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TALIBAN A CAUSE OF ANXIETY || BHUSHAN PARIMOO || LIVE IMAGE |
Observing
the manner swift return to power in Afghanistan for the second
time after 20 years by the Taliban .
Has thrown its neighbours into confusion how to adjust to a shifting
geopolitical scenario. Afghanistan is situated at the crossroads of
Central and South Asia, a spot of geo-strategic power play. It
has witnessed the most fierce power games between
the British and Russian Empires over neighbouring territories in
Central and South Asia .
At present except for India it has
workable mutual relations with its all other neighbours ,such as Iran ,Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan, Tajikistan,
China and Pakistan .Besides the Organization of Islamic Cooperation,
consisting of 57 member states, has every reason to give it tacit
support. Taliban claims that Pakistan is their
brother and second home. About 2.7 million refugees have been
living in Pakistan for decades; some of them were born here. It is
an admitted fact but for Pakistan Taliban’s would have not been where they
are once again today.
Mere
word Taliban evokes and spreads fear across the world, a dreaded Islamic outfit
that carries forward their own scheme of things. Although the word
Taliban means the students in Pashto, widely spoken in Afghanistan, parts
of Pakistan and Iran . That binds it and evokes sympathy among Pasto
speaking people; there lies its strength.
Obviously New Delhi has been put in a tough strategic stage
receiving disturbing at the time confusing signals. A matter of great
concern, that has increased the anxiety moments over
the horizon of Kashmir valley. One should be conscious of the
fact that India has a 160 miles border with Afghanistan, that
runs along Gilgit-Baltistan, in the Jammu and Kashmir State, with the
Wakhan Corridor. That is a narrow strip of land like a
pointing finger, bordered by Tajikistan ,Pakistan , Jammu and Kashmir, until it
reaches China. The Upper Wakhanin the eastern extremity of it
is known as the Pamir Knot, where the Himalayas, Tian Shan, Karakoram,
Kunlun, and Hindu Kush ranges meet.
The state of Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh hey
Tibet at the time of withdrawal by the British of its
paramountcy over the Indian subcontinent was a vast empire in North India
spanning over 86 thousand sq miles, nearly half of which lies under illegal
occupation of China and Pakistan since then . It had borders with Afghanistan,
U.S.S.R,the Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang to the northeast and the
Tibet Autonomous Region to the east (both parts of China), Himachal
Pradesh , Punjab and Pakistan.
Though
the State now stands technically torn apart yet strategic still has to be
considered one unit. Gilgit Baltistan, is under illegal occupation of Pakistan
while it’s the trans-Karakoram tract is with China. It should not be hard to
comprehend in general the implications of the Taliban factor. Who now
holds free access anywhere wherever it desires in the territory that is on the
other side of the LOC/LAC with Pakistan and China
respectively.
Taliban has emerged as the third player in this
sector, with a large stockpile of seized arms and ammunition
airplanes, tanks and artillery . Moreover its strategy is that
others have watches they have time, borrowed from Wakhan Corridor
Inhabitants may add Chinese Communits warfare practices, when enemy is at
rest prick him, when advance draw back and when withdrawing hit hard.
Those who know the history of the State, with its geography and the
military expeditions are fully aware of what it means.
Indians know Afghanistan
through the story Kabuliwala by Rabindranath Tagore of 1891 . A Nation,
with brave hearted people and reliable too. They love India , through
Bollywood pictures. Now the Taliban, traditionally an anti-India group,
could once again emerge as a regional terrorist haven. Keep in mind that last
time the Taliban were in power, they sheltered pro-Pakistani militants,
gave free rein to a host of anti-Indian terrorist organizations within
Afghanistan, most notably Jaish-e-Mohammed (Je M) and
Lashkar-e-Taiba allowed these organizations to regroup, train, running
insurgency.
Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin said, “I pray to Allah
that he strengthens the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan so that they may support
Kashmiris against India. Al-Qaeda in a message congratulating the Taliban for
its victory in Afghanistan called for the “liberation” of Kashmir and
other so-called Islamic lands from the “clutches of the enemies of Islam” .
Kashmir American Council in the United States
which carries active lobbying on behalf of Kashmiri
Separatists has a number of units as said in England,
Europe and other sympathetic countries. A large number of
Volunteers from these organisations, belonging to both sides of the Jammu
and Kashmir, have been taking active part in the fighting along with the
Taliban. Some of them got killed while fighting those who survived
returned, a fastened relation with death and casualties rather than
lip sympathy.
