Ehsan led both groups' media campaigns, becoming a household name as the Islamist militants claimed responsibility for mass bombings and attacks that wrought chaos on Pakistan. In his first appearance since it was announced last week he had surrendered, Ehsan said India's intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Afghanistan's NDS provided extensive help to the Pakistani Taliban or TTP.
Ehsan said "relations with NDS and RAW grew" after Pakistan's military launched a major military campaign against the Taliban in their strongholds in North Waziristan in 2014, forcing the militants to flee across the border to Afghanistan. "They supported (TTP), extending financial assistance and they also gave targets, and for each attack (TTP) charged a price," Ehsan said in the video, which shows him wearing a traditional shalwar kamiz outfit with a Pashtun flat cap.
Reuters and other media have not been able to obtain access to Ehsan or verify his claims. The Pakistani Taliban could not be reached for comment. A senior Afghanistan security official dismissed Ehsan's comments as spin by Pakistan. Ehsan said another way Afghanistan's NDS agency helped the Pakistani Taliban was by providing militants with identity cards to ease their movement inside Afghanistan. "Their movement used to take place with the blessing of NDS and Afghan forces," Ehsan said during the 6-minute video.
BR staff reporter adds: In his confession before security forces, Ehsanullah Ehsan said when they moved to Afghanistan from North Waziristan, he saw that Taliban leadership fostered relations with the Indian agency RAW that financed Taliban and even gave targets. In return, the Taliban received reward of every action in Pakistan. They left fighters to face Pakistan Army while they themselves sought refuge in safe hideouts.
"When the TTP started taking Indian and NDS funds, I told Khurasani that this way we are supporting Kuffars (infidels) by killing our own people. He (Khurasani) replied that for the sake of terrorism in Pakistan, he will even accept aid from Israel," he said. Ehsanullah said that internal disputes for leadership raged within Taliban ranks after Pakistan Army launched operation in the tribal areas. Umar Khalid Khurasani, Khan Syed Sajna and Mullah Fazlullah were in the run. Their Shura (core committee) decided to hold draw that led to election of Fazlullah. "I want to give a message to all social media users to be aware of their [Taliban's] propaganda. They are playing in the hands of others... these were the reasons behind my surrender to Pakistan Army," he concluded. Later, Director General Asif Ghafoor tweeted that Ehsanullah Ehsan has exposed enemy's hostile agenda and designs to destabilise Pakistan. He said, "Our youth is our strength and they shall never fall a prey to the designs of the enemy."
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017
Copyright Reuters, 2017