Pakistan (MNN) — A leading opponent to the current Pakistani administration is voicing his disapproval of the regime’s alleged use of ISIS fighters.
Dr. Tahirul Qadri (Twitter)
Dr. Tahirul Qadri, chief of Pakistan’s Awami Tehreek political party, announced this week that Pakistan is supporting ISIS by employing Islamic State fighters to combat terrorism. In other words, Pakistan’s government is using terrorists to fight other terrorists.
Is this simply political posturing against the current administration?
Bruce Allen of Forgotten Missionaries International (FMI) doesn’t think so.
“We’re still looking for some hard evidence to that claim that Qadri has made, but a lot of circumstantial evidence points to [it as] a credible claim,” says Allen.
“He’s putting the spotlight on the government’s inefficiency at handling terrorism inside the country and that it’s going to get worse, especially if they’re using Islamic State fighters. Islamic State has its own agenda, and it’s not to support the Pakistani government. It’s to prop up its own type of government there.”
ISIS involvement unsurprising
While the Pakistani government has denied ISIS is in the country, it doesn’t come as a surprise to most people that Qadri makes such a claim, says Allen.
(Wikipedia)
“For a year or more, the Pakistani government has denied that ISIS even has a footprint in the country. That has been shown to be false, over and over.”
The country’s track record at fighting terrorism is abysmal, Allen adds.
Qadri claims the importation of ISIS is designed to slow down the Pakistan military’s fight against a number of terror groups operating in the Northwest of the country. The state has actually set up a system where terrorists are able to kill with little or no reprisal.
That this inroad has been made in Pakistan is particularly disturbing, because the country is a nuclear power.
ISIS motivated by nuclear ambitions
(Twitter via @Juliet777777)
“ISIS has said, ‘That is our goal in Pakistan. We want nuclear technology. We want nuclear materials, and we will get it by hook or by crook,’” Allen explains.
Corruption in the government makes it more likely that ISIS could get a hold of nuclear technology there.
“It creates a power vacuum where terrorism can thrive–whether it’s deceit, corruption, or turning a blind-eye to things,” Allen says.
He believes Pakistan’s government is ripe for ISIS to exploit for its own purposes.
Despite threat, Christian work ongoing
The Christians FMI supports in Pakistan are dedicated to continuing their work there, Allen adds. They need your prayers, as well as tangible resources, to keep going.
(Photo courtesy FMI)
“If the Christians become quiet, or withdraw, or put their light under a bushel, it just allows the darkness to thrive,” Allen says. “That is certainly not the heartbeat of Jesus, or His agenda for the world.
“[His agenda is] that the light comes into the world and the darkness cannot surround it, overpower it, conquer it. So, we really want to help fortify the people who are serving in those dark situations.”
