The close relationship between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan began as early as the administration of Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. According to a recently-released CIA report, in 1975 Bhutto had “obtained assurances of generous aid from Saudi Arabia” during a state visit. In exchange for such support, Pakistan “furnished military technicians and advisers to the armed forces of Saudi Arabia”. Other CIA documents reveal that during Gen. Zia-ul Haq’s military dictatorship, Pakistan viewed the Soviet presence in Afghanistan starting 1979 as an existential threat. So Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency was more than enthusiastic about training Pashtun mujahideen to fight against the Soviets with Saudi and US assistance. Saudi officials naturally garnered greater respect from the Pakistani officers than their American counterparts due to the revered status of the Kingdom as caretaker of the two holiest sites in Islam. The US also underestimated the extent to which Pakistani officers would develop sympathies for the militants they spent years training.

Draining the blood to the fount remains at the core of the Indian offensive and defensive strategy on Kashmir. Unfortunately, the appointment of Dineshwar Sharma as Kashmir interlocutor has hindered and slowed down the NIA probe and taking the same to its logical culmination. The February NIA chargesheet hasn’t seen much action thereafter, but with Governor’s Rule now in place, renewed aggression may manifest itself. As many as 12 people were chargesheeted, including linchpins of the terror factory and aides of several prominent separatists including the troika Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik. It also included Syed Geelani’s son-in-law Altaf Ahmad Shah, alias Fantoosh, and Farooq Ahmad Dar, alias Bitta Karate.

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