A suicide car bombing at a checkpoint in Pakistan's capital of Islamabad killed one police officer and injured four others. According to the reports, the bomber exploded his car at the security checkpoint. The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan has taken responsibility of the attack in which two civilians were also injured.

Pakistan Suicide Blast: 1 policeman dead, 4 injured in attack; TTP claims responsibility

According to reports, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan or the TTP with whom Imran Khan-led the PTI govt. had reached a precarious truce earlier this month has called for the implementation of Sharia law across the country's north-western province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan holding the promise of peace on Pak's head

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/vajpayee-government-conducted-nuclear-tests-20-years-back-other-governments-never-had-similar-courage-pm-modi-217767">Vajpayee govt conducted nuclear tests 20 years ago, other governments never had similar courage: PM Modi&nbsp;</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India was able to successfully carry out nuclear test - Operation Shakti - over two decades ago on this very day because the government was courageous enough to undertake such a task.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-journalist-shot-dead-by-unidentified-gunmen-217785">Afghanistan: Journalist shot dead by unidentified gunmen</a>

An Afghani journalist and a cultural adviser to the Parliament was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the eastern part of Kabul on Sunday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/yemen-government-accuses-rebels-of-ploy-over-ports-pullout-217817">Yemen government accuses rebels of 'ploy' over ports pullout</a>

A senior pro-government official accused Yemen's Huthi rebels of faking an announced pullout from three strategic ports in Hodeida province on Saturday.

"The Huthis are staging a new ploy by handing over the ports of Hodeida, Saleef and Ras Issa to themselves without any monitoring by the United Nations and the government side," provincial governor Al-Hasan Taher told AFP.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/5-ttp-terrorists-killed-in-us-drone-attack-on-afghanistan-pakistan-border-217753">5 TTP terrorists killed in US drone attack on Afghanistan-Pakistan border</a>

At least five terrorists belong to Hafiz Gul Bahadur group of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) killed following a US drone attack on &nbsp;Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

The drone attack took place at Laman, in the Afghanistan territory.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ib-issues-alert-of-fidayeen-attack-on-buddha-purnima-in-west-bengal-bangladesh-security-beefed-up-217640">IB issues alert of fidayeen attack on Buddha Purnima in West Bengal, Bangladesh; security beefs up</a>

The Central Intelligence Bureau (IB) has issued an alert, warning of a fidayeen attack by Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) or Islamic State (IS) on the occasion of Buddha Purnima at West Bengal or Bangladesh, according to the sources in Intelligence Bureau.

Vajpayee govt conducted nuclear tests 20 years ago, other governments never had similar courage: PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India was able to successfully carry out nuclear test - Operation Shakti - over two decades ago on this very day because the government was courageous enough to undertake such a task.

Vajpayee govt conducted nuclear tests 20 years ago, other governments never had similar courage: PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India was able to successfully carry out nuclear test - Operation Shakti - over two decades ago on this very day because the government was courageous enough to undertake such a task. Afghanistan: Journalist shot dead by unidentified gunmen An Afghani journalist and a cultural adviser to the Parliament was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the eastern part of Kabul on Sunday. Yemen government accuses rebels of 'ploy' over ports pullout A senior pro-government official accused Yemen's Huthi rebels of faking an announced pullout from three strategic ports in Hodeida province on Saturday. "The Huthis are staging a new ploy by handing over the ports of Hodeida, Saleef and Ras Issa to themselves without any monitoring by the United Nations and the government side," provincial governor Al-Hasan Taher told AFP. 5 TTP terrorists killed in US drone attack on Afghanistan-Pakistan border At least five terrorists belong to Hafiz Gul Bahadur group of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) killed following a US drone attack on Afghanistan-Pakistan border. The drone attack took place at Laman, in the Afghanistan territory. IB issues alert of fidayeen attack on Buddha Purnima in West Bengal, Bangladesh; security beefs up The Central Intelligence Bureau (IB) has issued an alert, warning of a fidayeen attack by Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) or Islamic State (IS) on the occasion of Buddha Purnima at West Bengal or Bangladesh, according to the sources in Intelligence Bureau.

News brief: Big stories of the day

At least five terrorists belong to Hafiz Gul Bahadur group of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) killed following a US drone attack on &nbsp;Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

The drone attack took place at Laman, in the Afghanistan territory.

The US drone fired two missiles at a house in the wee hours of Saturday which resulted in the death of five terrorists.

All those killed belong to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group of TTP.

