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Afghanistan/South Asia
Pakistani army, ISI only wanted limited attacks from jihadi groups
2005-03-21
Top military brass of Pakistan has authorised the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to ''work out a strategy with extremist groups to launch fresh attacks on a limited basis in the Indian territory''. A meeting of Corps Commanders was held on Janauary five in Islamabad and they asked the intelligence agency to work out strategy for launching limited attacks in India from March 2005, said the book 'The Final Settlement-Restructuring India-Pakistan Relations', issued by the International Centre for Peace Intiatives.

The Jehadi forces are being used as a tool by the army and the ISI. ''Currently they are junior partners both of the army and the democratic institutions. If they continue to grow, it is possible that they may emerge as dominant partners in a future scenario. There are more than 100 Jehadi organisations in Pakistan, but it is difficult to estimate their strength.'' Quoting independent observers, the book claimed that approximately one million young men are associated with the Jehadi groups, including many in non-combatant roles such as logistic, propoganda and preaching work, besides fund raising. ''The number of armed militants is estimated to be around 200,000, but there are no defined lines between armed and unarmed militants due to frequent changes in their respective roles.'' In the next five to ten years, the greatest risk to the development of Pakistan as well as peace in South asia, is that the Jehadi forces may succeed in turning Pakistan's military into a strategic tool, the book said and added ''Of the 100 militant groups that now function in Pakistan, many are small and ineffective. they are created by intelligence agencies for specific purposes and specific period of time and then forced to low lie untill they are required again in future''. Nevertheless, ten of these organisations have managed to grow into a big force to some extent in partnership with the army. These include Harkatul Jihadi islami, Laskar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e Mohammed. ''The groups have more in common with al Qaeda than Kashmir focused groups like Jammu and Kashmir Liberation front, it said.
Posted by:Dan Darling

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