Militancy, sectarian violence engulfs Pakistan after Taliban takeover in Afghanistan

Islamabad [Pakistan], November 2 (ANI): After the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, the complexities including militancy and sectarian violence are widely arising in the country, according to a media report. Pakistan‘s government hinted earlier at these challenges, but its voice is muted after what it perceives as its “strategic victory” with the group that it sheltered for long taking power in Kabul. According to Al Arabiya Post, these complexities depend on two factors –one, the Taliban themselves encounter more extremist Al Qaida and local affiliates of the Islamic State-Khorasan and other, the Kabul government is unwilling to curb their ideological allies, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

In Pakistan, the Imran Khan-led government is facing challenges from the TTP that are from the Deobandi section of Islam and from Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) that belongs to the rival Barelvi section. TTP is consolidating itself with help from Kabul and the TLP has unleashed its “Long March” from Lahore to Islamabad. Experts and human rights bodies fear that the inevitable socio-religious fall-out will be sectarian violence in the country, Al Arabiya Post reported.

The number of the violence registered in the portal “Violence Register Database Pakistan” In the Christian community there are 304 incidents of violence against Pakistani Christians, specifically attacks on places of worship and persons; targeted killings, kidnappings, sectarian attacks, mob violence, bomb blasts, rapes and forced conversions between 2005 and 2021.

While in the Hindu community, over the 2010-2021 period, it reported around 205 reported incidents of violence. For the Ahmadi community, at least 274 Ahmadis are said to have been killed in violent attacks since 1901. At least 1,436 incidents of violence against the Shia community have been reported in the form of attacks on Shia mosques and community centers, targeted killings, abductions, blasphemy, mob violence, bomb blasts, and religious discrimination between 1963 and 2015.

Most of the data in the portal are sourced from official sources like the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, according to Al Arabiya Post.

Pakistan not to attend NSA meet hosted by India on Afghanistan

Islamabad [Pakistan], November 2 (ANI): Pakistan has declined the invitation to the regional countries’ national security advisors (NSAs) meeting on Afghanistan being hosted by India.

Pakistan‘s NSA Dr Moeed Yusuf confirmed this news during the signing of the security agreement with Uzbekistan, Pakistani financial newspaper Business Recorder reported. Answering a question whether Pakistan has accepted India’s invitation to attend the conference, Pak NSA said, “I will not go.”

Earlier, the Pakistan Foreign Office had confirmed that India had invited Pakistan to attend a conference. India had formally invited the NSAs of Russia, Iran, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan for the conference, which is scheduled to take place next week.

The recently concluded Moscow Format meet on Afghanistan was attended by India. However, the representatives of the two countries did not hold any meetings on the sidelines. (ANI)