Islamabad: Operatives of intelligence agencies have been tasked to purge the Lashkir-i-Tayiba (LeT) and Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) of the hardliners and possibly turn them to public welfare organization, an official said on Sunday.
The official privy to the development told Online news agency of Pakistan requesting anonymity that the decision was taken at the apex level as an alternate to the use of sheer force that could compel hardliners in these outfits to get inclined to al-Qaeda. The official claimed that these organizations were not having any direct link to al-Qaeda.
“Since you cannot simply eliminate certain number of people from the society, therefore you need to reform them,” he added.
Meanwhile, an American website veteranstoday.com has also claimed that a source close to a senior official dealing with the issue (of LeT and JuD) disclosed that the firm measures have been taken. After 2005 it is being ensured that the hard line faction does not get any support to further its activities. He also said that the faction had lost its potency to a considerable extent especially after the arrest of its leaders.
According to his assessment widely publicized linkage between al-Qaeda was a perception spread by interested players as they belong to Ahle Hadees group which is anti-Deobandis of al-Qaeda, therefore, their close working is out of question. Such measures are forcing hard liners to join the moderate group.
The moderate faction, Jamat-ud-Dawa (JUD) under Hafiz Saeed who publicly condemns Mumbai attacks runs 163 schools and 4 colleges for almost 44,000 students. In health sector it provides 6 hospitals, 153 dispensaries and 150 ambulances. Its contributions in floods and earthquake are recognized by the world. This organization remains committed to support Kashmiri struggle on diplomatic fronts.
Waheed Hamid the author of the article has suggested that the freedom fighters and their supporters working on an ideology need a certain space and direction to tailor themselves according to emerging realities. Haste and pressure in wrong direction may turn them into terrorist supporters and play catalyst for destabilization in this region.
The organization like LeT and JUD are a classical case study in this perspective. Let was raised in 1984 in Kunar by Hafiz Saeed and Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi. They fought side by side against the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. This occupation was a prelude to Russian desire of reaching the warm waters and next phase had to move through Pakistan. The US – Pak national interests coincided and full support was provided to this organization. In the aftermath of success US left Pakistan at its own to deal with such organizations. LeT a small organization of about 4,000 odd members decided to support oppressed Muslims of disputed Kashmir between Pakistan and India.
Pakistan also did not check them as it provided counter to Indian interference in its neighbours. The 9/11 decade brought yet another change in foreign relations and the New World Order rejected all such movements and linked them with al-Qaeda. US declared LeT as Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in 2001 and Pakistan banned its activities in 2002. Where it was easy decision for US, Pakistan which had to implement had to face enforcement problems as the region went into destabilization mode due to 9/11. Pakistan’s take from here on followed a systematic approach to shift the orientation of modest faction of this organization towards welfare of countrymen and take strict actions against hard liners after 26/11 at Mumbai. Zaka ur Rehman Lakhvi was arrested and is presently under going trial in ATC.
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