Outrageous attacks on Ashura day in Afghanistan
The recent deadly and unprecedented attack on a packed shrine in Kabul, Mazar-e-Shrif and Kandahar once again reveal the true face of terrorist mercenary networks trained, equipped and organised in their safe sanctuaries in Pakistan territory. During the recent months several such disgraceful attacks against western, Indian and Afghan government officials were engineered targeting innocent people including men, women and a number of high profile Afghan public figures. The long malicious subversive campaign against peace and stability in Afghanistan has been going on for decades by fundamentalist Taliban, former extremist and Jehadi factions, commanders and leaders who are currently enjoying a safe haven in Pakistan with links to some powerful quarters within the Pakistani security establishment.
At present Haqqani and Mullah Omar are the favourite factions of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to conduct suicide bombing operations at various places and occasions, killing, maiming and injuring indiscriminately hundreds of civilians. It would be too limited for the factions to operate without the material, tactical and logistical support of powerful elements in Pakistan. According to reliable information Pakistani fighters, called Punjabi Taliban by locals in Waziristan, and the so-called foreign fighters of Arab and central Asian origin constitute the bulk of the terrorist fighting force. This serves as an indication of the extent to which the ISI are behind any malicious operation which shape the militant freedom within the semi-autonomous tribal areas and the Pakistani and Afghan mainlands.
Ashura, the month of mourning for the martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, is the most important day for both Shia and Sunni in Afghanistan. There has been no evidence of sectarian violence and tensions in this country prior to the emergence of Pakistani-manufactured Taliban.
In the course of history both Shias and Sunnis united to wage an insurgency against foreign occupation of Afghanistan. They were fighting for shared causes - Islam and the country.
Pakistan which is being embarrassed for hiding Al-Qaeda’s leader and boycotting the second Bon conference are trying to fuel religious conflict in Afghanistan. This is an attempt to have a stake in Afghanistan’s instability and to demonstrate to the international community that without the role of Pakistan peace and stability will not be possible. Unity between Shias and Sunnis, and unity between ethnic groups and between political factions leaves no room for Iran or Pakistan to wield influence, many analysts believe. Pakistan cannot continue to disguise its animosity in Afghanistan for sheltering militants on its soil, and particularly the leadership of the Afghan Taliban and former notorious Jihadists and criminal leadership circles.
At present infamous elements in Pakistan want to open another front of a sectarian pitting Sunnis in Afghanistan against the Shias who have traditionally shunned the Taliban.
The recent brutal precedent is a warning to Afghans of all faiths to be alert and united like an iron-fist to repulse the conspiracies masterminded in Pakistan.
The people of Afghanistan need more than any other time in history to be united irrespective of their political, religious and ethnic differences.
The people of Afghanistan strongly condemn the attacks on the day of Ashura as an outrageous, repulsive and nauseating action masterminded in Pakistan. We request from the International community to stand by the side of Afghan people and to not allow them to be another playground for Pakistani stooges and foreign mercenaries to destabilise Afghanistan and the region.
Evidently the plots of Pakistan seems doom to fail in respect to Afghanistan and their plots to sow discord under the pretext of ethnic and religious affiliation which will not be feasible. The people of Afghanistan have by now gathered sufficient experience to expose the real face of Pakistani military and intelligence apparatus in Afghanistan.
People of Afghanistan have proved through history that the malicious intention of hostile neighbouring countries like Pakistan will be decisively nullified. However, Pakistan is changing their tactics and have made repetitive attempts to establish their grip over the heroic people of Afghanistan. Sooner or later they will learn that the people of Afghanistan will be united to repel any hostile interference in their country.
By: Fateh Sami
Former Kabul Times Editor
