RAW-backed LeJ, TTP may have attacked Quetta

ISLAMABAD: The carnage in Quetta is an act of savagery, which according to our top civil-military authorities is the work of Indian RAW to target CPEC.

Chief Minister Balochistan named RAW whereas the army chief General Raheel Sharif is of the view that the cowardly attack is an attempt to target the CPEC and undermine the improved security situation in Balochistan. The army chief did not directly name RAW.

There are several others who also point fingers at India and RAW but according to some security sources, the pattern of attack shows the possible involvement of proscribed terrorist groups like the Laskhar-e-Jhangvi and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan in this terrorist act.

These sources, however, said that at this stage no certain hint is available about who masterminded and executed this attack. About the proscribed Laskhar-e-Jhangvi and the TTP, these sources said that on the basis of some previous attacks, these are just initial estimates about their possible involvement.

Regarding RAW, these sources said that there is no evidence available. It is said that the Indian agency might have used these extremist groups for the Quetta attack.After the Monday’s Quetta attack, according to media reports, initially the IS and later a group of TTP accepted the responsibility.

Interestingly, it was no less than the Indian national security adviser Ajit Doval who had indicated in one of his speeches about the need to launch what he termed “defensive offense” strategy against Pakistan. Under this strategy, in Doval’s own explanation, India was to hire Pakistani extremists to use them for terrorist activities within Pakistan.

In the same speech, Doval had even threatened that Pakistan may lose Balochistan if it does one more Mumbai-like attack in India.Only recently, Pakistani security agencies had arrested Kulbushan Yadav, a serving officer in the Indian Navy deputed to RAW, from Balochistan. Yadav had admitted that he was a RAW officer, stationed in Iran from where he has been involved in various acts of terrorism and other subversive activities in Balochistan. The Indian spy had admitted to have links with separatist elements in Balochistan.

Pakistani security agencies also blame Indian and Afghan intelligence agencies for their alleged support to the TTP and other terrorist groups, which following the launch of Zarb-e-Azb had shifted to the Afghanistan side. The Balochistan home minister is also of the view that the Afghan soil is being used to create unrest in Balochistan through a nexus of Indo-Afghan intelligence agencies.

Meanwhile, questions are also being raised about possible security lapse on part of security agencies. However, it is confirmed that there had been no prior precise intelligence warning issued about this massacre.

Although, the law and order situation in Balochistan has improved a lot during the recent few years of military-led operation, yet there is also a demand to seriously look into our own weaknesses to counter the enemy’s designs.

The terrorists struck Quetta at a time when the province was preparing for the historic Independence Day celebrations. Situation in Balochistan was once so critical that it had become rare to play national anthem in government schools in different parts of the province. However, now the situation is much better as the terrorists are on the run.

While there are some voices fueling differences and creating doubts, most here believe that Pakistan could wipe out terrorists through unison and commitment for which the civil-military leadership has to play a decisive role.During the last two years, terrorism incidents in Pakistan have reduced drastically whereas the law and order situation in Karachi and Balochistan has also improved hugely.