Among those killed is an important commander of terror outfit namely Commander AsadUllah aka Sangi.&nbsp;

At least five terrorists belong to Hafiz Gul Bahadur group of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) killed following a US drone attack on Afghanistan-Pakistan border. The drone attack took place at Laman, in the Afghanistan territory.

At least five terrorists belong to Hafiz Gul Bahadur group of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) killed following a US drone attack on Afghanistan-Pakistan border. The drone attack took place at Laman, in the Afghanistan territory. The US drone fired two missiles at a house in the wee hours of Saturday which resulted in the death of five terrorists. All those killed belong to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group of TTP. Among those killed is an important commander of terror outfit namely Commander AsadUllah aka Sangi.

5 TTP terrorists killed in US drone attack on Afghanistan-Pakistan border

Pakistan-based terrorist outfits -- the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) -- are among radical Islamist groups identified as a potential threat to the US in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-announces-new-national-strategy-for-counterterrorism-169506">Trump administration's new counterterrorism strategy</a>.&nbsp;

In addition to the ISIS and al-Qaeda, dozens of other radical Islamist terrorist groups are working to advance more locally focused insurgent or terrorist campaigns, while still posing a threat to United States persons and interests overseas, said the National Strategy for Counter-terrorism released by the White House on Thursday.&nbsp;

"These groups, including Boko Haram, Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan and the Lashkar-e Taiba, employ a range of political and terrorist tactics to undermine local governments and conduct attacks," it said.

The LeT is responsible for carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people. It has been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014.&nbsp;

According to the strategy, these organisations will probably prioritise regional goals over attacks against the homeland or United States interests because of resource constraints or political considerations.&nbsp;

"However, many of these groups are hostile to the United States, maintain networks of sympathisers around the world, and retain ties to the ISIS or al-Qaeda, underscoring their potential threat to United States interests," said the strategy, according to which radical Islamist terrorists remain the primary transnational terrorist threat to the US and its vital national interests.&nbsp;

Prominent terrorist organisations, particularly the ISIS and al-Qaeda, have repeatedly demonstrated the intent and capability to attack the homeland and United States interests and continue to plot new attacks and inspire susceptible people to commit acts of violence inside the United States, it said.

"These groups stoke and exploit weak governance, conflict, instability, and longstanding political and religious grievances to pursue their goal of eliminating Western influence in majority Muslim countries and remaking Islamic society," the strategy said.

Radical Islamist terrorist groups have developed and used methods that have challenged the US counterterrorism efforts, including establishing state-like governing institutions within their safe havens, deploying sophisticated explosive devices to defeat aviation security measures, and using high-quality media products to recruit extremists in the West, it said.&nbsp;

Future radical Islamist terrorists and other terrorists will continually adapt these and other tactics to their circumstances and the technological advances of the age.&nbsp;

"It is, therefore, critical that the United States counterterrorism posture be agile enough to adapt as well," said the strategy.&nbsp;

Radical Islamist terrorists have a violent extremist ideology that serves to create a common identity and sense of purpose for those susceptible to its core message, it alleged.&nbsp;

"This vile ideology is used to indoctrinate new recruits to accept terrorist groups' goals and directives without question, and also allows these groups to maintain cohesion, ensure conformity, and justify the use of violence to meet the ideology's goals.&nbsp;

"It avails terrorists of a worldview that helps unify their efforts by fomenting conflict and attempts to legitimize terrorism by elevating the social status of group members and absolving individuals from culpability for their participation in violence," it said.

The ISIS, the strategy, said remains the foremost radical Islamist terrorist group and the primary transnational terrorist threat to the US, despite ongoing us and coalition civilian and military efforts that have diminished the group's footprint in Iraq and Syria, killed thousands of its members, and curtailed its global expansion.

"The ISIS retains the financial and material resources and expertise to launch external attacks&nbsp;including against United States interests and its senior leaders continue to call for attacks against the United States," it said.

Meanwhile, al-Qaeda's global network remains resilient and poses an enduring threat to the homeland and United States interests around the world, the strategy said.&nbsp;

Consistent&nbsp;United States-led counterterrorism pressure has removed many of its senior leaders and reduced the group's ability to operate in South Asia, but its affiliates continue to plan and carry out terrorist attacks against the United States and our allies, as well as raise funds from individual supporters through the international financial system, it said.&nbsp;

"Affiliate resources are primarily focused on local and regional conflicts, but key operatives and elements within the network continue to seek out new opportunities to strike the homeland and United States interests and to inspire attacks inside the United States.&nbsp;

"Veteran al-Qaeda leaders are working to consolidate and expand the group's presence in several regions, including in Syria, from which it aspires to launch new attacks against the United States and our allies," said the strategy.&nbsp;

Pakistan-based terrorist outfits -- the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) -- are among radical Islamist groups identified as a potential threat to the US in the Trump administration's new counterterrorism strategy.

