India's Role in Quetta Bombing: A Conspiracy Theory?
By RiazHaq
CA
"How do you tackle Pakistan? …We start working on Pakistan's vulnerabilities-- economic , internal security, political , isolating them internationally, it can be anything... it can be defeating Pakistan's policies in Afghanistan... You stop the terrorists by denying them weapons, funds and manpower. Deny them funds by countering with one-and-a-half times more funding. If they have 1200 crores give them 1800 crores and they are on our side...who are the Taliban fighting for? It's because they haven't got jobs or someone has misled them. The Taliban are mercenaries. So go for more of the covert thing (against Pakistan)..." AjitDoval, India's National Security Advisor
Quetta, the capital of Pakistan's Balochistan province, has been hit by a major terrorist attack yet again with tragic consequences. At least 70 people, many of them lawyers, have been killed and scores more injured in a massive bomb blast at a hospital. The carnage has been met with shock and multiple claims of responsibility by various terrorist groups.
Balochistan government has accused India as the sponsor of this carnage. This charge has been dismissed by many, including Pakistan's liberal pundits, as just another "conspiracy theory". Let's examine this in the light of the quote from India's National Security Advisor that I shared at the top of this piece.
What is Conspiracy Theory?
What is the origin of the term "conspiracy theory"? Who coined it and for what purpose? In April 1967, the CIA wrote a dispatch that coined the term “conspiracy theory” to attack anyone who challenged the "Official" narrative put out by the US government. The dispatch was marked “psych” – short for “psychological operations” or disinformation – and “CS” for the CIA’s “Clandestine Services” unit.
It's a testament to the power of the CIA disinformation ops that the term has gained such wide currency around the world. It has become particularly popular among Pakistan's lazy liberal elite who use it as a substitute for serious research to get at the truth.
Is India's Role in Balochistan Conspiracy Theory?
To answer this question, let us begin with a quote from former US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel who said: "India has always used Afghanistan as a second front against Pakistan. India has over the years been financing problems in Pakistan".
On what basis did Chuck Hagel make the statement about India's use of Afghan territory to attack Pakistan? Was he, too, just another victim of conspiracy theories? Of course not. Secretary Hagel had the benefit of intelligence briefings by the CIA given to him in multiple capacities: first as US Senate Intelligence Committee member and then as US Defense Secretary.
Since Mr, Hagel made his statement, there has been further evidence of India's involvement in Balochistan with the recent arrest of KulbhushanYadv, a serving Indian Navy officer working under cover in Balochistan. Yadav has confessed to working with terrorists launching attacks in Pakistan.
US analyst Laura Rozen explained India-Taliban nexus as follows: "While the US media has frequently reported on Pakistani ties to jihadi elements launching attacks in Afghanistan, it has less often mentioned that India supports insurgent forces attacking Pakistan, the former (US) intelligence official said. "The Indians are up to their necks in supporting the Taliban against the Pakistani government in Afghanistan and Pakistan," the former (US) intelligence official who served in both countries said. "The same anti-Pakistani forces in Afghanistan also shooting at American soldiers are getting support from India. India should close its diplomatic establishments in Afghanistan and get the Christ out of there."
Is India Using Iranian territory against Pakistan?
The arrest of Iran-based Indian agent Kulbhushan Yadav has also confirmed that India is using the Chahbahar port project in Iran as a cover for subversive actions in Pakistan.
The fact that India has used Iran to hurt Pakistan is not new. In 2009, American analyst and author Christine Fair had this to say: "Having visited the Indian mission in Zahedan, Iran, I can assure you they are not issuing visas as the main activity!"
History of Indian Covert Wars Against Pakistan
What India is doing today to sponsor terror in Pakistan is not new. R.K. Yadav, a former intelligence officer in India's intelligence agency, has written an entire book titled "Mission R&AW" to document RAW's covert war against Pakistan. Yadav has detailed India's ties several Pakistani leaders including Khan AbulWali Khan and Shaikh MujiburRehman. He has confirmed the veracity of "Agarthala Conspiracy" that was dismissed as a "conspiracy theory" back in 1960s. Yadav has documented how Indian Army and intelligence officers organized, equipped and trained MuktiBahini before India invaded East Pakistan in 1971.
Summary
Indian involvement in sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan is not a "conspiracy theory". There is large and growing evidence of it. Ex-US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has talked about it. Several US analysts have detailed it. Kulbhushan Yadav, a serving Indian Navy Officer, arrested in Balochistan has confessed to it. Revelation of London Police documents linking MQM leader to Indian funding show it. Statements made by AjitDoval back in 2014 lend credence to it. So does India's past behavior against Pakistan as acknowledged in "Mission R&AW" , a book by ex-RAW officer R.K. Yadav.
Next Steps
Pakistan cannot win its war against terrorism by just fighting various terrorist groups including the Taliban militants and Baloch insurgents and their allies engaged in frequent large-scale carnage on Pakistani soil. These groups are merely tools of India's covert war machine. Pakistan must beef up its counter-intelligence efforts to defeat India's intelligence operations by infiltrating them. Pakistan must do everything possible to defeat India's covert war .
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