The Intelligence agencies have raised concerns about the alliance formed by the ISI between the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) and the Lashkar-e-Taiba, warning that it could become a security challenge for India. The ISI’s objective was to unite these groups against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Nationalist Army (BLA), as the Pakistan army has been encountering significant losses from these factions.
Plans are underway to extend the influence of the ISKP into India, particularly focusing on Jammu and Kashmir, according to an Intelligence Bureau official. This risky strategy by Pakistan aims to infiltrate India using the ISKP, which operates from Afghanistan to maintain deniability in case of attacks in India. The ISKP, initially formed to control Afghanistan and later target India, has now aligned with Pakistan due to a common adversary in the Afghan Taliban.
The ISI’s collaboration with the ISKP involves logistical and financial support, facilitating arms and ammunition supplies for the group. The alliance with Lashkar-e-Taiba was orchestrated to combat the TTP and BLA, while the ISKP is designated to handle the Kashmir conflict independently to shield Pakistan from direct involvement. The ISKP’s intentions to expand into India, particularly Kashmir, have been highlighted in its propaganda magazine, raising concerns among officials.
Pakistan’s deep state is expected to back the ISKP in its expansion plans, coordinating and endorsing attacks by the group. The imminent focus is on Balochistan, where the ISKP, in partnership with Lashkar-e-Taiba, is preparing death squads to target Baloch nationals and anti-Pakistan groups, indicating a surge in violence in the region. Recent meetings between the leaders of these outfits solidified their alliance, with vows to eliminate all adversaries, including India.