Pakistan-based terrorist outfits -- the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) -- are among radical Islamist groups identified as a potential threat to the US in the Trump administration's new counterterrorism strategy. In addition to the ISIS and al-Qaeda, dozens of other radical Islamist terrorist groups are working to advance more locally focused insurgent or terrorist campaigns, while still posing a threat to United States persons and interests overseas, said the National Strategy for Counter-terrorism released by the White House on Thursday. "These groups, including Boko Haram, Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan and the Lashkar-e Taiba, employ a range of political and terrorist tactics to undermine local governments and conduct attacks," it said. The LeT is responsible for carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people. It has been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. According to the strategy, these organisations will probably prioritise regional goals over attacks against the homeland or United States interests because of resource constraints or political considerations. "However, many of these groups are hostile to the United States, maintain networks of sympathisers around the world, and retain ties to the ISIS or al-Qaeda, underscoring their potential threat to United States interests," said the strategy, according to which radical Islamist terrorists remain the primary transnational terrorist threat to the US and its vital national interests. Prominent terrorist organisations, particularly the ISIS and al-Qaeda, have repeatedly demonstrated the intent and capability to attack the homeland and United States interests and continue to plot new attacks and inspire susceptible people to commit acts of violence inside the United States, it said. "These groups stoke and exploit weak governance, conflict, instability, and longstanding political and religious grievances to pursue their goal of eliminating Western influence in majority Muslim countries and remaking Islamic society," the strategy said. Radical Islamist terrorist groups have developed and used methods that have challenged the US counterterrorism efforts, including establishing state-like governing institutions within their safe havens, deploying sophisticated explosive devices to defeat aviation security measures, and using high-quality media products to recruit extremists in the West, it said. Future radical Islamist terrorists and other terrorists will continually adapt these and other tactics to their circumstances and the technological advances of the age. "It is, therefore, critical that the United States counterterrorism posture be agile enough to adapt as well," said the strategy. Radical Islamist terrorists have a violent extremist ideology that serves to create a common identity and sense of purpose for those susceptible to its core message, it alleged. "This vile ideology is used to indoctrinate new recruits to accept terrorist groups' goals and directives without question, and also allows these groups to maintain cohesion, ensure conformity, and justify the use of violence to meet the ideology's goals. "It avails terrorists of a worldview that helps unify their efforts by fomenting conflict and attempts to legitimize terrorism by elevating the social status of group members and absolving individuals from culpability for their participation in violence," it said. The ISIS, the strategy, said remains the foremost radical Islamist terrorist group and the primary transnational terrorist threat to the US, despite ongoing us and coalition civilian and military efforts that have diminished the group's footprint in Iraq and Syria, killed thousands of its members, and curtailed its global expansion. "The ISIS retains the financial and material resources and expertise to launch external attacks including against United States interests and its senior leaders continue to call for attacks against the United States," it said. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda's global network remains resilient and poses an enduring threat to the homeland and United States interests around the world, the strategy said. Consistent United States-led counterterrorism pressure has removed many of its senior leaders and reduced the group's ability to operate in South Asia, but its affiliates continue to plan and carry out terrorist attacks against the United States and our allies, as well as raise funds from individual supporters through the international financial system, it said. "Affiliate resources are primarily focused on local and regional conflicts, but key operatives and elements within the network continue to seek out new opportunities to strike the homeland and United States interests and to inspire attacks inside the United States. "Veteran al-Qaeda leaders are working to consolidate and expand the group's presence in several regions, including in Syria, from which it aspires to launch new attacks against the United States and our allies," said the strategy.

Trump's counter terrorism strategy identifies LeT, TTP as potential threat to United States

The Islamic State in Pakistan&nbsp;

 
Since November 2016, the Islamic State has increased its activity in Pakistan. The terrorist organisation killed 144 citizens and injured more than 300, almost all of them innocent civilians. This is a worrying sign of the group&#39;s increased activity in the country.

