New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Signals of rifts within the Pakistan establishment relating to the revival of terror groups and leadership changes have emerged.

It is a well known fact that Pakistan’s Field Marshal and Army Chief Asim Munir is unhappy with the manner in which the ISI has been functioning.

He has demanded accountability over the number of mysterious shooting of terrorists within Pakistan, a trend that has been visible since 2023.

Field Marshal Asim Munir is also upset that Pakistan’s Intelligence has failed miserably when it came to the activities of both the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).

However for the ISI and Pakistan Army, the bigger problem is the major rift that has hit the Lashkar-e-Taiba. This terror group is Pakistan’s favourite proxy. It prefers the Lashkar-e-Taiba over the Jaish-e-Mohammad as it has never rebelled against the establishment.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that the rift is over the leadership. Many within the outfit are questioning the effectiveness of Hafiz Saeed still leading the outfit.

They feel Saeed is past his prime and should make way for a younger leader. Further, many within the outfit also feel that Saeed is a puppet and once in a way must question the establishment, the official said.

At the centre of all is this Saifullah Kasuri, the number two within the Lashkar-e-Taiba today.

Kasuri is 58-years-old and feels that he should be leading the group. He has on numerous occasions expressed the need to effect a leadership change and says that it is time that the 76-year- old Hafiz Saeed to go.

While Kasuri does enjoy the support of the younger cadre, the old guard is however not keen on letting Hafiz Saeed go.

An official said that the tensions have been simmering for nearly two years and all this had been kept under wraps. However, the lid blew off when the Indian armed forces carried out ‘Operation Sindoor’ to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack. This not only made the Lashkar-e-Taiba question the Pakistan establishment, but the leadership as well.

Many, including Kasuri said that Hafiz Saeed ought to have spoken out against the establishment and its lack of ability to protect them.

Despite the Lashkar-e-Taiba losing its primary training facility at Muridke, Hafiz Saeed did not utter a word.

Another official said that many within the Lashkar-e-Taiba feel that Hafiz Saeed is too old to lead. They say he has done his bit and should move on and make way for Kasuri. This aspect is also another reason why the ISI and Army are not on the same page on several issues.

The Army wants Kasuri to lead, while the ISI wants to stick on to Hafiz Saeed.

The ISI’s argument is that Hafiz Saeed is tried and tested and his loyalties would never shift.

Kasuri on the other hand is a loose cannon and has the capability of revolting against the establishment and this is something that the ISI wants to avoid, the official said.

While the leadership change remains the top reason for this major rift, there are other issues too which are causing issues.

Kasuri is of the belief that the Lashkar-e-Taiba’s only focus should be Jammu and Kashmir.

Hafiz Saeed on the other hand has meekly surrendered Pakistan’s changing tactics, be it against the TTP or Afghan Taliban.

Officials say that Operation Sindoor did manage to expose the faultiness within the Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The operation only made it worse for the outfit, which has been doing all it can to rebuild.

This has been another sticking point and the cadre have largely lost faith with the leadership of Hafiz Saeed, who proved to be completely ineffective both during and after Operation Sindoor, the official added.

–IANS

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