The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan is planning to bring other like-minded militant groups to fight under its banner, however, there is no outcome of the efforts as yet. All these different groups are united to carry out their terrorist attacks in Pakistan. One may see this as a loose alliance of militants. A number of militant outfits are active but limited to their respective native areas.
What could this mean for Pakistan in coming months? Reports are coming that the TTP is in negotiation with the Hafiz Gul Bahadur led militant group to be part of TTP, but it is not yet materialized. Hafiz Gul Bahadur group has been active in North Waziristan tribal district, mostly backed by the Wazir tribe. Gul Bahadur along with his supporters and their families have been living in Afghanistan since 2014.
The Hafiz group has been active in carrying out terrorist attacks in North Waziristan, once a hub of terrorist groups. His group remained as host of some international terrorist groups.
He was seen as a hurdle in the way of launching military operations in North Waziristan. He had used his tribal influence and assured the then government to ensure peace in the region. However, he could not keep his words to have peace in the area.
People familiar with the developments of the militant groups say it seems difficult for the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group to be merged into the banned TTP as Gul Bahadur wants his separate identity, which he had been carrying before the formation of TTP. Hafiz Gul Bahadur had never been part of the TTP, and this seems to be an issue for the merger now.
The TTP has been in alliance with the Hafiz group in North Waziristan, and Lashkar-i-Islam group of Khyber district. Like other groups Lashkar-i-Islam commanders are said to be living across the border. The group is involved in terrorist activities in the Khyber district, and rural parts of Peshawar.
Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JUA), a Mohmand based group, has already been merged with the TTP, but JUA could break away anytime as its commanders have been keeping their activities separate from the central TTP. Several weeks back, it was JUA commanders decided to break away, but the issue seems resolved for time being.
The central TTP leadership is in the hands of Mehsud tribe of South Waziristan as the group was formed almost two decades ago. The group has started turning against Pakistan.
The Pakistani militant groups once defeated by the security forces in several military operations have been reemerged since the Afghan Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021.
Pakistan has been repeatedly asking the Afghan Taliban leadership of cross border infiltration of the terrorists from the Afghan side of the border, which was flatly denied by the Taliban. Islamabad has claimed to have provided substantial evidence to the Kabul about the misuse of the Afghan siol by these terrorist groups.
Four years ago, the Afghan Taliban signed a peace deal with the US led Nato alliance, pledging the international community that it would not allow any terrorist groups to use the land of Afghanistan against any country. However, the US and UN have reported that global militant groups have been regrouping in Afghanistan.
Pakistan permanent representative to the UN Ambassador Munir Akram in his recent remarks in the UN security council meeting called upon the UN and International community to use their influence on the Afghan Taliban to cut-off ties with the Pakistani Taliban- TTP and other affiliated groups. It was an assertion by Pakistan at the highest level that the TTP and other militant groups have been using the Afghan soil against Pakistan.
Reports from Afghanistan revealed Pakistani militants have been living inside Afghanistan from where deadly attacks on Pakistan have been executing. Not only Pakistani militants but some Afghan nationals were also found in the recent high level attacks on the security forces inside Pakistan.
These militant groups have been in a loose alliance and efforts are underway to merge them into the TTP. Some foreign militants are also reportedly joining these groups that could cause a serious threat to the regional as well as to the internal peace. The international community should not repeat the mistake it made in the 1990s to let the global jihadi groups reorganize.
Pakistan has asked the UN to investigate the reports and help Pakistan in fighting the menace of terrorism. The world should engage Kabul to cope with the growing security threat from Afghanistan. A regional and international approach should be adopted to have lasting peace in the region.
The Afghan Taliban has been denying any role or support for the Pakistani militants, however, the TTP leadership has been publicly admitting that it has been showing allegiance to the Afghan Taliban leadership. In a recent interview, Mufti Noor Wali, the chief of the banned TTP, said he has held meetings with the leaders of the Afghan Taliban.
In the recent attacks on the security forces in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, latest modern weapons were used by the militants. Pakistan has been raising the issue as to how the militants have been getting such high tech modern weapons. It was suspected that the militants have been getting the leftover weapons by the US led coalition in Afghanistan.
The newly elected government of Pakistan will take up this issue with the Afghan Interim government, regional and international community to resolve this issue.
Security situation is one of the serious challenges for Pakistan’s newly elected government. The government formation is in the final stages. Once the government is fully functional it will look into the challenges ahead. The policy makers are well aware of the developments and reorganization of the militant groups, and will come up with a comprehensive plan to tackle the growing threat politically and militarily.
Pakistan is focusing on severing the ties of the Afghanistan interim government with the Pakistani militant groups, as this could help contain the rising terrorist threat. This intentional or unintentional support is serving none, but will destabilize the whole region.
This intentional or unintentional support is serving none, but will destabilize the whole region.