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/revised_slide%204-20170223103833.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
The Islamic State in Pakistan killed 144 people from November 2016 to February 2017. (WION)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

&quot;Several groups in the region&nbsp;have been engaged, one way or the other, by the Islamic State,&quot; says Khadim Hussain, a Pakistani author and counter-terrorism expert. &quot;All these groups actually belong to the Pakistani Taliban. Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) established an organized cell of IS which was later acknowledged through a video message by Abu Bakr-al Baghdadi.&quot;&nbsp;

TTP is the umbrella organisation where almost all Pakistan&#39;s terror groups converge. &nbsp;

In 2014, The Express Tribune reported that a representative of the Islamic State visited the Balochistan-based terror group Jundallah whose spokesperson said the purpose of the visit was to assess the possibility for the Islamic State to establish a presence in Pakistan.

The IS in Pakistan is not a foreign presence though. There is no relevant influx of militants abandoning West Asia&#39;s battlefields to start over in Pakistan. It is a local network made of groups who are unsatisfied with the Pakistani Taliban leadership and fascinated by the IS&#39; territorial acquisitions. &nbsp;

&quot;If we, for instance, take the case of the Khyber Agency in Pakistan where Lashkar-e-Islam was active long time ago, we see that nowadays most of IS fighters present in the neighbouring Afghan province of Nangarhar belonged to Lashkar-e-Islam,&quot; says Hussain.&nbsp;

Control of territory is probably the most appealing factor: Pakistani Taliban exercises control over certain areas of Pakistan, mainly on the Afghan border, but they are still a non-state actor. They have never succeeded in becoming &#39;the state&#39;.&nbsp;

&quot;The IS now an organised structure (in Pakistan). There are cells present in the north-west, in the east and in the south but an&nbsp;organised structure has been established in the border&nbsp;areas of Afghanistan. As far as the narrative is concerned, the individuals, the cells and the organised structure, the IS perhaps has enough presence in Pakistan,&quot; says Hussain.&nbsp;

The Islamic State is like a brand, anyone who is in line with its narrative can adopt it. Its central leadership often publicly recognises new affiliated groups, showing a capability of responding and addressing quickly to their global partners. In doing so, they normally do not impose their men from the centre, but rather rely on local networks. &nbsp;

&quot;The Islamic State adapts to the context. In Pakistan they have local members, speaking the local language&nbsp;and they know&nbsp;and follow&nbsp;local traditions,&quot; says&lrm; Ijaz Khan, counter-terrorism policy consultant and professor at the University of Peshawar. &quot;IS is the next level of Islamist extremism, it is the first strongly pan-Islamic organisation. Al-Qaida&nbsp;has definitely become secondary to them.&quot;&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/slide%203-20170223090807.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
The five deadliest terror attacks in Pakistan caused 345 victims. (WION)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

Fighters might not come from West Asia, but money does!&nbsp;

Every terrorist group needs to buy equipment, protection and must pay salaries. The Islamic State in Pakistan makes no exception.&nbsp;

&quot;Reports of individuals who belong to the Islamic State or who are very close to it tell us that a large part of the money is transferred from the base of IS in the Middle-East. These are not small amount of funds, one can assume that 40 per cent of this&nbsp;money comes from criminal activities like kidnapping and extortion,&quot; says Hussain.

&quot;There can be many ways to bring money to Pakistan, but perhaps one of the most common is through &quot;Hundis&quot;. This mode of transferring money is yet to be arrested completely in the country,&quot; Hussain adds.&nbsp;

Hundis are bills of exchange, widely used by emigrants to send back remittances. This system is very common in South Asia, it operates through family or community connections and relies on trusted middlemen working outside the official bank circuit. It does not leave any track, making it a perfect way to avoid taxation and questioning. &nbsp;

Even if Hundi is formally illegal in Pakistan, it is a consolidated and ancient tradition and people value its secrecy and velocity. The Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported that in 2015 &quot;as much as $15bn has been transacted through hundi and hawala in a year. The actual volume could actually be double the projected figure as reliable data is not available.&quot;&nbsp;

The tens of thousands Madrasas across the country could also play a role in funding terrorist activities.&nbsp;

&quot;There is also, perhaps, the probability that funds are transferred to Madrasas and from there they are channelled to IS cells. There have been reports of many madrasas in Pakistan, and even in Islamabad which has&nbsp;been accused of collecting money and then sending them to fighters,&quot; says Hussain.&nbsp;

Following and stopping the money will be way more effective than military actions. The problem is that it could also expose high profile individuals who got corrupted to cover ambiguous financial operations.&nbsp;

Organised force is not enough&nbsp;

