'Pak Army using non-state actors like Difa-e-Pakistan to communicate'

Islamabad, Feb 13 (ANI): Many independent researchers and senior military officials believe that Difa-e-Pakistan is highlighting foreign policy issues, which the army command has historically dominated in Pakistan.

"Since the army cannot speak openly on these issues, it will use these non-state actors to communicate," The Express Tribune quoted Khaled Ahmed, a renowned journalist who has authored several research papers and a book on terrorism and sectarian violence in Pakistan, as saying.

Some senior military officials echoed his thoughts.

"Difa-e-Pakistan wants to tell us and anyone else who wants to use them that they are available. Their presence can be used to bargain with Americans," a military officer said.

When the group's leaders are asked about this, all deny any signal from the armed forces in starting this group, but their love for the military is quite evident.

"The army is the largest institution of this country, so it holds a lot of importance for us and we are willing to fight for them," Maulana Ahmed Ludhianvi, head of Ahl-e-Sunnat-wal-Jamaat (ASWJ), says.

Ahmed also said that the Arab public hate the Americans and have always been involved in using Pakistan as a proxy state. (ANI)