Inter-services Intelligence (ISI), the infamous Pakistani intelligence agency, has asked the Pakistani fighters who have crossed the border to fight alongside the Taliban, to destroy the development projects built by the Indian government in Afghanistan. So far, more than 10,000 Pakistani fighters from Pakistan have entered Afghanistan with instruction from ISI to destroy Indian assets.
“A large number of Pakistani fighters have joined the fight inside Afghanistan against the government there and supporting the Taliban. They have entered the arena with instructions to target Indian assets and buildings,” reported India Today.
INTEL INPUT: The Pakistan Spy Agency ISI has instructed Taliban and Aprox 10000 Pak Militia to Target Indian Built Assets in Afghanistan
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In the last two decades, India has spent billions of dollars on development projects in Afghanistan. The 218-km road between Delaram and Zaranj Salma dam; and the Afghan Parliament building, which was inaugurated in 2015, are the biggest symbols of the Indian contribution to the Afghan people. And now Pakistan has set its eyes on these projects.
However, given the fact, Taliban wants to preserve these projects and it has repeatedly said that it has no problem with the Indian government and its projects, the Taliban and Pakistan-supported militia might end up fighting over these projects.
Taliban, although brutal, cruel, and inhuman, realizes the importance of these projects which have taken years to build and cost billions of dollars. Taliban also realizes that given its brutality, the international community would not give a single penny to rebuilt projects like parliament if they are destroyed.
Therefore, instead of destroying them, the Taliban wants to control these projects and buildings built by India. The construction of the dam began way back in 1976 as multiple roadblocks slowed down the process. Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar and his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar signed a memorandum of understanding on the implementation of the project.
Since this project is funded and constructed by the Government of India as a part of the Indian aid project, the Afghan cabinet renamed the Salma Dam to the Afghan-India Friendship Dam as a gesture of appreciation to strengthen relations between the two countries, this dam has a lot of significance. Hailing India’s support for the reconstruction and development of the war-weary country, Ghani said a sovereign and united Afghanistan is essential to the prosperity, connectivity, and stability of the entire region. Expressing support for the “Afghan-led and Afghan-owned” peace process, Modi said, “Both India and Afghanistan want to see the region free from terrorism.”
India has been very smart from the beginning and built development projects instead of taking sides between the civilian government and the Taliban. Therefore, even when the Taliban government comes to power, these projects would be equally crucial, and the Taliban regime would prefer peace with India.
So, as far as India and its projects are concerned, the Taliban and Pakistan stand on opposite sides.
Taliban and Pakistan have many other issues that would ensure that they are friendly once the Taliban starts controlling the whole Afghani territory. While Pakistan’s government and its top parties continue to serenade the Afghan Taliban, another monster in its backyard has started making the lives of ordinary Pakistanis difficult. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) also referred to in the media as the ‘Pakistani Taliban’, which has fashioned itself on the lines of Afghan Taliban but is essentially anti-Pakistan in its stance is looking to assimilate the Pashtuns from across the border, refusing to acknowledge the Durand line.
It is pertinent to note that TTP has been involved in several of the goriest terrorist incidents to have taken place in Pakistan in the last few years. From the ghastly Peshawar school attack to the Hotel attack to routine roadside bombings, sniper attacks, ambushes, and the killing of residents accused of collaborating with government forces – TTP is all out to flush the Pakistani government and establish its dominance.
While Pakistan’s government harbours dream of ruling Afghanistan after the US troops started pulling out in May, earlier this year by helping the Afghan Taliban, what it doesn’t comprehend is that it is digging a grave for itself.
