NEW DELHI – India and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan are in cahoots againstPakistan as both the entities are peddling similar propaganda to keep thefire of militancy and extremism raging in the country.
Pakistan’s eastern neighbour, through its media, is busy in propaganda thatPakistani security officials met the tribal elders to raise a tribalmilitia against India.
Citing so-called sources, a report by Times of India claimed on Wednesdaythat Pakistani security officials asked ethnic Pashtun elders and triballeaders to form ‘defence militias’ and peace committees – withoutsubstantiating any evidence.
TOI alleged that Pakistan Army returned weapons to Marwat and Betanitribesmen, ignoring the fact that the weapons were seized to restore peacein the area and a public ceremony in this regard last week confirms thatthere was no dubious planning behind the move.
India is also trying to confuse the peace committees with militias, in abid to deflect the attention of the international community away from theatrocities being committed in Jammu and Kashmir and to water down thecriticism directed at it over recent aerial combat against Pakistan.
Pakistan’s neighbour is enlisting the support of a militant groupTehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan which is also deeply engaged in propagandaagainst the country by inciting the tribals against the armed forces.
On the surface, it might appear a coincidence that TTP and India allegedPakistan of using tribal elders, however, in the opaque world of regionalinfluence, it sounds a well-planned strategy to tarnish the image of thearmed forces of Pakistan.
Through a statement published on the internet, TTP has advised the tribalsand Pashtuns on Wednesday to stay away from the Indo-Pak clash.
‘The Pashtuns are being used as a scapegoat in the war imposed by Pakistanitself,’ TTP insinuated in the statement.
The group alleged that the armed forces of Pakistan were hell bent tosacrifice the lives of the Pashtuns in a war against India – ignoring thatIndia had violated the Line of Control first and Pakistan exercisedrestraint before shooting down its two fighter jets.
In a bid to demoralize the Pashtuns and tribal leaders, TTP has alsothreatened the locals to avoid staging rallies in the support of PakistanArmy.
‘Don’t form the peace committees,’ TTP addressed the Pashtuns who are ongood terms with the armed forces of Pakistan for safeguarding the country.
After facing back to back blows from Pakistan on both aerial and navalfronts, India seems to enlist the support of TTP to sow confusion andmistrust between the tribals and the armed forces of Pakistan, a visibleindication of which is pushing the propaganda with exactly the sametimeline.