 
After the recent<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-72-killed-in-blast-at-sufi-shrine-in-pakistan-12484"> Lal Shahbaz Qalandar Sufi shrine attack</a>, the Pakistani army launched a<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/after-attack-on-shrine-pak-army-says-over-100-terrorists-killed-12511"> large-scale offensive</a>. According to the military establishment, they killed more than 100 terrorists. There has been no&nbsp;attempt to verify this claim, nor to understand who was actually killed and the groups involved. &nbsp;

On February 22nd the army upscaled the game and launched operation<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-army-launches-nationwide-counter-terrorism-operation-12702"> Radd-ul-Fasaad</a>, with the aim of &quot;indiscriminately eliminating residual/latent threat of terrorism, consolidating gains of operations made thus far and further ensuring security of the borders.&rdquo;&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/slide%202-20170223090619.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Suicide attacks in Pakistan have been more deadly in 2016 than in 2015 (WION)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

The risk, once again, is that the Pakistani army and intelligence agencies will differentiate between good and bad terrorists attacking IS affiliated groups and not touching others. &nbsp;

This has always been a losing strategy and the many attacks which keep&nbsp;taking place in Pakistan provide strong evidence. According to the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) in 2016 there have been 441 terrorist attacks, claiming 908 lives. Despite a decline in the overall number of attacks, the PIPS report shows that &quot;the number of people killed by Taliban and other groups with similar objectives increased by over 10 per cent.&quot; The same seems to be happening in 2017: in less then two months five major attacks specifically directed against civilians killed at least 130 people.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/slide%201-20170223090251.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
2016 has seen a decrease in the overall number of terrorist attacks in Pakistan. (WION)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

&quot;States of the region should not look at a phenomenon of competing forces. They should not think that the IS is going to compete against Al Qaida or that the IS competes against the Afghan Taliban,&quot; says Khadim Hussain. &quot;All these organisations converge on few points: they all believe in the necessity to establish a global Khilafat (Caliphate). They also share the same opinion on what is called the &#39;clash of civilisations&#39;. They truly believe it is Islam versus the West. Finally they all agree on the fact that jihadism must be the mode of fighting for Islam,&quot; says Hussain.

The Islamic State functions like a brand, whoever is ready to embrace its ideology is considered an affiliate. A military defeat is necessary, but the difficult battle will be in countering <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/the-intimate-invitation-deciphering-the-ideological-appeal-of-the-islamic-state-12128">their theological and ideological</a> production which is&nbsp;currently&nbsp;global and very appealing.

&quot;The only solution for a long term dissolution of these terror networks is the construction of an alternative narrative. This has to happen alongside the use of force to destroy their bases&nbsp;and training camps and to cut out their supply routes,&quot; Hussain declares.&nbsp;

(WION)

