The 35th report presented to the Security Council by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team of UN has vindicated and corroborated Pakistan’s narrative regarding Afghan Taliban’s continued logistical and operational support as well as financial assistance to TTP bolstering its capacity to sustain its activities. Perhaps, it would be pertinent to look at all the revelations made in the report.
The report reveals, “TTP launched 600 terrorist attacks within Pakistan from 1 July to 31st December 2024, TTP leader Noor Wali Mehsud receives around $ 43000 per month from the Afghan Taliban, TTP has established new training centres in Kunar, Nangarhar, Khost and Paktika provinces while enhancing recruitment, including from within the Afghan Taliban’s ranks, TTP has an increased collaboration with Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups leading to enhancement in its operational capability.
These organization are conducting attacks under the banner of Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan; BLA through its Majeed Brigade which maintains connections with TTP, IS-K and ETIM/TIP has executed several high-casualty attacks across south-western Pakistan including in Awaran, Panjgur and Dalbandin during the reported period, the emerging nexus between BLA which traditionally pursues ethno-nationalist objectives and religiously inspired TTP indicates a strategic convergence of interests, the enhanced cooperation among these terrorist groups, including provision of suicide bombers and fighters and ideological guidance could transform TTP into an “extra-regional threat” and potentially an umbrella organization for other terrorist factions operating in South Asia.
The report also notes that in the backdrop of the enhanced terrorist attack Pakistan has intensified military operations targeting TTP hide-outs across Afghan border particularly in Paktia and Khost and also pursued diplomatic engagement by sending delegations to Kabul to urge the Afghan Taliban to take action against TTP sanctuaries. But Afghan authorities have remained reluctant proposing mediation rather than decisive measures against TTP leading to diplomatic impasse. The report at the same time acknowledges that Pakistan has dealt a significant setback to IS-K efforts to establish its network in Pakistan by arresting three high-profile operatives. This particular revelation strongly refutes the accusation by the Afghan Taliban that Pakistan was using IS-K as a proxy.
The report undoubtedly portrays an alarming situation and a grave threat to the regional peace emanating from cooperation between the terrorist groups based in Afghanistan with active support of the Afghan Government. If we compare the first Taliban regime with their current rule there seems hardly any difference between the two. It also indicates that the international community was mistaken in trusting the Taliban government and believing that they would behave sensibly in the new setting.
Pakistan has always maintained a sympathetic posture towards the Taliban. It was among the three countries which extended diplomatic recognition to the first Taliban Government while the entire world treated them a pariah. Pakistan has been hosting more than three million Afghan refugees for the last four decades. After the toppling of the Taliban Government by the US in the backdrop of 9/11 and the fighting which erupted between the US-NATO forces and Taliban it persistently made efforts at the bilateral and multilateral forums to find an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned solution to the conflict and finally also played a pivotal role in facilitating agreement between the Taliban and the US.
With the kind of support that the Taliban received from Pakistan they should have refrained from supporting TTP and providing sanctuaries to them on the Afghan soil for launching terrorist attacks in Pakistan to repay the debt that they owned to the former. But regrettably, they have adopted a hostile posture towards Pakistan in complete breach of their commitment to the international community not to allow any terrorist entity to use Afghan territory for terrorist attacks on any other country. The Afghan Taliban need to realize that the course chosen by them is fraught with great dangers to the regional peace as well security within Afghanistan itself. The instability that it creates will severely undermine Afghanistan’s own chances to rebuild its devastated economy and bringing peace in the country which they owe to the Afghan people. They need international support for rebuilding the country and putting it on the path of sustained economic development. That support is only possible when they fulfil their pledges made to the international community and also enshrined in the agreement between them and the US.
The regional countries including China, Pakistan and Russia are inclined to help the rebuilding process in Afghanistan provided the Taliban regime takes steps to win international recognition facilitating the regional countries to play a constructive role in this regard. Afghanistan belongs to this region. Its economic progress and security is inextricably linked to this region. Geographic realities cannot be changed. Therefore, the Taliban need to recognize these realities and try to normalize relations with its neighbours, including Pakistan and join the efforts for shared economic prosperity waiting to be translated into reality. The pivot of the shared regional prosperity is peace within Afghanistan and cordial relations with the regional countries. It was time that the Afghan Taliban abandoned their support to the terrorist groups, including TTP, and did not allow them to use its territory for carrying out terrorist attacks on other countries, particularly Pakistan. It is in their best interest.
The writer is a contributing columnist based in Islamabad.
(ashpak10@gmail.com)
