“Lashkar-e-Jhangvi is a more lethal outfit than TTP because it has taken the fight into the cities,” said the former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief in his first interview since his retirement.
“When you provide weapon to ideology, it cannot be turned on and off at will,” Zaheer told Center for Development – Pakistan.
He said there was no proof of Jamaat-ud-Dawa’s involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks that led to the killings of over 150 people.
Replying to a query about end to conflicts in the region, the former ISI chief said a third party intervention is needed to bring Pakistan and India to agreeable formula on Kashmir dispute.
About geo-strategic implication of CPEC for Pakistan and region, he said: “There is no free lunch in this world.” “We have to be very careful in our minds that they are going to earn far more from us,” he added.
Zaheer stressed upon the balancing of relationship between the two countries. He believed that the CPEC is a small part of China’s strategy of South Asia and Middle East.
“Traffic will flow all around, from Russia, Afghanistan, Iran and China will connect to all these countries”.