New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) The Lashkar-e-Taiba has been in regroup mode ever since the Indian armed forces undertook Operation Sindoor. The outfit faced immense losses in the operation, and the most visible one was the destruction of its primary training facility in Muridke.
Since then, there have been multiple meetings between the leaders of the terror outfit and ISI, where regrouping strategies have been discussed. While most of these meetings have failed to yield results, as the Lashkar-e-Taiba currently has trust issues with the ISI and Pakistan army, attempts are now being made to drag in the political class.
There were two meetings in recent weeks that have caught the attention of the Indian agencies. The first was the meeting at Faisalabad between Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed’s son, Talha Saeed and Rana Sanaullah, a key aide to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Close on the heels of this development came a meeting between Sanaullah and Shehbaz Sharif at Islamabad. An official explained that these are not mere optics. Something big is brewing within the Lashkar-e-Taiba, and this is why the political class has stepped in, the official added.
Another official explained that these were not just courtesy calls. Following the meeting with Talha Saeed, the Prime Minister was briefed by Sanaullah, who is his advisor on political affairs.
The meetings focused on two key aspects. The political class feels that it is better for Lashkar-e-Taiba to announce a new leader officially. Hafiz Saeed is old and also disgruntled, and this has led to a major leadership crisis. The establishment thinks that Hafiz Saeed should remain an ideological mentor, while his son Talha Saeed should officially be the chief of operations. While Talha remains the de facto head, the Pakistan establishment is of the opinion that this should be made official.
Many within the ranks of the terror groups feel that Hafiz Saeed, 75, is too old to lead the terror outfit. His son, Talha, 50, is in a better position to lead. He understands the new age technologies that should be implemented to make the outfit stronger. In recent times, he has interacted more with the cadre and has managed to build trust. These factors work in Talha’s favour, and hence he should be officially declared as the head of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistan establishment feels.
Officials say that another pressing issue for the Pakistani establishment is the Balochistan issue. The security mechanism in Pakistan has failed miserably on two counts — Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The official said that the establishment wants to first fix the Balochistan issue, and in order to do so, it has to make peace with the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
The BLA and the Baloch people have lost trust in the establishment and have been inflicting severe losses on the Pakistani security forces. The political class wants Talha Saeed to lead a delegation to negotiate with the BLA. Keeping the BLA quiet and having them on the same page is advantageous to Pakistan.
Islamabad wants to ensure the safety of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project (CPEC). With phase-2 round the corner, it becomes even more important to be on the same page with the people of Balochistan, an official added.
Further, the United States committed $1.3 billion to Pakistan’s Reno Diq copper and gold mining project in Balochistan. The people of Balochistan have opposed this project. The people of Balochistan have complained that their resources are being used without their benefit.
Pakistan is also under immense pressure from the US and China about the safety of their investments.
An Intelligence Bureau official said that the BLA would never speak to someone from the establishment. This explains why the establishment wants leaders of the Lashkar-e-Taiba to talk to the BLA and make a deal, the official added.
One could expect more such meetings between the Lashkar-e-Taiba leadership and the political class in the days to come. The protection of these projects by the US and China is crucial for the Pakistan economy, and for this to happen, the Pakistani establishment needs to have the BLA and the Baloch people on its side, the official explained.
–IANS
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