ISIS: Global Jihad creeping
inside Pakistan.
The so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is also known as al Dawlah
al Islamiyah fi al Iraq wal Shâm or DAISH. This arrangement is also referred to
as the Islamic State or IS in line with their aspirations to create a
transnational geographical entity ostensibly on the basis of religion. The state
was declared on June 29, 2014. Not surprisingly, it’s proclaimed leader,
al-Baghdadi, quoted extensively from the writings of Maududi, founder of the
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), when he declared himself caliph of the entire Muslim
world. Based on his unique interpretation of citizenship in Islam, Maududi put
forward the idea of the universal citizen transcending nation or history. This
concept has been adopted by ISIS, which kills and beheads in the name of Islam.
The emergence of ISIS with global aspirations opens up room for not just an
alliance of these terrorist organizations but also paves the way for the
former’s physical presence through assimilation of local outfits. The recent
teaming up of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP’s) Shahidullah Shahid with
ISIS is a step in this direction. A number of other hardliner groups operating
in Pakistan and Afghanistan have already announced support for the group headed
by Afghan Taliban. Among them, Abdul Rahim Muslim Dost and Maulvi Abdul Qahar,
stalwarts of Saudi Arabia-backed Salafi Taliban groups operating in Nuristan and
Kunar provinces of Afghanistan, have already announced support for the
self-styled caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
In a bid to extend its influence in the South Asian region, the Islamic State of
Iraq and Syria, (ISIS), commonly known as DAISH, distributed pamphlets in
Peshawar and border provinces of Afghanistan as well. The booklet titled Fatah
(victory) is published in Pashto and Dari languages and was distributed in
Peshawar as well as in Afghan refugee camps on the outskirts of the city. The
logo of the pamphlet has the Kalma, the historical stamp of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
and a Kalashnikov assault rifle. Some copies were also mysteriously sent to
Afghan journalists working in Peshawar. On the last page of the pamphlet, the
editor’s name appears to be fake and these pamphlets purportedly came from Kunar
province in Afghanistan. Since long, Afghan resistance groups, including Haqqani
Network, Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan and Tora Bora group have been publishing
similar pamphlets, magazines and propaganda literature in Peshawar black
markets.
ISIS has created a 10-man "strategic planning wing" with a master plan on how to
wage war against the Pakistani military, and is trying to join forces with local
militants "They are now planning to inflict casualties to Pakistan Army outfits
who are taking part in operation Zarb-e-Azb," says the alert, referring to the
military offensive against the Pakistani Taliban and other militants that was
launched in June in a tribal region near the Afghan border.
A Pakistani security official was quoted as saying: “We came across them 22 days
ago and we are aware of their presence here. Pakistani security agencies are
working on the Pakistan-Afghan border and have arrested a number of Taliban
fighters and recovered CDs, maps, literature in Persian, Pashto and Dari. We
will not permit them to work in our country and anyone who is involved in this
will be crushed by the government.” However, marking an increased ISIS presence
here, just days ago, local news showed an ISIS wall chalking in Karachi.
Interestingly, the ISIS map shows both Afghanistan and Pakistan as part of the
Islamic caliphate state's Khurasan province. Al Qaeda and its affiliates believe
that the movement for the establishment of the Islamic state of Khurasan will
emerge from the region comprising of the Kunar and Nuristan provinces of
Afghanistan and Malakand region of Pakistan.
1: ISIS Planned Map for future domination
A map purportedly showing the areas ISIS plans to have under its control within
five years has been widely shared online. As well as the Middle East, North
Africa and large areas of Asia, it also reveals ISIS' ambition to extend into
Europe. Spain, which was Muslim-ruled until the late 15th Century, would form
part of the caliphate, as would the Balkan states and Eastern Europe, up to and
including Austria.
They consider Khurasan as the base camp of international jihad, from where they
will expand the Islamic state boundaries into other non-Muslim lands. Mullah
Fazlullah of Swat was inspired by the notion and considered himself the founder
of the Khurasan movement. Many other groups and commanders in Pakistan and
Afghanistan subscribe to the same idea, but only a few groups have dedicated
themselves to the cause of establishment of the Islamic state of Khurasan.
Though the North Waziristan military offensive is an attempt to damage
militants’ operational baseline, at the same time it has forced the militants to
assemble in Khost, Nuristan and Kunar regions, which are all places that seem
more conducive for beginning a militant struggle toward the eventual
establishment of their fantasized Islamic state. So in order to crush uprising
if ISIS Pakistan and Afghanistan should collaborate with each, otherwise this
cancer of terrorism can spread globally.