Local support for dreaded Islamic State growing in Pakistan: Report

[INDIAPOSITIVE]

ISLAMABAD: Signs of local support for the dreaded Islamic State have surfaced in various parts of Pakistan, a day after four flags of the militant group were confiscated here.

Wall-chalking welcoming the Islamic State (ISIS) appeared on City Road, Cantt Road, Dera Ismail Khan road and Miran Shah road in Bannu district.

READ ALSO: ISIS spreading tentacles in Pakistan: Report

There were similar reports from other parts of the country about the presence of support for the extremist group, The Dawn reported.

"We welcome the head of Syrian Daish Group Abu Bakkar Al Bagdadi and pay him tributes," said a graffiti in Urdu.

Bannu borders North Waziristan, known to be the Pakistani Taliban nerve-centre where the Pakistani military is carrying operation Zarb-i-Azb against Taliban militants.

Earlier, pamphlets believed to be from the IS were also distributed in various parts of Peshawar and the Afghan refugee camp, but were later seized.

The ISIS first started making inroads into Pakistan and Afghanistan in September this year as former Guantanamo detainee, Abdul Raheem Muslim Dost, was made the chief of its 'Khorasan' (the old name for Afghan, Pakistani, Irani and Central Asian territories) belt.

READ ALSO: ISIS flags hoisted near Islamabad, Pak security establishment in tizzy

ISIS propaganda booklets were reportedly distributed in parts of the Afghan-Pakistan tribal belt and in some Afghan refugee camps in Peshawar.

Operating mostly in Nuristan and Kunar provinces of Afghanistan, Rahim and other militant commanders had previously announced their allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

A senior Afghan Mujahideen commander confirmed that Rahim had been appointed as the IS chief of Khorasan belt and he has kicked off a campaign to muster support from jihadist fighters in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Haroon Zargon, spokesperson of the Hizb-i-Islami, a conservative militant and political group in Afghanistan, confirmed that they also had reports of the propaganda booklet being distributed in the Pak-Afghan border areas and Afghan localities in Peshawar.

READ ALSO: ISIS has designs on India: Experts

Six top militant commanders of the outlawed Tehreek-i- Taliban Pakistan (TTP), including its former spokesman Shahidullah Shahid, have previously announced allegiance to the IS.

Responding to the reports, home secretary Syed Akthar Ali Shah of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa said that they were probing the reports of the distribution of the booklets but had doubts about its authenticity.

Local support for dreaded Islamic State growing in Pakistan: Report - The Times of India

 

[VCheng]

This fire will spread given the favorable conditions for it in Pakistan.

 

[Khalidr]

Things will get messy like this, borders should be secured completely and afghan refugees should be sent back in 1 year time frame. Pak army should start operation in Baluchistan also..

 

[A.Rafay]

This fire will spread given the favorable conditions for it in Pakistan.

The fire has spread already, its just a matter of time when things start to explode.

 

[VCheng]

The fire has spread already, its just a matter of time when things start to explode.

There will be no explosion. Just a steady conflagration that spreads slowly.

 

[ghoul]

The problem is that Pakistanis and Afghans suck so much Arab c!@# that they'd do anything to hear a few sweet words from them. They think in a potential global islamic state, arabs would treat them like brothers, which is complete bullshit. An average Arab sees a Pakistani and an Afghan like a brahmin sees a shudra. Some 90% of Arabs won't let their daughters marry Pakistani and Afghan, or any non-arab for that matter, yet the arab self proclaimed jihadists get 4 local wives in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

 

[mr.robot]

I guess that most of people who exaggerate such news don't understand that IS is just a name like Alqaedah. We already have local militant factions who are pledging their support to IS as Alqaedah is no more HOT in news. Their threat is of same size as it was earlier. As soon as a new name emerges in media, you will find wall chalking for that as well. Unless IS's leadership and C&C is in Pakistan, it is just a slogan for local militants.