Resurrgence of TTP

Written by Shabbir Butt

At the dawn of new year large number of Pakistanis are fearful of TTP resurgence as they have ramped up their terrorist attacks on security forces coupled with cross border attacks  and threats to civillians demanding from them extortion money in KPK and other parts of the country in the name of donations.

 A ceasefire between TTP and Pakistani Government came into effect in November 2021  brokered by Afghan Taliban with whom TTP has ideological affinity, who rose to power after ousting US led forces from Afghanistan.

TTP ended ceasefire unilaterally in November 2022 and  announced to carry out attacks in all parts of the country.

 Experts well aware of Pakistani tribal areas and TTP mindset were already skeptical of anything positive out of ceasefire agreed upon between TTP and Pakistani Government.

Courtesy Dawn News

Recent hostage incident of CTD Police Station in Bannu Cantonement from 19 to 21 Dec, suicidal attack in ICT on 23 Dec 2022 and martyrdom of two ISI spies of Multan region in Khanewal  on 3 January 2023 speaks loudly about the spike in terrorist attacks. In total TTP carried out nearly 200 terrorist attacks mostly against LEAs in 2022.

NSC Meeting 

National Security Committee, the highest body of civil-military leadership dealing with security matters, firmly reiterated that no compromise will be shown on nation's security and full writ of the Government will be maintained in every inch of the country.

TTP's Explicit Threat to Political Parties

Two days after the meeting of NSC, the spokesperson of TTP, also known as Pakistani Taliban having linkages with AfghanTaliban, threatened PML n and PPP top leadership of dire consequences if they stand firm to their stance against TTP.

 

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif

On 3 Jan 2023 while talking to private media channel Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that Afghanistan's soil is being used by terrorists to launch attacks on Pakistani soil which was promptly rejected by Taliban.

NACTA Report 

  NACTA in its report told that TTP employed negotiations as distraction tool to regain energy from the loss inflicted by Pakistani Army operations and internal differences/strifes. However Pakistani government worked with them in good faith but TTP's attitude was insincere.

Who is TTP?

Tehrek e Taliban Pakistan was  formed in year 2007 by Pakistani Jihadist Baitullah Mehsood who assisted Afghan Taliban from 2001 to 2021. TTP is not part of Afghan Taliban but has ideological affinity with them and pledged allegiance to them openly. Both organisations have separate tasks and command structures.

As soon Pakistan became part of US led coalition forces after 9/11 attacks, TTP started attacking Pakistani security forces and innocent citizens.

TTP has launched bloodiest attacks inside Pakistan causing millions of deaths. One of the heinous attack was carried out by TTP is December 2014 APS Peshawar attack in which 134 innocent children and teachers lost their lives. 

In November 2021 a ceasefire came into effect  between Pkistani Government and TTP, brokered by Afghan Taliban who gained power in Afghanistan after ousting US and allied forces after a long bloody war. During ceasefire negotiations were held but to no avail as Pakistani Government was unable to meet their demands like merger if erstwhile FATA, reduction in Army presence in tribal area adjacent with Afghan border.

During ceasefire period TTP reunited itself under leadership of Nurullah Mehsood, who became Ameer of TTP in 2018, and disgruntled elements alongwith violent nationalist joining hands with TTP creating more problems for the government.

TTP's stronghold was tribal area of  South Waziristan where they switch over to Afghanistan's adjacent border provinces in hard times.

TTP Demands

As per Dr Rustam Shah former diplomat to Afghanistan, TTP have put following demands.

1.Want resolution of missing persons 

2. Compensation for losses inflicted by Pak Army during military operations 

3. Reversal of FATA merger

4. Reduction in military presence in erstwhile tribal area adjacent with Adghanistan.

Reasons of Resurrgence of TTP

1. Pakistan and Afghan Taliban are ideologically on same page as well as their belief is concerned.

2. Pakistani Taliban fought shoulder to shoulder with Afghan Taliban against world super power US and allied forces in a long bloody war in Afghanistan and emerged victrious, this thing boosted the morale of Pakistani Taliban.

3. Pakistani and Afghani Taliban have same interpretation of jihad.

4. Internal strife and division in TTP's ranks weekend his strength. Mufti Noor Wali Mehsood after becoming Ameer of TTP reunited various factions under his command and stand TTP as a potent force during ceasefire period. 

5. Successive governments of Imran Khan and Mian Shahbaz Sharif pay less heed towards TTP resultantly different factions of TTP reunited.

6. Presence of sleepers cells in different parts of the country having soft corner for TTP.

7. Huge chunk of sophisticated arms cache left behind by US, taken over Taliban.

Conclusion 

1. Pakistan should start a full-fledged and well thought out operation against TTP and its affiliates to wipe them out from Pakistani soil as did Sri Lanka in the case of LTTE.

2. Option of negotiations be kept open with TTP within the ambit of law without compromising the rights of people.

3. All stakeholders should sit together to devise a meaningful policy to tackle the mencae of TTP properly approved by the parliament as well as incorporation of local tribes of erstwhile FATA.

4. A comprehensive awareness campaign be launched among the masses against TTP's heinous crimes and his source of funding be closed once for all.

5. TTP sympathisers be wiped out from every nook and corner of the country to end all kind of support to them.

6. Drone technology be employed to destroy TTP as did US to kill the leadership of TTP and other hostile forces.

7. LEAs be trained on modern lines to appropriately fight with TTP till to logical end.

8. Political and economic stability be ensured as TTP utilities this vacuum to assert pressure on the government.

9. Afghan Taliban government be reminded them their pledge which they made during Doha agreement that Afghan soil will not be used against any country for waging murderous attacks and creating unrest.

10.A thorough study be carried out that why people are inclined towards banned outfits for recruitment.