THE rise of the self-styled Islamic State in the Middle East has been marked by its ruthlessness on the battlefield and resultant occupation of territory in Iraq and Syria, as well as its manifest brutality.

Yet with the declaration of the ‘caliphate’ last year, an even more disturbing dimension became apparent: IS’s desire to expand across the Muslim world, and perhaps beyond.

The extremist outfit’s latest success has been the capture of the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra; reportedly, hundreds of people have been massacred in the aftermath of the IS takeover. Where its expansionism is concerned, two senior foreign military figures have recently stated publicly that IS now has a presence in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Take a look: IS recruiting militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan: Nato general

Gen John F. Campbell, Nato’s commander in Afghanistan, has said IS is recruiting in that country as well as Pakistan while separately, Gen Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan, commander of Iran’s ground forces, has also observed that the group is present in these two countries.

Where Afghanistan is concerned, as the Nato general himself pointed out, some estranged Taliban fighters may be “rebranding” themselves with the IS label. In Pakistan, the situation is slightly different. Here, pro-IS graffiti, the distribution of literature praising the outfit (such as that found at the site of the recent massacre of Ismailis in Karachi), as well as the pledging of allegiance of some breakaway factions of the banned TTP to ‘caliph’ Baghdadi are all being described as ‘evidence’ of the so-called caliphate in Pakistan.

However, these do not constitute concrete proof. After all, how difficult is it for an armchair militant, or sympathiser, to ensure pro-IS wall-chalkings? Also, anyone with a computer and printer can produce and distribute literature in praise of the ‘caliphate’. As for local militants pledging themselves to Baghdadi’s cause, this may simply be a ruse to raise their profile.

Having said that, these developments cannot be ignored either. For it is also true that there are many in this country’s intricate web of militant and extremist groups that identify with the twisted worldview of IS — especially its virulent sectarianism and extremist interpretation of Islam.

And considering IS’s rapid advances, local supporters may well be emboldened to emulate these ‘successes’. So while it would be premature to say IS has arrived in Pakistan, it would also be wrong to completely ignore attempts to create a presence in this country.

After all, IS ‘recruiters’ have been arrested elsewhere in the subcontinent, for example in Bangladesh. The state must keep a close watch on groups that share the IS ideology.

This can primarily be achieved on the intelligence front, with the state monitoring local militants and sympathisers for any attempt to establish links with fighters in the Middle East. Pakistan already has its plate full dealing with the menace of militancy. It certainly does not need a lethal new player added to the mix.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2015

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