Forget Iran, This Is What We Should Worry About.

What if ISIS, the Islamic State, Daesh - call it what you will - becomes a serious presence in Pakistan?

Why should anyone worry about that?  Because, first, ISIS is already making inroads in Afghanistan and, second, a senior Pakistan army general says there's nothing to worry about, ISIS does not present a threat to Pakistan.

Corps Commander Lieutenant General Hidayat-ur-Rehman on Saturday said Middle Eastern terrorist group Daesh (also self-styled as the Islamic State) poses no threat to Pakistan.

Speaking to journalists alongside Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Mehtab Khan Abbasi, Gen Hidayat said there was no need to fret about Daesh or its potential emergence in the country.

“For us it’s just a change of name, and there is no need for Pakistanis to worry. There are several defections in the Taliban now, which are becoming part of Daesh. But we’re well aware of the situation and are able to tackle them effectively,” said the Peshawar Corps Commander.

Gen Hidayat rebuffed the perception that the terrorist group was silently spreading across the country, saying that the army and security forces were in control of the situation.

He added that security forces had been dealing with the Taliban for over 12 years, and Daesh was no different to the TTP.