The Islamic State has seamlessly integrated itself in Pakistan society

The Islamic State in Pakistan Since November 2016, the Islamic State has increased its activity in Pakistan. The terrorist organisation killed 144 citizens and injured more than 300, almost all of them innocent civilians. This is a worrying sign of the group's increased activity in the country. The Islamic State in Pakistan killed 144 people from November 2016 to February 2017. (WION) × "Several groups in the region have been engaged, one way or the other, by the Islamic State," says Khadim Hussain, a Pakistani author and counter-terrorism expert. "All these groups actually belong to the Pakistani Taliban. Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) established an organized cell of IS which was later acknowledged through a video message by Abu Bakr-al Baghdadi." TTP is the umbrella organisation where almost all Pakistan's terror groups converge. In 2014, The Express Tribune reported that a representative of the Islamic State visited the Balochistan-based terror group Jundallah whose spokesperson said the purpose of the visit was to assess the possibility for the Islamic State to establish a presence in Pakistan. The IS in Pakistan is not a foreign presence though. There is no relevant influx of militants abandoning West Asia's battlefields to start over in Pakistan. It is a local network made of groups who are unsatisfied with the Pakistani Taliban leadership and fascinated by the IS' territorial acquisitions. "If we, for instance, take the case of the Khyber Agency in Pakistan where Lashkar-e-Islam was active long time ago, we see that nowadays most of IS fighters present in the neighbouring Afghan province of Nangarhar belonged to Lashkar-e-Islam," says Hussain. Control of territory is probably the most appealing factor: Pakistani Taliban exercises control over certain areas of Pakistan, mainly on the Afghan border, but they are still a non-state actor. They have never succeeded in becoming 'the state'. "The IS now an organised structure (in Pakistan). There are cells present in the north-west, in the east and in the south but an organised structure has been established in the border areas of Afghanistan. As far as the narrative is concerned, the individuals, the cells and the organised structure, the IS perhaps has enough presence in Pakistan," says Hussain. The Islamic State is like a brand, anyone who is in line with its narrative can adopt it. Its central leadership often publicly recognises new affiliated groups, showing a capability of responding and addressing quickly to their global partners. In doing so, they normally do not impose their men from the centre, but rather rely on local networks. "The Islamic State adapts to the context. In Pakistan they have local members, speaking the local language and they know and follow local traditions," says‎ Ijaz Khan, counter-terrorism policy consultant and professor at the University of Peshawar. "IS is the next level of Islamist extremism, it is the first strongly pan-Islamic organisation. Al-Qaida has definitely become secondary to them." The five deadliest terror attacks in Pakistan caused 345 victims. (WION) × Fighters might not come from West Asia, but money does! Every terrorist group needs to buy equipment, protection and must pay salaries. The Islamic State in Pakistan makes no exception. "Reports of individuals who belong to the Islamic State or who are very close to it tell us that a large part of the money is transferred from the base of IS in the Middle-East. These are not small amount of funds, one can assume that 40 per cent of this money comes from criminal activities like kidnapping and extortion," says Hussain. "There can be many ways to bring money to Pakistan, but perhaps one of the most common is through "Hundis". This mode of transferring money is yet to be arrested completely in the country," Hussain adds. Hundis are bills of exchange, widely used by emigrants to send back remittances. This system is very common in South Asia, it operates through family or community connections and relies on trusted middlemen working outside the official bank circuit. It does not leave any track, making it a perfect way to avoid taxation and questioning. Even if Hundi is formally illegal in Pakistan, it is a consolidated and ancient tradition and people value its secrecy and velocity. The Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported that in 2015 "as much as $15bn has been transacted through hundi and hawala in a year. The actual volume could actually be double the projected figure as reliable data is not available." The tens of thousands Madrasas across the country could also play a role in funding terrorist activities. "There is also, perhaps, the probability that funds are transferred to Madrasas and from there they are channelled to IS cells. There have been reports of many madrasas in Pakistan, and even in Islamabad which has been accused of collecting money and then sending them to fighters," says Hussain. Following and stopping the money will be way more effective than military actions. The problem is that it could also expose high profile individuals who got corrupted to cover ambiguous financial operations. Organised force is not enough After the recent Lal Shahbaz Qalandar Sufi shrine attack, the Pakistani army launched a large-scale offensive. According to the military establishment, they killed more than 100 terrorists. There has been no attempt to verify this claim, nor to understand who was actually killed and the groups involved. On February 22nd the army upscaled the game and launched operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, with the aim of "indiscriminately eliminating residual/latent threat of terrorism, consolidating gains of operations made thus far and further ensuring security of the borders.” Suicide attacks in Pakistan have been more deadly in 2016 than in 2015 (WION) × The risk, once again, is that the Pakistani army and intelligence agencies will differentiate between good and bad terrorists attacking IS affiliated groups and not touching others. This has always been a losing strategy and the many attacks which keep taking place in Pakistan provide strong evidence. According to the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) in 2016 there have been 441 terrorist attacks, claiming 908 lives. Despite a decline in the overall number of attacks, the PIPS report shows that "the number of people killed by Taliban and other groups with similar objectives increased by over 10 per cent." The same seems to be happening in 2017: in less then two months five major attacks specifically directed against civilians killed at least 130 people. 2016 has seen a decrease in the overall number of terrorist attacks in Pakistan. (WION) × "States of the region should not look at a phenomenon of competing forces. They should not think that the IS is going to compete against Al Qaida or that the IS competes against the Afghan Taliban," says Khadim Hussain. "All these organisations converge on few points: they all believe in the necessity to establish a global Khilafat (Caliphate). They also share the same opinion on what is called the 'clash of civilisations'. They truly believe it is Islam versus the West. Finally they all agree on the fact that jihadism must be the mode of fighting for Islam," says Hussain. The Islamic State functions like a brand, whoever is ready to embrace its ideology is considered an affiliate. A military defeat is necessary, but the difficult battle will be in countering their theological and ideological production which is currently global and very appealing. "The only solution for a long term dissolution of these terror networks is the construction of an alternative narrative. This has to happen alongside the use of force to destroy their bases and training camps and to cut out their supply routes," Hussain declares. (WION)

Islamic State in Pakistan: 'Hundis' and extortion fuels terror network