Islamabad, Pakistan: There are two dictions extensively used by the government of Pakistan representing different kinds of terrorists, and they are Fitna al-Hindustan and Fitna al-Khawarij
Segregating terrorists into different group names has been a practice in the past, also, mostly during the Ottoman Empire, but that was not for terrorists, rather for resistance groups and all such groups generally understood as “terrorists”. Since the 20th century the terrorist groups have often been categorized by their primary ideological, political, or religious motivations. Examples include groups like al-Qaeda, ISIS, the TTP, Taliban, and various ethno-nationalist or religious extremist groups. Separating them into these groups helps in understanding their aims and motivations, as well as potentially tailoring counter-terrorism strategies.
What are the similarities between them?
- Fitna al-Hindustan and Fitna al-Khawarij are terror outfits engaging the Pakistan Armed Forces and Law enforcement agencies
- Both operate mostly from Afghanistan
- Both are funded, operated, and trained by the Indian Army and Indian intelligence agencies
- Both have of same goal, which is destabilizing Pakistan economically and socially
- Both use kinetic as well as media warfare against Pakistan
- Both have NATO grade weapons, including night vision equipment, to target the Pakistani Army
- Both operate mostly on the western borders of Pakistan (Pak-Iran and Pak-Afghan)
- Both get financial support also from smuggling networks to keep the western border soft and to keep law enforcement agencies, as well as the Pakistan Army, engaged to run them out, leaving a space for smugglers to bleed Pakistan economically
- Both have covert and overt support from certain political setups of Pakistan, which are themselves involved in smuggling through Afghan trade routes
- Both are equipped with the latest communication networking, such as satellite telephones, high-powered, high-frequency wireless systems, human intelligence, and mobility information of Pakistani forces
- Fitna al-Hindustan and Fitna al-Khawarij both target children, women, and senior citizens while claiming that their prime targets are men in uniform
- Both attack soft targets such as schools, graveyards, mosques, funeral processions, bus stands, railway platforms, urban and rural marketplaces, and even hospitals and dispensaries
What is the difference between Fitna al-Hindustan and Fitna al-Khawarij?
- Fitna al-Hindustan (BLA and other brand names of separatist wings) has a long history linked with the 1970s when they were launched in Pakistan after successful Operation Jackpot to annul erstwhile East Pakistan from West Pakistan. This project was launched by the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Since then, this project the then code-named Operation Surprise (to make Balochistan and the then N.W.F.P a separate state).
- Fitna al-Khawarij was probably launched in 2006 with a brand name of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) with the foot soldier support from Afghan Taliban and funded by the Indian intelligence agency RAW
- Fitna al-Khawarij uses religious faultline (sectarianism) with a posture of puritan Islamists
- Fitna al-Khawarij wear and use religious symbols such as Taqiyah (a short, rounded skullcap worn by Muslim men), wearing knee-up shalwars (a type of loose-fitting pants), and other Islamic symbols such as Kalma on their flag.
- Fitna al-Khawarij uses indoctrinating religious symbols, ideas, dictions, narratives, and phrases. Although they are also Fitna al-Hindustan but the state segregates them under the phrase of Fitna al-Khawarij
- Fitna al-Hindustan wear globally known resistance outfits such as fatigues, khakis, long military boots, and contemporary head-covers (hats)
- Fitna al-Hindustan does indoctrination based on a national approach (resource use, language, concept of independent state, ethnic differences as fault lines, etc)
- They justify their violence as a national resistance movement, while Fitna al-Khawarij calls their acts Jihad.
- Balochistan Bunyad Parast Army, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Balochistan Liberation United Front (BLUF), Balochistan Musalla Defah Tanzeem (BMDT), Balochistan National Liberation Army, Balochistan Raaji Ajoi-R-Sangar (BRAS), Balochistan Republican Army (BRA), Baloch Republican Party Azad, and many more ethnic groups have almost similar ideology and the same funding sources.
Conclusion
- All terror groups have the same line of action, goals, targets, training, and funding sources, but operate with different brand names to cater to the maximum clients and outreach.
- The Pakistan Government has credible documents to justify that all terror groups are funded directly by the Indian Army as well as by Indian Intelligence agencies.
- India, since the late 60s, has been involved in cross-border terrorism against Pakistan (Mukhti Bhabhi Operations and trainings) and Baloch separatist movements since 1971
Recommendations
It is time that global powers question India for its transcontinental, transboundary, and cross-border terror acts
Pakistan is rightly raising the issue globally through submitting diplomatic dossiers, but there is a need to produce audio-visual material such as documentaries, short reports in multiple languages, and provide it to Pakistani missions so the message can be spread widely
