Pakistani intelligence agents deployed in Afghanistan's Nuristan province

Nuristan....Nuristan.....I seem to recall reports from a year or two ago that LeT had returned to Afghanistan in a big way, and were burrowing into Nuristan.  I'm in too foul a mood to dig up the reports.  Yet I do recall thinking at the time that wherever LeT was, Pakistan's ISI was not far away. However, the following report names a Pakistani military intelligence agency or branch that I don't recall hearing about before.

If it's a new branch -- this is what they do. They tell the U.S. that cross their heart, they're reforming the ISI. Then they set up another shadow bureau for purposes of deception and denial.  Then U.S. officials say, 'We have no evidence of any connections between this bureau and terrorist activity.' By the time they do have evidence, Pakistan's leaders cross their heart again, set up another bureau, and so it goes, round and round.

Not that the State Department cares, mind you. When you point out to them that they're not helping the vast majority of Pakistanis by trying to prop up the country's civilian government and military, they look at you like you're daft.  Their job is not to play Mommie and Daddie.

I get that part, but I wonder when State will notice they're dealing with a ghost -- the ghost of the greatness of the Mogul Empire, which was propped up first by the British Raj and then by America's government, with the IMF-World Bank shouldering much of the load by the 1970s. The result of all this propping up, you see today:  the horror that is modern Pakistan. 

Sometimes I want to shake members of the American government and say, "Wake up."  

That would be no use. They'd just look at me blankly and reply they're trying to stop Pakistan's nukes from falling into the hands of terrorists.

They don't get it.  You can't reform a ghost. You can't save a ghost, nor can you kill it. All you can do is convey to the ghost that by clinging to you it can't regain life.  You convey this by not letting the ghost get a rise out of you. 

So if the nukes are at risk of falling into the wrong hands, well, the world has to end some way, then turn the conversation to cricket scores and the weather.  No matter what they ask of you, always say yes, then don't do anything.  Above all, don't stand around arguing with them or praising or blaming them, and don't point the finger of shame at them.  It doesn't get nuttier than a government trying to shame a ghost.

The lore about real ghosts is that when they learn they can't get a rise out of the living, they finally turn to The Light and depart this realm. In the same manner, the Pakistanis will reform themselves once they abandon the illusion that they can live in a time that longer exists.  They are not inclined to abandon the illusion as long as foreign governments hover over them and say, 'Tell us where it hurts.'

But how many times have I made this point on my blog?  A hundred?  Two hundred?  I'm getting damn tired of finding different ways to say the same damn thing.  Now where was I? Nuristan.

Pakistani intelligence agents deployed in Nuristan province
By Sajad
September 4, 2012
Khaama Press [Afghanistan]

Local authorities in eastern Nuristan province of Afghanistan expressed concerns regarding the infiltration of Pakistani intelligence officers among the anti-government armed militant groups in this province.

Nuristan provincial security chief Gen. Ghulamullah said around 50 Pakistani intelligence officers armed with heavy and light weapons have entered Kamdish and Barg-e-Matal districts.

Mr. Ghulamullah further added based on the preliminary investigation reports the ISI agents have been based in Mehrdish, Bazgul and Batigul areas in Kamdish districts and are in negotiations with the anti-government armed militant groups in order to launch deadly coordinated attacks in the areas which are under the control of the Afghan government.

He said majority of the Pakistani intelligence agents have disguised themselves in local clothings.

Majority of the Pakistani intelligence agents who have entered Kamdish district belong to Pakistani military intelligence known as Markali based in Chitral Pakistan, Ghulamulah provincial security chief said adding that the intelligence agents are coordinating with the militants groups in Kamdish and Barg-e-Matal districts.

Nuristan province is located in eastern Afghanistan which borders volatile regions of Pakistan bordering regions specifically Chitral. Nuristan province has recently witnessed deadly clashes among the Afghan security forces and Afghan security forces.

This comes as a major military operation was launched in Kamdish district earlier this year where militants suffered heavy casualties, Kamdish district Mohammad Tamim Nuristani said.

In the meantime Ghulamullah provincial security chief of Nuristan province said Pakistani intelligence agents are commuting in Kamdish district during the past 2 months.  He said Afghan security forces are prepared to defend militants attacks however he urged that more security forces should be deployed in the area in order to prevent major attacks by militants.