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‘650 Pakistanis fighting in Mideast, Central Asia war zones’
NEW DELHI : Some 650 Pakistanis are fighting in conflict zones in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and Central Asian states and their return to the country could
NEW DELHI : Some 650 Pakistanis are fighting in conflict zones in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and Central Asian states and their return to the country could add to sectarian strife, according to a media report on Wednesday.
Intelligence agencies have identified 132 of these Pakistanis and expressed fears about their return after being defeated by international forces, the influential Dawn newspaper reported.
The National Crisis Management Cell (NCMC) of the federal government has alerted law enforcement agencies to take preventive measures and to tighten security on Pakistan’s borders, especially in Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and coastal regions, and at airports.
An unnamed security official was quoted as saying by Dawn that the “defeat of fighters in Middle East, Afghanistan and Central Asian states had put Pakistan on the verge of sectarian violence”. This prompted the NCMC to advise the interior ministry to take steps to prevent the return of these fighters, the official said.
“The NCMC directed the intelligence and law enforcement agencies to also keep surveillance on families of the individuals who had travelled to conflict zones and might create multiple security risks for Pakistan on their return,” the official said.
Another unnamed senior official said intelligence agencies had reported about Pakistani fighters’ plans to return to the country. He said these fighters were gathering in Afghanistan and planning to take refuge on the border.
A source said foreign fighters who have suffered heavy losses in Afghanistan, Middle East and Central Asian region could also take refuge in Pakistan.
“Fighters of other nationalities, especially those belonging to the Central Asian states, might find Afghanistan as a safe haven. But our own nationals who are fighting in Syria and Iraq would prefer moving back to Pakistan,” the source said.
