![A burned-out vehicle is seen at the site of a suicide attack that targeted a police truck in the Pakistani city of Quetta last November 30. Three people were killed and 23 injured in the attack, claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). [Banaras Khan/AFP]](/cnmi_st/images/2023/10/02/44329-Quetta-terror-attack-739_416.webp)
KABUL -- The uptick in the number of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacks in Pakistan -- made easier by the group's safe havens in Afghanistan -- is continuing to strain the relationship between Kabul and Islamabad.
Speaking at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York on September 22, caretaker Pakistani Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said Pakistan's priority is to suppress terrorist groups that launch or plan attacks from Afghanistan.
"Pakistan's first priority is to prevent and counter all terrorism from and within Afghanistan," Kakar said during the assembly's 78th session.
"Pakistan condemns the cross-border terrorist attacks against Pakistan by the TTP, the 'Islamic State of Iraq and Syria' (ISIS) and other groups operating from Afghanistan," he added.
![Pakistani caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar addresses the 78th UN General Assembly in New York on September 22. [Bryan R. Smith/AFP]](/cnmi_st/images/2023/10/02/44330-pakistan-pm-un-739_416.webp)
Pakistani caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar addresses the 78th UN General Assembly in New York on September 22. [Bryan R. Smith/AFP]
Kakar called for the cessation of TTP activities in Afghanistan.
"We have sought Kabul's support and cooperation to prevent these attacks," he said. "However, we are also taking necessary measures to end this externally encouraged terrorism."
Pakistani civilian and military officials have expressed concerns about TTP's presence in Afghanistan, its attacks staged from Afghan soil and its threat to Pakistan and the wider region.
TTP in Afghanistan
Many TTP commanders and fighters are present in Afghanistan and plan some of their attacks from Afghan soil, Afghan analysts said.
Their presence has a detrimental impact on the Afghan population and results in Afghanistan's isolation, they added.
"TTP is present in Afghanistan and has been better organized than before, strengthening its bases on both sides of the border," said France-based military analyst Mirza Muhammad Yarmand, a former Afghan deputy minister of interior.
"Afghanistan now has become a base for international terrorism," he said. "TTP leaders and fighters are present in Kabul, Khost, Paktia, Logar, Uruzgan, Nuristan and some other provinces."
"TTP is part of the collective council of international terrorism that includes al-Qaeda," he said, as well as groups such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, East Turkestan Islamic Movement and Islamic Movement of Kazakhstan.
TTP has been present in Afghanistan for several years and its members move freely around the country, according to international affairs analyst Arian Sharifi, who lectures at Princeton University in the United States.
"Its leader is Noor Wali Mehsud, and around 6,500 of its fighters are in Afghanistan," he said. "TTP has a safe haven and plans terrorist attacks from there."
"TTP has ideological, strategic, operational and family ties with the current rulers of the country," he added.
"It also has close ties with al-Qaeda, ISIS, Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariah-e-Muhammadi, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement."
Increasing TTP attacks
The political changes in Afghanistan after August 2021 further motivated TTP fighters, said Spain-based political analyst Mohammad Asif Sediqi, former deputy speaker of the Afghan senate.
"TTP activities and attacks inside Pakistan have increased, which shows that it has safe havens in the border zones of the two countries," Sediqi said.
"They are better equipped and armed, and can easily organize their attacks from the Afghan side of the border."
"The increasing TTP attacks in different parts of Pakistan indicate its new strategy and strength against the government of Pakistan and the region," he added.
"The recent Pakistani air strikes in Khost province [Afghanistan], in which a number of TTP members were killed, proved that TTP has a safe haven in Afghanistan," he added.
In April 2022, Islamabad said it had carried out a series of air strikes in Khost province, targeting TTP fighters.
'Whole region on fire'
"TTP's presence in Afghanistan and its increasing strength will have a ripple effect on other terrorist groups to mobilize and join TTP," said Afghan political analyst Wais Naseri, who lives in Germany.
"In that case, Afghanistan will once again become a safe haven for international terrorist groups, and Afghans will pay the price and become the victims," Naseri said.
"TTP's presence and safe haven in Afghanistan pose a major threat to Afghanistan and the region and will have irreparable consequences," he added.
"More sanctions will be imposed on Afghanistan, the economic, political and security situation will further deteriorate, and tensions will increase in the region, setting the whole region on fire."
"In the current situation in Afghanistan, TTP is behind the conflict," said Türkiye-based political analyst Mohammad Ali Rizwani.
"It formally took responsibility for many terrorist attacks in Pakistan that targeted the country's security forces," he said. "Security is relatively better in our country [Afghanistan], but TTP's presence threatens our security and stability once again."
"Instability in Afghanistan leads to insecurity and instability in the entire region," Rizwani added.
"If these terrorist groups are not contained, Afghanistan will once again become a safe haven for global terrorism, which will threaten our country, the region and even the world, turning Afghanistan into the center of another proxy war."
