Pak pushing Haqqani network to retain leverage over Kabul

NEW DELHI: The Pakistani deep state is pushing the Haqqani Network to increase its stake in the so-called Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) to retain its leverage in Afghanistan , senior counter terrorism officials said on condition of anonymity.

The move comes amidst an on-going peace process and could help Islamabad maintain plausible deniability in future terror attacks in Afghanistan, the officials added.

According to intelligence inputs, the purpose of exercise is to help Pakistan regain its lost leverage in Afghanistan while continuing to retain its deniability about links with ISKP, which could front for both HQN and Lashkar-e-tayebba (LET) in future attacks.

ISKP leader Aslam Farooqi, a Pakistani national with previous links to LET and Tehrik-e-taliban, Pakistan, was arrested by the Afghan NDS along with 19 other terrorists on April 5.

Af-pak watchers say that ISKP units in Kabul and the border province of Nangarhar are already under the firm control of former HQN commanders and are wreaking terror in attacks on Afghan capital.

Besides being part of the intelligence and reconnaissance gathering network, the ISKP are also attacking Kabul in tandem with the HQN group.

The HQN’S influence in ISKP is not only restricted to the cadres joining the outfit but also transcends into various other levels such as leadership control, military and intelligence commissions and district levels Emirs of the global terrorist group.

The ISKP is currently divided into three factions—aslam Farooqi, Mauvviya and Imam Bukhari.

However, the takeover of ISKP by HQN with the help of Pakistani Inter-services Intelligence (ISI) is not without challenges as all the three factions are apprehensive of the Rawalpindi backed group and are vehemently resisting attempts by HQN cadres to join the ISKP in Afghanistan.

But with the help of ISI, the HQN is trying to open channels with Imam Bukhari faction in order to bring it within the fold of “Khilafat-e-islami Khorasan” and maintain strong operational cooperation.