Pakistan won't end covert war in Kashmir, will keep issue burning: Ex-TTP commander Ehsanullah Ehsan (IANS Exclusive)

New Delhi, Aug 21 (IANS) Former Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan, in an exclusive interview with IANS, made explosive claims that Pakistan’s powerful spy agency, the ISI, is regrouping Lashkar-e-Taiba and other militant outfits under the ISIS (K) banner to utilise as a proxy force in both Balochistan and Afghanistan.

On Kashmir, Ehsan, speaking from an undisclosed location, said that Pakistan won’t end the covert war in Kashmir but will avoid overt military operations.

He warned that Islamabad’s strategy is shifting toward a “low-intensity insurgency,” mixing propaganda, proxies, and selective violence, while Pakistan’s military leadership tightens its embrace of Washington to balance China and keep Afghanistan within its orbit.

Interview excerpts:

IANS: We have seen the strengthening of strategic ties between Islamabad and Washington. Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Munir visited the U.S. twice in the last four months.

Ehsanullah Ehsan: The recent revival of relations between Islamabad and Washington, along with visits by Pakistan’s military leadership, primarily aims to create a balance for Pakistan. The U.S. seeks to curb China’s growing influence in the region, while Pakistan, burdened by its deteriorating economy and mounting debts, feels compelled to secure Washington’s support. Since the real power in Pakistan lies with the military - while the political government functions merely as its puppet - it is evident that the role of the military leadership is to restructure strategic and defence cooperation so that Pakistan can once again align itself with the American agenda.

To demonstrate loyalty to Washington, the military has in the past plunged its own country into an unending war, and it is now taking steps to reaffirm that loyalty once again. The U.S. needs Pakistan to maintain oversight on Afghanistan, while Pakistan requires American backing to sustain its fragile economy. Thus, both sides are currently moving forward based on this mutual dependence.

IANS: President Trump has expressed his interest in resource-rich Balochistan. Now, the US has also designated BLA as a terror outfit. What does it mean for the Baloch liberation movement?

Ehsanullah Ehsan: The U.S. designation of the BLA as a terrorist organisation appears to be an attempt to appease Pakistan, so that Washington can, in return, extract cooperation for its strategic interests. The U.S. has its eyes set on Balochistan’s natural resources and its geostrategic significance.

While this decision will indeed increase diplomatic and financial pressure on the Baloch separatist movement, Washington can, at any moment in the future, choose to revive the “Baloch issue” under the banners of “human rights” or “self-determination,” depending on its interests. In my view, this designation is a temporary measure.

The U.S. currently needs Pakistan and, for that reason, is trying to keep Islamabad satisfied. However, given that the Baloch struggle for independence is legitimate and has international recognition, it will be difficult for Washington to ignore it for long.

IANS: In the past few years, the recruitment into LeT, Lashkar and Hizbul in Kashmir has come down. Where are these groups operating now?

Ehsanullah Ehsan: The decline in local recruitment within Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen indicates that public support for these groups in Kashmir is diminishing, while New Delhi’s stringent security policies have weakened their networks. However, these groups have not been eliminated; rather, they are being reintroduced in new forms.

For instance, Lashkar-e-Taiba is now being absorbed into ISIS-Khorasan and is being utilised as a proxy force in both Balochistan and Afghanistan.

IANS: Do these groups work under the direct command of ISI, and what could be their new strategy for Kashmir?

Ehsanullah Ehsan: It would be accurate to say that these groups operate entirely under the command of the ISI, as their policies are shaped by the agency, which provides them with funding, assigns targets, and forces them underground whenever necessary. The longstanding objective of Pakistan’s establishment has been to sustain a “low-intensity insurgency” in Kashmir.

Under the new strategy, there is likely to be a greater emphasis on political fronts and social media propaganda to keep the Kashmir issue alive while avoiding direct international pressure.

IANS: Will Pakistan, via its proxies, continue to create turbulence in Kashmir? If yes, what could be their strategy?

Ehsanullah Ehsan: Pakistan will not completely end its interference in Kashmir through proxies, as this remains an integral part of its strategic policy. However, the new approach will likely shift from direct military operations toward “low-intensity” activities - smaller-scale attacks, political propaganda, and fueling public resentment among Kashmiris. Islamabad is well aware that overt military operations would intensify international pressure on Pakistan and provoke India into retaliation, potentially leading to direct conflict. For this reason, Pakistan will continue its proxy war in a more covert and limited manner.

IANS: It is often said that ISIS and LeT are different groups with different schools of thought. How true is that?

Ehsanullah Ehsan: There is a clear sectarian alignment between ISIS and Lashkar-e-Taiba, as both stem from the same Ahl-e-Hadith school of thought and are ideologically very close. At least 99 per cent of ISIS fighters come from this background. Lashkar-e-Taiba was nurtured within the framework of jihadist politics in the Indian subcontinent and has largely aligned its vision with Pakistan’s policies.

ISIS, on the other hand, is a transnational group with a rigid “takfiri” ideology. Yet, Pakistani institutions have now brought the two together for their interests, enabling both to operate under the ISIS banner as proxies for Pakistan. In recent days, we have witnessed organisations under the ISIS title openly declaring attacks against those fighting for Balochistan’s independence - an explicit demonstration of how their actions are serving Pakistan’s strategic objectives.

IANS: We are seeing the growing ties between New Delhi and Kabul. Although New Delhi has not officially recognised the Taliban regime, the ties are growing. Similarly, Islamabad and Kabul have upgraded full-fledged diplomatic ties. What is ISI thinking?

Ehsanullah Ehsan: The warming of relations between New Delhi and Kabul poses a diplomatic challenge for Pakistan. Although India has not formally recognised the Taliban government, it is steadily expanding practical engagement to secure its influence in Afghanistan. Islamabad, on the other hand, seeks to keep the Taliban government within its orbit to preserve its so-called “strategic depth.”

However, the Taliban’s independent foreign policy this time has complicated matters for Pakistan, leaving it largely unsuccessful in safeguarding its interests in Afghanistan. Should the Indian government seize this opportunity to strengthen its diplomatic ties with the Taliban, Afghanistan’s dependence on Pakistan will diminish - an outcome that would deal a serious setback to Islamabad.

--IANS

sas/dan