The intelligence agencies apprehend that Al Qaeda's recent statement on global jihad that included Kashmir, was made on the behest of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). A day after the last contingent of the US army left Afghanistan in the intervening night of August 30-31, the Al Qaeda issued a statement in which it called for "a global jihad to liberate Islamic lands" including Kashmir.

Congratulating the Taliban for taking full control of the country after the US exit, the Al-Qaeda said, "Liberate the Levant, Somalia, Yemen, Kashmir and the rest of the Islamic lands from the clutches of the enemies of Islam. O' Allah! Grant freedom to Muslim prisoners across the world." The inclusion of Kashmir was quite alarming as it was never on the agenda of the Taliban in the past, the sources said, adding that this will boost the morale of terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen based in Pakistan.