultimately weaken its own defences.
India should advocate that it would make eminent good sense for India along with Pakistan to become full members in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to enable coordinated action against transnational terrorism. Pakistan is in no position to fight alone. China is aware of the threat to Pakistan. It must be roped into the anti-terror alliance. India must move soon. But the proposed united front is necessary, especially with the decline of the Northern Alliance. India must adapt to the times and the tricky challenges these bring.
(Kamal Chenoy is a Professor at SIS, JNU. This article is reproduced from his facebook post.)
