Baloch Forum blames Pak Army for IS growth

Vancouver [Canada]: The World Baloch Women Forum (WBWF) has squarely blamed the Pakistan Army for encouraging the growth of the terror outfit IS in the country.

Professor Naela Quadri, president of the WBWF, appealed to the world community to rein in the Pakistani Army and stamp out the influence of the IS.

Naela Quadri said, “It needs to be understood that the Pakistan Army is trying to kill three birds with one stone. First, they become useful to the world community looking for local partners to combat the IS (and that translates as dollars and immunity for the Pakistan Army). Second, they will be able to repackage the Taliban as a “relatively” moderate force that needs to be included in Afghan government to stabilise Afghanistan and combat the IS. Finally, they are mainstreaming terror outfits, but the bulk of the jihadi cadre and foot soldiers need employment.”

She maintained that the global community needs to see the Pakistan Army as the root cause of the problem and neutralise it and not focus on its manifestations.

Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) has said in its Pakistan Security Report 2017 that over 150 people were killed in around six terrorist attacks claimed by the IS in the last year.

According to the report, some new challenges such as emergence of self-radicalised individuals and small terrorist cells have raised their heads in the country.

Also, incidence of religious extremism including on educational campuses, and increasing footprints of the IS in parts of the country have also become a problem for Pakistan. (ANI)