A leading Pakistani newspaper has warned that Taliban fighters injured in Afghanistan are returning for medical treatment and recuperation in Kharotabad, a suburb of Quetta, the capital of Pakistan's Baluchistan province. The Pakistani Taliban are also using Kharotabad as a safe haven.
Quetta has long been known as the safe haven of the Taliban fighters returning from the battlefields in Afghanistan. The Shura (executive council) of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban's shadow government) is known as "Quetta Shura" because it is believed that the Taliban leadership led by Mullah Muhammad Omar is sheltered by the Pakistan intelligence in the provincial capital.
The two factions of religious-political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam – JUI-F and JUI-Ideological – are influential in the region, and are known to have nurtured a generation of the Taliban in the surroundings of Quetta. The two parties are also accused of training Taliban fighters to wage jihad in Afghanistan.
Following are excerpts from the report:[1]
"Taliban Fighters Return from War Fronts in Afghanistan and Rent Out Dozens of Residential Accommodations in This Vicinity"
"People in Kharotabad are living in constant fear of possible drone attacks in their neighborhood, considering that over the past six months, the Afghan and local Taliban seemed to covet this part of Quetta as a veritable 'vacation spot.'
"Every four months, Taliban fighters return from war fronts in Afghanistan and rent out dozens of residential accommodations in this vicinity… Their presence is becoming a major concern for people living in adjoining areas, especially because this is the same area where the U.S. alleges the Quetta Shura is hiding out.
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"A few madrassas in Kharotabad are also providing 'free' accommodation to these militants. They move freely as if to defy invisible observers, who they think are keeping a watch over them, making it obvious to them that Kharotabad is a safe haven for the Taliban."
"Students from Religious Seminaries in the [Baluchistan] Province are Being Recruited for the Afghan Taliban Movement, a Dime a Dozen"
"Students from religious seminaries in the [Baluchistan] province are being recruited for the Afghan Taliban movement, a dime a dozen. They are reportedly 'trained for jihad' in Afghanistan by Afghan 'commanders,' before they are sent on designated terror missions.
"At least six to eight new, unarmed recruits leave Kuchlak Bazar, located near Quetta, on brand new 75CC motorbikes every morning, headed towards Afghanistan. They are… told to avoid travelling on main highways to dodge security forces and instead take lesser known mountainous routes via Kuchlak to Qamar Din Karez town on the Pak-Afghan border.
"They also avoid travelling in groups – two persons per motorbike. They are also given 5,000 Pakistani Rupees [$55] each, in addition to sufficient money for fuel. A majority of these boys join the Taliban with their parents' consent, while many others embark on this 'holy mission' without the knowledge of their guardians."
"The Afghan and Local Taliban… Wounded During Their Missions in Afghanistan are Reportedly Receiving Free Medical Treatment at Five Prominent Private Hospitals"
"The ideology faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), led by… [Pakistani lawmaker] Maulana Esmatullah and his party members, is a motivating force for these young students of Baluchistan. Mullah Omar's messages to people in Pakistan and other parts of the world are also sent through Kandahar to Quetta….
"The Afghan and local Taliban who are wounded during their missions in Afghanistan are reportedly receiving free medical treatment at five prominent private hospitals [of Kharotabad-Quetta], a majority of which are situated on the Airport Road.
"The administration at these hospitals told The Express Tribune that an international NGO of world repute funds their medical care. 'We are being paid by this NGO for the medical care being provided to the wounded or sick Taliban militants,' the administrator at Dr. Abdul Khaliq Memorial Hospital alleged.
"The NGO does not allow the police or intelligence agencies access to these 'under-treatment' Taliban. The NGO puts up a 'don't know' front. 'We have not set up any field hospitals in Baluchistan to provide medical assistance to the Afghan Taliban or other militants,' the NGO's head of sub-delegation told The Express Tribune.
"However, he said, the NGO is supporting three private hospitals in Quetta for providing medical assistance to wounded people. 'Doctors at Ikram Hospital and Imdad Hospital are providing medical assistance to people injured in bomb blasts, firing incidents, and other forms of violence.'
"Hundreds of patients, mostly Afghans, receive treatment at these private hospitals in the provincial capital, he added."
[1] The Express Tribune (Pakistan), October 17, 2011. The text of the report has been lightly edited for clarity.
