New Delhi, February 28 – As the war with Afghanistan continues, Pakistan is beginning to realize that many of its assets have deserted it, choosing the opposite side. Consequently, it has been eliminating assets who have been switching loyalties during the escalation of the Afghan war.
For Pakistan, the situation after 2021, when the Taliban regained control over Afghanistan, is not exactly what it had envisioned.
Afghanistan has adopted a more pragmatic approach and has chosen India over Pakistan, fully understanding that this would be the first step towards international recognition.
This shift in policy by the Afghan Taliban has resulted in major losses for Pakistan, as many of its known assets are shifting sides.
Take the case of Haji Lali Mama Nurzai, a top asset of the ISI. For the ISI, Nurzai was a key figure in orchestrating terror attacks against India.
For years, Nurzai, who operated from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, set up suicide training camps and networks that trained terrorists in guerrilla warfare.
Nurzai was not just an asset for the ISI, but he also had a good rapport with the Taliban.
Nurzai was found dead under mysterious circumstances. The Pakistani establishment tried to pass it off as a case of a heart attack, but in reality, he was eliminated by the ISI. Intelligence agencies have learned this.
The reason behind this was that the ISI felt that Nurzai was getting too close to the Taliban.
An official from the Intelligence Bureau said that since the return of the Taliban in 2021, the ISI has conducted multiple covert operations to eliminate persons who were once its assets.
While Nurzai is a known case, estimates by the Intelligence agencies suggest that the ISI may have eliminated at least 40 such people who switched loyalties to the Taliban.
These assets worked for the ISI for years, but the shift in foreign policy by the Taliban and the unwanted aggression by Pakistan has made these persons think twice about who they need to be loyal to, the official said.
Nurzai and the other assets had gradually moved away from the ISI and offered to mobilize networks in the bordering areas against Pakistan.
The reason for this change in stance is not just attributed to Pakistan’s aggression against the Taliban. These persons who have a lot of influence among the tribal communities feel that it is safer to be in Afghanistan compared to Pakistan.
The Pakistani Army has been facing heavy losses at the hands of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) over the past many months.
The TTP has drawn up a list of the ISI’s assets and has been looking to take them down.
Further, after 'Operation Sindoor', which saw the Indian armed forces decimate terror networks in Pakistan, has shaken the trust of both terrorists and assets in the Pakistan Army.
While the assets that the ISI nurtured in Pakistan and Afghanistan are questioning the capabilities of the army in protecting them, similar questions have been raised by many within the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, which were the worst hit during 'Operation Sindoor', an official said.
Another official said that many within Afghanistan, who were once loyal to the Pakistan establishment, are changing their positions today. The Taliban’s approach towards India is one such major reason.
India has maintained that it will continue to emphasize on diplomacy and development. New Delhi has made it clear that its first priority is regional stability, and the Taliban recognizes this as well.
The former ISI loyalists in Afghanistan feel that being Pakistan's pawn or puppet is futile in today's scenario. This has left the ISI with very little leverage, as its own assets, which once included the Taliban, are taking a whole new approach that believes in diplomacy, development, and also international recognition.
Officials say that the narrative has changed quite rapidly, and Pakistan realizes that its policy towards Afghanistan, which was based on control and coercion, is no longer working.
The official said that the ISI will continue to carry out shadow operations, but it has clearly lost momentum with so many assets turning their backs on them.
Another official explains that while Pakistan may have superiority in warfare owing to the equipment it possesses, but that would not be enough to stop the exodus of its assets into the territory of its opponents, the official also explained.
