THERE is no let-up in terrorist attacks of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in various parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP). On 25 July 2023, a police officer was martyred once he chased a suicide bomber who later blew himself inside a roadside mosque in the Khyber district of the KP. Earlier on 30 January 2023, a suicide bomber bombed a mosque in a highly securitized zone of Peshawar. The attack killed over 100 innocent people who were present in the mosque at the time of attack. The mosque was located in police headquarters, Peshawar, with an adjacent office of the CTD. Attacking the mosques has been a common phenomenon by TTP terrorists during the peak time of global war against terrorism. Indeed, TTP has stepped up its terror activities in Pakistan while using latest weaponry and war munitions including the surveillance system. Moreover, they seem more determined and focussed in their campaign to destabilize Pakistan. It is worth mentioning that there has been a gradual rise of militancy in Pakistan after the Taliban-led Interim Afghan Government took over the control of Afghanistan in August 2021.
Despite promises of Interim Taliban Administration, Afghan soil is being used by the TTP without any fear or stoppage. As per estimates, more than 6000 TTP militants are stationed in Afghanistan in various hideouts ever since military operations carried out against them in militancy-hit areas of KP and former FATA. These elements were in the control of the former Afghan Government under Ashraf Ghani and their militant activities were planned, directed and executed by Indian RAW and Afghan NDS. Nevertheless, with the US and NATO presence in Afghanistan, there have been some restrictions on the activities of TTP. After August 2021, TTP stands more active and well-organized in its terrorist attacks against Pakistan. Besides TTP, there have been elements of Daesh and some Baloch separatists who have been using Afghan soil for militancy within Pakistan.
A few months earlier, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFERL) revealed in a report that after the Taliban take-over of Afghanistan, TTP, Daesh and Baloch separatists gained control over the huge weapon and ammunition left by NATO and US forces. These militant organizations are using this modern weaponry against Pakistan in their acts of terrorism along Pak-Afghan border in former FATA areas and in the province of Balochistan. Pakistan has repeatedly asked the Interim Afghan Government (IAG) for a stoppage of militant attacks from Afghan soil. In fact, Pakistan firmly believes that, if IAG takes decisive steps to control TTP and other anti-Pakistan militant organizations, there will be no militancy in Pakistan. The spokesman of IAG, Zabiullah Mujahid, issued a statement saying the problem of the TTP belongs to Pakistan, not the Afghans. If they (TTP) try to use Afghan soil, we will not allow it. This was an ambiguous statement, contradicting the basic theme of the IAG. If TTP is an issue of Pakistan, then why the Taliban-led IAG is providing them hide-outs and shelter on Afghan soil. They are operating against Pakistan from Afghan soil which is directly ruled by IAG under Taliban.
Indeed, Afghanistan is a fraternal brother and Pakistan has no intent to indulge in blame-game with IAG, yet the ground realities cannot be ignored. RFERL reports that arms and ammunition left behind in Afghanistan by the US being used by TTP rejects Kabul’s claims that TTP is not using Afghan soil against Pakistan. Indeed, all activities of TTP are still planned and executed while using Afghan soil. Presence of TTP, Daesh (ISKP) and some Baloch separatist organizations on Afghan soil is a reality which Zabiullah Mujahid cannot deny. Moreover, they are allowed to undertake terrorism in Pakistan and come back to Afghanistan which cannot be possible with any abettor.
Among the entire region, Pakistan is the only country whose security situation has deteriorated after the take-over of Afghanistan by Taliban in August 2021. This is despite the fact that the Taliban take-over of Afghanistan was made possible because of hectic efforts made by Pakistan. It was Pakistan which brokered the negotiations between Taliban and the United States on the request of former US President Donald Trump. The process of pull-out and take-over was quite peaceful. Taliban did not face any resistance from any quarter within Afghanistan while they were taking over the war-torn state, two decades after expulsion of their regime. Even the former strong-hold of Northern Alliance ‘Mazār-i-Sharif’ fell to the Taliban without any protracted fight. This indicates that grounds were prepared for Taliban by former invaders which made everything possible for them except overt financial support. Covertly the platform of UNHCR is being used by the US for continued support of Afghan masses ever since August 2021.
In the last two years, Taliban militia, guarding the Pak-Afghan border, repeatedly disrupted the process of security fencing, undertaken by Pak Army. They even removed the fence from a number of places along Pak-Afghan border which cannot be considered as incident, rather these repeated acts were well-planned and Taliban regime as Taliban Defence Ministry spokesman Enayatullah Khwarazmi once issued a statement saying that Taliban forces stopped the Pakistani military from erecting an “illegal” border fence along the eastern province of Nangarhar’. Besides, there are repeated militant attacks from Afghan soil to Pakistani military posts and even civilian population.
Attacking the mosques and killing the worshippers is an indication that the TTP is also anti-Islam besides being anti-Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan must formulate a comprehensive response against the terrorism of TTP and its splinter groups. In order to safeguard against terrorist attacks of TTP and other terrorist organizations, the Government of Pakistan must chalk-out a comprehensive national response at three levels: (a) launching of an awareness campaign among masses for their vigilance, (b) strengthening the surveillance system to monitor the activities, routes, linkages and hide-outs of terrorists and (c) Quick Response (timely combating) the attacks of terrorists before they cause human or material losses.
— The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
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