With Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, India to increase vigil in Kashmir

By Naveen Kapoor

New Delhi [India], August 17 (ANI): In the wake of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, India is expected to increase its vigil in Kashmir.

Top sources told ANI that although Pakistan backed groups like Lashkar- e- Taiba and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi have some presence in Afghanistan and had fought along with the Taliban, they are not in a position to use the situation. There is a robust security mechanism in Kashmir and India is in control, a source said. The sources said it is unlikely that the Taliban will focus on Kashmir. They said the Taliban has clarified its position on Kashmir and regards it as a bilateral, internal issue and it is unlikely that its focus will be on Kashmir.

In the past, there were camps of Pakistani terror outfits in Afghanistan. Kandahar plane hijacking incident also happened under the nose of the Taliban and, in fact, there was complicity. “Pakistan-based groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi have some presence in Afghanistan. They have built check posts in some villages and parts of Kabul, along with Taliban,” a source said.

India is concerned that Afghanistan may become the epicentre of Islamic terrorism, a first-of-its-kind which has a state. In the past, ISIS and Al Qaeda also tried to establish a state but failed. There are fears that Sunni and Wahabi terrorist groups will turn the Taliban into their haven. “There are security concerns that Afghanistan might become the first epicentre of Islamic terrorism which has a state. They have access to all the weapons which Americans have supplied and also the weapons of three lakh-plus Afghan National Army and an Air Force, ” a source told ANI.

Sources told ANI that Pakistan spy agency ISI, which shares good relations with Taliban leadership, will try to influence the Taliban but it will not be able to have an effect since the Taliban this time is in a position of strength and only weak Taliban can be influenced by ISI. India in the past has not recognized the Taliban government. Sources said India will wait and watch this time.

“India will wait and watch to see how inclusive will be the government formation and how will the Taliban conduct (the country’s affairs). India will also watch how other democracies react to the Taliban regime,” a source told ANI. Afghan watchers say that there are various faultlines, there are tribal factions and ethnic differences. New Delhi would like to see an inclusive government which is not just dominated by Pashtuns. (ANI)