Direct CIA-ISI Links With Haqqani Group & Northern Alliance

By Ibn-e-Mehboob

IH Special Correspondent

In yet another surprising move the direct links between the Haqqani group, Northern alliance of Afghanistan and the stakeholders from in and outside Afghanistan and Pakistan have been revealed that include among others brother of Abdullah Abdullah, the former Afghan presidential candidate and the ex- foreign minister in president Karzai’s previous cabinet.

Moves and counter moves to eliminate Taliban from Afghanistan and Pakistan, direct or indirect contacts between the United States and warring Taliban factions, or the talks between the stakeholders are no surprise for people covering and analyzing the war on terror and its impact, but a direct contact between the Northern Alliance, Taliban, NATO/ISAF forces and the intelligence agencies of Pakistan will certainly be seen as a big surprise.

Maulana Jalaluddin Haqqani

Indeed the Tribal belt between Afghanistan and Pakistan and the Eastern part of Afghanistan are source of much trouble in the region and the United States and allies are engaged in a hard fight to eliminate the menace of extremism in shape of either al-Qaeda or Taliban, but the clash of interests between the two intelligence networks – CIA & ISI - make them adopting different policies. However, on few points they cooperate with each other and this has been the case in the said development, the sources in the diplomatic circles revealed.

Haqqani group is at top of the list against which ISAF forces intend to operate, however, Pakistan’s intervention is one of the major reasons for not launching strikes against the group in southern part of Afghanistan. The investigation by this correspondent revealed eye opener facts leading towards connivance between the CIA and ISI or other agencies.

Abdullah Abdullah, former Afghan presidential candidate & ex-foreign minister

 In a recent development, Ahmed Mumtaz, the real brother of Abdullah Abdullah, has been made part of peace Jirga to maintain peace and calm between upper and lower Kurram under an agreement in Islamabad. The issue came to surface few years back due to clash between the tribes in the agency, which resulted in closure of Parachinar-Sadda road. The sources inside the power corridors revealed that in lieu of the situation the local tribesmen were asked to allow settlement of the Taliban factions in the area between the upper and lower Kurram. The local tribes were ready to allow settlement of tribal groups no matter having links with Taliban or not, but they were not ready to allow other than tribal Taliban.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nazir Haqqani younger brother Maulana Jalaluddin Haqqani shuttled between tribal areas, Kabul and the Islamabad and got Ahmed Mumtaz on board making him part of the agreement for reopening of Sadda-Parachinar road. It is also reliably learnt here that the agreement has some backing of ISI, CIA and NATO forces and no action will be taken against the deal brokers if Mr. Ahmed played appositive role in reaching another deal between Taliban-Haqqani group, Northern alliance and Abdullah Abdullah. The next step of the deal is cooperation of Haqqani group with the people of Mohmand agency to maintain peace.