In the Kashmir insurgency, foreign origin, mainly
Afghan mujahideens and Pakistani Punjabis took part. It is said
that by 1993 alone, nearly 400 Afghan mujahideen of Hezb-e-Islami of Afghan
warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar were present in Kashmir Valley, a number which
increased subsequently. . New Delhi is concerned that an emboldened Pakistan
will use this as an opportunity to hit India.
Afghanistan once ruled
Kashmir for 66 years from 1752 to 1819 A.D. Those interested
to comprehend the situation should read, exploits of Sikh regime
after the defeat of Afghans in Kashmir, and thereafter the Dogras. Every
battle, bordering Afghanistan, Gilgit, Nagar Haveli, Hunza, Chitral has to
be analysed in detail to know about the Gilgit baltistan belt. That shall give
a reader an inkling how vulnerable our borders are in this sector from
all sides.
The response from the authorities with regard to looming
dangers from the Taliban on its borders are reassuring one but
at the same time contrary to the officers who have served in that
front. General Bipin Rawat Chief of the Defence Staff asserted that any
possible terrorist activity flowing out of Taliban controlled Afghanistan
and finding its way into India will be dealt with firmly . Defence Minister
Sh Rajnath Singh said that the center is alert and capable of dealing
with any situation arising out of Afgahan crisis further adding
that India will not hesitate in carrying out its
operation from the soil of other country to fight terrorism.
As a
citezen one has to believe word to word his assertations. At
the same time one cannot afford to ignore the observations on the latest
development that has come the other day from the Gen
(rtd ) Shanker Roy Chowdhry who has been a part of the 1965 and 1971
wars said that we have to understand that the Taliban victory
in Afghanistan , is seen a victory Pakistan ad defeat for India. We have to
organize ourselves to fresh attacks by elements like Jaish-e-
Mohammad.We have to prepare for the designs of Pakistan in support of
radical elements here. We have to increase outreach to kashmiris,we have to
assure them that India will remain a secular democracy.
Former Northern Army
General B.S. Jaswal (rtd ) has his views based on his
experiences that India should stay prepared for terror
spill over from Afghanistan via Pakistan.Earlier way back on 16
September 2016, General Shanker Roy Chowdhry, told in a interview on NDTV
reflecting the rage in the Military Brass over an
extremist attack in north kashmirs Uri that killed 17 soldiers,
India should form its own ‘ Fidayeen ‘ ( suicide ) squad.
Those who
have gone through the elementy military history on this
sector right from the Afghan rule over Kashmir, Sikh, Dogra
exploits and post Independence wars be it be 1947, 1962, 1965, 1971,
Kargil War, present ongoing skirmishes on with Pakistan and
with China.One has to be conscious of the fact India has long borders with
it enemies . Which requires vigil from land, sea and Sky.
These
days a worrisome factor has emerged slowly but steadily that the
Indian Army, the finest force in the world, instead maintaining its
tradition of being a non-political and secular force has been politicised .At
the same time public response in the National cause found wanting , it
reminds whole nation came forward during 1962 war gave gold and
promised blood . This writer witnessed from the close quarters the wars
of 1962, 65, 71, Kargil about 1947 -48 heard from
elders , present border skirmishes are a regular feature.
Day after
day public concern is more on political events than of being a second
defense of the borders. During Feedyaan crossover, we burn effigies, tires or
block the roads, raking up the religious issues. That is not how to face
the situation, it helps them to be in the news. New Delhi has to take
into confidence the people behind the lines. Unfortunately a soldier is facing
the front and at the same time has to assure the supply line that plays a
pivotal role in any war .It is well said Put our soldiers where
we need them the most.
It
is the people in the theatre of insurgency, as in the state,
who have been assisting with
counter-insurgence .Together it has kept at bay the nefarious
designs from across the borders. Needless to add people want peace and
tranquility, and at the same time assurances under the democratic
framework.Every one is conscious of the fact, here that besides the Army it is
the locals who have to face the burnt of the misadventures, far worse than it
is reeling under now .
Those
at Delhi or the rest of the country, just form opinions as
paid media feeds but in reality it is the wearer who knows where
shoe hurts and how much others only see limp.That makes us worry.
Bushan Parimoo
(The writer is a Jammu based environmentalist and a regular contributor to this Website.)
(Feedback at: blparimoo@gmail.com)
