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The news last week that IAEA is probing links between the disgraced Pakistani scientist (and father of Pakistan’s A-bomb programme), Dr A Q Khan and the Iranian regime underlined once again the need for the international community to have a credible, long-term containment strategy towards Pakistan – now all but officially confirmed as the “cradle of world terrorism”. 

If one weaves together the developments of the past few years, there is little doubt today that Pakistan has become the epicenter of Islamic terrorism – a development that has its origins in the two decades of petro-dollar funded and ISI-coordinated terrorist activities in Kashmir.  

In their edition of 6^th Feb, Wall Street Journal[1] reported that the IAEA / US officials are now questioning Iranians about the full extent of their dealings with A Q Khan and Pakistan. This in itself is not “news[2]” but it is probably the first time that the IAEA is making the connection explicit and exploring the full details and scope of this cooperation.  

Indeed, that there was some cooperation between the two countries was accepted by none other than the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, in an interview with NBC last year[3].

All this should hardly surprise veteran Pak-watchers. 

The full extent of Pakistan’s role in global “jihad” first came to light after the London bombings.  

In a series of articles in the weeks following the incident, the Pakistani links of the London members were widely reported by the British press[4]. The attention on Pakistan was not surprising considering that all the bombers in London had been to Pakistan. In fact the 20 British terror suspects that the police were looking for after the attacks were also all Britons of Pakistani origin.

Several newspaper reports and articles talked of these terrorists being trained in “madrasas”. These madrassas are the ideological fountainheads for worldwide “jihad” and act as feeders to the cause – both intellectually as well as in real terms – by supplying young Muslims ready to die fighting the “infidels”.  

In her column in the Indian Express, Tavleen Singh[5] rightly labeled these places as “Breeding Grounds for Suicide Bombers”. Christina Lamb wrote about the “Eton of budding Islamic warriors” in her report that accompanied the Sunday Times’ article[6] “This was Darul Uloom Haqqania or House of Knowledge, one of Pakistan’s leading madrasahs based in Akora Khattak in the North West Frontier Province. The Eton of budding Islamic warriors, its 2,500 places are heavily oversubscribed. Upstairs in the hall leading to the Library of Fatwas, a roll of honour lists most of the Taliban leadership as alumni as well as an honorary degree for Mullah Omar.”

And lest anyone has forgotten, these same madrassas were the birthplace of “Taleban”[7].

Pakistan has long been known to the preferred destination and base for Al-Qaeda leadership; the ISI almost acts as the “front” organisation for Al-Qaeda and the sundry terrorist organisations that operate in Kashmir. Pakistan is also a major conduit for arms and cash that funds Islamic terrorists worldwide (unfortunately, the recent earthquake relief effort will provide another opportunity to fund these organisations (see “A Tragedy that will continue to claim lives”[8]) 

It is noteworthy that all six of the top Al-Qaeda leaders that have been caught so far, were captured in Pakistan. The biggest catch being the arrest of Abu Faraj al-Libbi[9], supposedly the #3 in Al-Qaeda’s chain of command. Others include Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (March 2003), Abu Zubaydah, in March 2002 and Ramzi Binalshibh, Karachi, September 2002. 

It is now widely accepted that Osama bin Laden along with Mullah Omar are both in hiding along the Afghan-Pakistan border. 

Amidst all this, President Musharraf’s regime continues to walk the tight rope between the need to appear to do something (for the sake of its Big Brother, the Bush administration) and helping the “brethren” in Afghanistan, Kashmir, Palestine and elsewhere where they are “oppressed” and fighting for their “freedom” from a diverse range of “enemies”. 

With the link between Iran and A Q Khan, the country now has the dubious distinction of being directly involved in every major act of international outrage in the past few years. 

Pakistan’s links to terrorism became more salient after 9/11.  

The role that ISI-backed Taliban played in the twin tower attacks has already been widely documented. Washington Post reported in a news story last May that “Pakistan has handed over about 700 al Qaeda suspects to the United States since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks” (sic)^[10].  

These links became even more conspicuous post the London bombings. Even the Madrid bombings of March 2004 had a strong Pakistani link. Several experts believe that Abu Musab al-Suri, who is the chief suspect in the Madrid attack is in hiding in Pakistan and may also have been arrested[11]. 

Now, as details of Iran’s nuclear enrichment program unfold, Pakistan’s role in this saga is under the spotlight and once again, there are some links that go all the way back to Islamabad. 

In spite of Sept 11, July 7, the Al-Qaeda training camps and clear links with Iran & North Korea, Pakistan continues to remain a honourable member of the world community in contrast to North Korea, Iran and Syria. 

What explains these double standards? 

Partly it is the shared belief amongst the US and the EU states that keeping Pakistan in good humour is their best bet in trying to contain Islamic terrorism (to be more precise, “export” of Islamic terrorism to US and Europe). The US (mistakenly) sees Pakistan as the only ally in a “world of Islam” in which Muslim populations from Indonesia to Morocco are anti-US. 

Pakistan is fully aware of this and leverages this weakness to the hilt, garnering aid, avoiding sanctions and getting away with continued support to organisations like Lashkar-e-Toiba. 

But there is some hope. While changing US/EU policies towards Pakistan is long-term and far more difficult task, changing perceptions about its regime and exposing the country and its military-establishment for what it is (a supra-terrorist organisation) is relatively simpler and must be part of India’s strategy to contain terrorism.

Sadly, the prevalent atmosphere in New Delhi and a government obsessed with “bhai-chara” and “peace process” suggests that the government either does not believe in facts on the ground or is being driven by a different agenda. 

Thanks to modern technology though, we, as common citizens, are more empowered today to try and influence behaviours and perceptions than ever before. 

Let us put these resources to good use and spread the message – Hopefully a point will be reached when no government will be able to ignore the groundswell of public opinion. 

The message that we must forcefully repeat is this: 

• Pakistan is a state-sponsor of terrorism.
• It is responsible for nuclear proliferation in Iran and North Korea.
• The ISI has been the “god-father” of Al-Qaeda and continues to support and sponsor jihadi activities, including in Kashmir.
• Pakistan’s madrassas harbour a growing number of jihadi terrorists and fanatics who will stop at nothing in their quest for total domination.

It is high time that the regime is recognised for what it is – a supra-terrorist organization – and dealt with appropriately. 

B Shantanu

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