Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday slammed the previous Imran Khan government for its security failures, saying that missteps linked to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan have contributed to the surge in terrorism in Balochistan.
During a press conference at the country’s High Commission in London, Dar referred to a “three-star general who went to Kabul to have a cup of tea” in 2021. The deputy PM, who is also Pakistan’s foreign minister, referred to former ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed’s visit to Kabul weeks after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
“What happened after that? Over 100 hardened criminals were released, they have now become commanders. They are the masterminds behind terror attacks today in Pakistan. Nearly 40,000 of those who had fled during Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad and Zerb-e-Azb were allowed back to Pakistan. Today’s terror is linked to that,” he said, blaming the decision for the current violence in Balochistan.
Dar claimed that the “militants” released at that time to support the Taliban’s offensive against the US-backed Ashraf Ghani government are now “masterminding terrorism in Balochistan.” The minister was quoted by Dawn newspaper as saying, “The country is paying a price for that cup of tea.” His rebuke came as at least 50 people, including 14 Pakistani security personnel, were killed in terror attacks across the province in the last couple of weeks.
Balochistan is home to a long-running violent insurgency, which has steadily increased in the past three years since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021. The province faces a double threat by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Baloch militants. Baloch insurgent groups have previously carried out several attacks targeting the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. Last month’s terror attacks in the restive province once again brought the issue of militancy to the forefront.
When asked if Lt Gen Hameed had permission from then-PM Imran Khan for the Kabul visit, Dar said, “I find it difficult to accept that he could have gone without the permission of the prime minister. We are working with the security establishment on issues today, these things are not possible without the prime minister’s approval.” This rebuke came days after court martial proceedings against retired Lt Gen Faiz Hameed were initiated following a detailed probe.
In a recent times, Pakistan has witnessed a string of attacks, that have killed at least 50 persons, including 14 security personnel, in the restive Balochistan province. Pakistan has been facing insurgencies in the Balochistan province in the south and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the north-west. While Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) is leading the war against the Pakistani state in Balochistan, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is leading it in the north-west.
