Afghanistan: Informal Colony of India

The so called unity government in Afghanistan is said to have lost confidence and legitimacy. Two month ago, more than 15,000 Afghan army soldiers and officers deserted due to the non-payment of their three months salaries from the Defence Ministry. In Aruzgan province, the same policy was repeated.

by Musa Khan Jalalzai

( September 28, 2016, Islamabad, Sri Lanka Guardian) In an increasing globalized world, secret agencies have become an ever more important weapon of the state. The impact of globalization on intelligence cooperation between Pakistan, India and Afghanistan, in the so called war against terrorism is rendered problematic by divergent conceptions of its nature and contradictory expectations. The recent developments in information technology as well as new wave of terrorism in South Asia are the main factors impelling regional states to increase intelligence cooperation on law enforcement level. In fact, intelligence sharing and interoperability of information system has been the biggest challenges facing India, Pakistan and Afghanistan due to their reservations on sharing national secrets. Contemporary theory on the concept of information age spotlight some challenges in the information sharing process.

The function of intelligence is a structure to process and analyze information and purvey to the policy makers. In South Asia, intelligence function is divided on ethnic and linguistic bases, which created misunderstanding and led policy makers on wrong directions. The involvement of Indian, Afghan and Pakistani intelligence agencies in the ongoing proxy war prompted the emergence of several ethno-terrorist organization that pose serious challenges to the national security of the three states. To counter these violent groups, multilateral intelligence cooperation can be a new light while this way of cooperation gives nations courage to tackle their national security challenges. The emergence of ISIS and Taliban and their suicide attacks against military and civilian installations forced Pakistan and Afghanistan to consider and develop new working relationship, but unfortunately, the changing foreign policy approach of the Afghan unity government vanished all efforts.

The recent violent bray of the Afghan and Indian leaders about the terrorist infiltration from Pakistan before and after the Uri attacks, received no positive response in print and electronic media in South Asia, due to their own sponsorship of various terrorist and extremist outfits. The three heads hydra (RAW, RAMA, NDS) has now become out of control and biting every section of Afghan society, supporting insurgents, warlords, TTP, and exporting terrorism across the borders. India is basically operating in Afghanistan through RAW, IB, RAMA, NDS, and Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) but most of the times the country has failed to assess internal adversaries in the country. It funds propaganda machines in the country, which continue to ignite the fire of ethnicity and sectarianism in Afghanistan.

Major portion of funds it has allocated to the intelligence operations is being spent on recruiting young soldiers for jihad in Baluchistan. The unity government intelligence agencies are following the same streak. However, if we look at the performance and deficiencies of the Afghan unity government, we will find some harsh realities. The irony is that the ANA commanders, members of parliament, police commanders, and intelligence agencies purvey arms and ammunition to Taliban, ISIS and transport suicide bombers to their destination in their luxurious vehicles day and night. Afghans are absolutely exhausted with the long term insecurity, unemployment and interference of foreign agencies in the internal affairs of their country. Politicians and parliamentarians recently raised the question of government support to the ISIS and Taliban groups in their debates. Military and intellectual circles have also raised the question of Indian intelligence sponsorship of terrorism across the border. The country channels huge funds to some ethnic groups and war criminals to turn Afghanistan into its formal or informal colony in order to control foreign and domestic policies of the country.

India does not stop here; the country has planned to use Afghanistan against China and Pakistan by establishing a commando force to disrupt the Pak-China economic corridor. This overt and covert war will not succeed as the ISI’s “S” branch is in full control of the networks of extremist organizations within India but the fact of the matter is that ISI is facing numerous challenges in its own country. The ISI’s sphere of influence and its source of information have badly shrunk due to some of its wrongly designed strategies in its own country. The interference of India in Afghanistan is too irksome for Pakistan as the country has often asked Afghanistan to restrain Indian intelligence from using its soil against Pakistan, and also accused India of fuelling insurgency in Baluchistan. Pakistani officials understand that Indian intelligence agencies are operating through a network of Indian diplomatic mission dotting Southern and Eastern parts of Afghanistan where training camps of Baloch insurgent are located. India denied the accusations and said it helps to stabilize Afghanistan. The blame game further exacerbated when Baluchistan’s Police Chief Muhammad Amlish criticized RAW and NDS for their terrorist activities in the province. The blame-game between Pakistan, India and Afghanistan created the atmosphere of distrust. Afghan say Islamabad is putting the onus on their country.

The so called unity government in Afghanistan is said to have lost confidence and legitimacy. Two month ago, more than 15,000 Afghan army soldiers and officers deserted due to the non-payment of their three months salaries from the Defence Ministry. In Aruzgan province, the same policy was repeated. 

Consequently, the police and military commanders sold more than 150 military check posts and weapons at the hands of Taliban and received million dollars and gifts. Recently, internal security and defence committees of the Afghan parliament summoned the NDS chief and Interior Minister to explain the causes of deteriorating security situation in the country. No one is safe in the failing state; everyone is trying to leave the country. Businessmen are on the run while women and children are being incarcerated by Taliban and Daesh forces and use them as a human shield against the ANA. Corruption is rampant and justice is expansive. Nepotism and warlordism is all times high while 70% of the state and government affairs are being run online because most of the Minister and officials live abroad or use face book to monitor the situation. Police and military commanders facilitate Taliban and Daesh fighter in attacks against the army and police convoys. On 03 July 2016, Tolonews reported the investigation of 10 important Police commander over the attack that targeted a convoy of police recruits in Kabul.

The writer is author of Fixing the EU Intelligence Crisis. Viwes expressed in this article are author’s own.