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OPINION OCTOBER 08, 2021 | The Indian Eye 16

to be an apostate even for minor Women rights, rights of minori-
doctrinal or practical deviation ties, any kind of power sharing
from their version of true Islam. with rivals has received a set-
This is extreme Salafi/Wahha- back. The Taliban remain com-
bi strand in their practice. They mitted to establish their version
want to first purge the Muslim of the 7th century utopia with
societies of all the “deviations” all the floggings, amputations
and “sins”. This makes IS ideolo- and public stoning. Al Qaida
gy perpetuate more violence and and its South Asian version re-
bloodshed within Muslim societ- mains present in Afghanistan
ies itself. Also, the Islamic State and their relationship with the
worldview is heavily influenced Taliban is still very much in-
by the prophecies of doomsday tact. What makes the ISI and
and the day of judgement. They the Taliban more potent threat
see signs of coming final battle than the ISK is that they are
between Muslims and Kuffar ev- The ISK may just be a red herring and the proverbial boogey-man to make just one shade rational in their
erywhere. This virulence, though us all give Pakistan and the Taliban what they want ideology, which increases their
has shock and awe effect in short chances of survival. They also
term, also acts as a hindrance in have better state apparatus
their long-term sustenance. Tak- and resources at their com-
ing a parallel from biology, an mand. The Taliban also derives
extremely virulent strain of some their legitimacy from the larger
virus may be very dangerous but Hanafi Deobandi school which
this virulence itself leads to kill- has a vast following in South
ing of the host which ultimately Asia with a potential to extend
limits the virus’s own growth. this influence. In tandem, the
Fourth, Islamic State ideol- ISI remains committed to con-
ogy requires its adherent to mi- tinuous jihad and bleeding In-
grate to the territory controlled dia through 1,000 cuts. It is not
by them. Therefore, there are al- easy to forget that the ISI and
ways chances of lone wolf attacks Pakistan Army still has Jihad fi
or IS-inspired attacks outside Sabillilah as its motto.
but this migration makes these In such a scenario, success
extremists create more mayhem Recent experience has shown that all the wishful thinking of the Taliban of the Taliban project will reaf-
in the IS-controlled areas only. having changed their ways is just that firm this ideology and further
This phenomenon also indi- mainstream it. But they cannot
rectly limits their violence-caus- been doing exactly the same) LeT and Haqqani Network are achieve their objectives with-
ing capacity outside. So, what or they have only facilitated the known ISI affiliates. out international support. In
can possibly explain its sudden Taliban. It is true that now the Both Pakistan and the US this game, the ISK may just be
emergence? Taliban and the ISK appear to are busy overplaying this threat a red herring and the proverbi-
be fighting but people like Am- from the ISK for their own rea- al boogey-man to make us all
cui Bono? rullah Saleh and other security sons. The US wants to save face give Pakistan and the Taliban
Right from the beginning experts have long accused the and avoid the political fallout what they want.
there has been some confu- ISK to be doing the Taliban’s of its capitulation in Kabul. Pa-
sion behind who or what is re- dirty jobs. Now, when the US kistan wants to get money and Pradeep Singh Gautam is an offi-
sponsible for the emergence of is out, ISK may also be used by recognition for its perceived cer of the Indian Revenue Service
ISIL or ISK? Another angle to the ISI to give a not-so-gentle foster child in the form of the (IT) of the 2008 batch. Currently
the emergence of ISK may be reminder to the Taliban if they Taliban. Pakistan itself has be- serving as Research Fellow at
long-held allegation that they break the line and try to be come partially Talibanised and MP-IDSA on deputation
are nothing but the cat’s paw of too nationalistic and indepen- it supports its ideological bed- Views expressed are of the
the ISI. Pattern of violence and dent-minded. fellow. This leads both of them
target selection by the ISK in This allegation finds cre- to give the Taliban a somewhat author and do not necessarily
itself shows that they have been dence from the fact that some- benign colour. reflect the views of the Manohar
killing Shia Hazaras, Sikhs in where around 2016, the ISK Parrikar IDSA or of the Govern-
ment of India.
Kabul, school-going girls and seemed to have been pene- conclusion
finally the US soldiers and trated by the ISI. The last two As regard the long-term This is the abridged version of the
people who assisted the last re- Emirs of the ISK, Aslam Faroo- impact of the possible survival article which appeared first in the
gime. By the principle of who qi and Shahab al-Muhajjir have and mainstreaming of the Tal- Comment section of the website
benefits, it may be seen that been known to have worked for iban regime, recent experience (www.idsa.in) of Manohar Parri-
they have been doing nothing the Haqqani Network. Aslam has shown that all the wishful kar Institute for Defense Studies
new (as in there are other Sun- Farooqi also had long connec- thinking of the Taliban having and Analyses, New Delhi on
ni extremists groups who have tions with the Lashkar-e-Taiba. changed their ways is just that. October 4, 2021

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