The increasing news of the emergence of ISIS in Afghanistan is adding to the concern of many. In some of the provinces, like Helmand, Badakhshan, Kapisa and some others, some criminal acts have been done on the name of ISIS. A number of months before, the literature was distributed in Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan and in areas bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan in which people were invited to join ISIS and take practical part in Jihad. After that, there has been silence in this regard.

In the same way, lot many things can be found on internet and social networking sites. In Facebook and Youtube, so many videos and pictures can be found where people are found to be talking in favor and against ISIS. It simply means that there are efforts being made to establish grounds for the existence of this group on Afghan soil as well. But before doing so, it can be called the strategy of the group to work on the minds of people so that people should be willing to accept it when it emerges in reality.

The case of ISIS is not like that of Taliban. Though Taliban are considered against the state and masses but this perception mostly stays valid in the major cities of the country but in remote areas and villages, they still enjoy the support of a mass population. It is also on record that almost all the suicide and other terror attacks of Taliban were carried out in cities and in a sense, Taliban have not inflicted any kind of harm to people living in villages or remote areas. In the same way, the public awareness due to their increased access to internet and media is not available to the people living in villages due to which the level of hate and opposition against Taliban found in cities, cannot be expected in remote areas. The next important factor is the religious root of Taliban according to which they are considered to be pious people who are working for the promotion of religion and protect the faith of the people of country from any kind of foreign invasions and occupations. In such circumstances, Taliban still have a good hold in remote areas and as claimed by international forces, they are getting majority of their financial and moral support from the rural areas of the country.

However, in fact, there has not been found any clear evidence of the emergence of ISIS in Afghanistan. Till now, it is not confirmed as if the terror acts carried by certain groups actually had any link with ISIS or they were trying to draw increased media attention by using the name of ISIS. In the same way, it might be their strategy to terrorize people in the area and increasing their influence on other groups by claiming their association with a group that is more dangerous and organized comparing to other terror organizations functioning in the country. It is similar to many situations when criminal groups or even big business groups use the name of Taliban for their own commercial benefits. In the same way, a number of criminal groups carry out their activities in the name of Taliban as this is the safest way to avoid legal or judicial complications and investigations.

It is unanimously accepted that ISIS is one of the worst forms of radicalism and extremism and its only purpose of existence appears to be destruction. It is the reason why, it has not gained the acceptance among the majority of public and they don’t accept them as representative of the Muslims which they keep claiming. The videos and photos being circulated in the social networking sites like Facebook, Youtube and others have given birth to a kind of perception where people find this extremist group not parallel with the teachings and true identity of Islam. The reports that the group was founded by a number of international players of the world to meet their objectives and it is still funded by some international powers have made people reserved and concerned about this militant group. Its acts of terrorism and mass genocide and mass destruction of the shrines and other holy sites of Islamic saints and elders have added to the public anger against them. However, the group acquired for itself the name of ‘Islamic State’ and then ‘Islamic Caliphate’ to win the support of the large number of Muslims of the region. This tactic is not new that many groups use the name of Islam in order to bring about their own dangerous ambitions.

In the presence of such facts, it is of no surprise that the intellectual class and the majority of the educated members of almost every society are against this group. This is the case in the urban areas and cities of our country but it is not necessary to be the case with the villagers and dwellers of far-flung remote areas who have very less access to the actual sources of news and information. At the same time, they are under the strong influence of the local religious scholars who become much emotional with such bombastic claims as made by ISIS. There are reports that majority of the religious scholars of the remote areas are very much impressed from the motto of ISIS and they are much delighted that long-awaited and ideal caliphate of Islam has been established in Iraq and Syria and they feel their religious duty to put their share in their religiously important work. It is the reason why, they not only rear a soft corner for the group but they are also increasing the public acceptance of the group.

In the light of above facts, any kind of activity of ISIS to increase its influence in the region would be successful in the remote and far flung areas of the country. ISIS would never dare to initiate any such campaign in cities where civil society and media is much aware and educated people are also able to distinguish between the good and the bad. Similarly, the security forces are also alert and active enough to get into action against any such propaganda group. However, in the villages and remote areas, the situation is absolutely different. There, public awareness is very low and people blindly believe in and follow the sayings of religious scholars who can easily become the victims of the shining image of ISIS. Similarly, the security forces are not so strong in these areas that they should be able to take any action against any local or foreign group that should be busy in propagation of ISIS.

If this propagation is left unnoticed, it would provide our foreign enemies with a golden opportunity to hire more and more people in the name of Islamic caliphate to destabilize the country and disrupt the general order and security in the country. Most definitely, when these motivated youngsters, being under the strong spell of the magic of ISIS, will not be able to reach Iraq and Syria to join their fellows, would definitely open a line of terror acts against our security forces. In this way, our enemies would be able to meet their objective of keeping the country backward.

However, it remains a fact that in absence of financial support, strategic link with its foreign masters and lack of support by people would not make happen the emergence of ISIS on Afghan soil. It is a relieving factor that this menace is only a part of international propaganda and we need not to be much afraid of this.