In my opinion, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan is a joint project of the Punjab [Pakistani] government, ISI and the army to suppress the Pashtuns in the region and kill their leaders. I believe that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan will not be as strong as they would not be controlled by ISI. Another point is that Pakistan wants to play with the world, and show to the world that they are also victims of terrorism. On one hand, Pakistan trains the terrorists, takes money for it, and on the other hand, it makes fuss that Pakistan is also a victim of terrorism, but the world has now understood that Pakistan is the home of terrorists, and this home must be destroyed.
Reply6 Comment
It has been 45 years since Pakistan intervene directly in Afghanistan's wars, and it has made poor Afghans fight against each other and Pakistan provides all the war equipment for these warring groups. In 45 years, Pakistani extremists participated shoulder by shoulder in the wars of Afghanistan along with a group of fighters in Afghanistan and martyred the poor Afghans under one or other name, but no Pakistani government official said that Pakistan supports the war in Afghanistan. The current government of Afghanistan is facing with economic problems as it itself is asking for help from other foreign countries. War needs a strong economy, while the Afghan government cannot provide a proper living for its soldiers, then how can it wage guerrilla wars in other countries. First, countries of the world should think that Afghanistan could not build a bullet for itself, then how can they launch war in other countries. During the 45 years of the Afghan war, Pakistan provided weapons and military equipment. In the 45 years that Afghans lived in Pakistan, most Afghans were taught fighting lessons by the Pakistani government, and they abused Afghans in the Kashmir wars against India. Pakistan set fire to their own house. Pakistan did not think that a day would come when it would burn itself in this fire. Setting fire to other people's country means that Pakistan itself is burning in its own fire.
ReplyI agree 100% with your opinion. In fact, Pakistan has been intervening in Afghanistan for the last 45 years and sometimes continues the war in Afghanistan under one name and sometimes under another name. They serve their own interests, but they turned Afghanistan upside down, they deprived it of development, they deprived it of education, and millions of young people were martyred. All these losses were caused by Pakistan, but we still don't know. Sometimes Pakistan trains a terrorist group under one pretext and sometimes under another to create a rebellion in Afghanistan, which is very upsetting.
Reply6 Comment
In my opinion, TTP is a joint project of the Pakistan Army and ISI, which, on the one hand, is killing, bombing, and murdering people in Pashtun areas and, on the other hand, projecting Pashtun as terrorists to the world. If this is not a special project to defame the Pashtuns and is really a headache for Pakistan, then why this terrorist group does not carry out killings and explosions in Punjab, Sindh, Lahore, Hira Mandi, and Karachi, and why it only Attacked Baluchistan, Waziristan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The whole world knows about the double standard of Pakistan, which, on the one hand, trains terrorist groups and, on the other hand, projects itself to the world as if they are the victims of terrorism, while everyone knows about it. Now, dozens of terrorist groups, including ISIS, are being trained in Pakistan. Pakistan has special training camps. They train terrorists and prepare them for terrorism. Undoubtedly, this armed group supports the ruling system in Afghanistan, but the question is, who are the Taliban? Who supported it financially and physically? Yesterday, you sent this group to destroy Afghanistan. Today, how can you make a complaint on the international stage? These are the plants of your hand. As you sow, so shall you reap. Expecting not to be bitten by a snake would be foolish.
Reply6 Comment
I am amazed at these damned Afghan politicians who work to destroy their country and say these stupid things. These are not Afghans at all who treat Afghanistan for their interests and declare that TTP exists in Afghanistan. TTP and any other group have nothing to do with Afghanistan. Afghanistan's children have numerous wounds; they cannot harm anyone else until their wounds are healed. Pakistanis talk about the presence of TTP in Afghanistan as they want to destroy Afghanistan. Same Pakistan had provided sanctuary to the Afghan Taliban, had built camps for them, had given houses to the Taliban leaders... and when the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan (they ended negotiations with America and became the rulers of Afghanistan), Pakistani people, religious leaders, government leaders were congratulating and dancing... because they said that Islamic system was implemented in Afghanistan. But now, when they face the same situation in their homeland, they are shouting and making false statements that the threat to them is from Afghan soil. I don't believe TTP to be against the Pakistani army. In my opinion, TTP is carrying out a minor attack at the perusal of the Pakistani military to show the international community that it faces a threat from Afghan soil. But TTP is a project created by Pakistani bastards and is implemented to defame Afghanistan...
Reply6 Comment
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan does not exist in Afghanistan at all. Pakistani officials are blaming Afghans. For many years, when the republican government was in power in Afghanistan, President Ghani said that Pakistan should support the republic or it would burn itself in fire. Still, it did not accept it and gave shelter to the current Afghan officials (Taliban). Their houses are still there in the big cities of Pakistan, and they used to plan attacks from the territory of Pakistan and carry out attacks in Afghanistan, which killed hundreds of thousands of innocent Afghans. But whenever Afghan people complained about it, the Pakistani authorities and clerics strongly supported the Afghan Taliban (current authorities). They would say they are the pillars of religion, and an Islamic system should rule in Afghanistan. As a result, Islamic ideology has become dominant in Afghanistan. We Afghans want an Islamic system in our neighboring country, and TTP can do it right. The Afghan Talibans have not supported the Pakistani Taliban, but I request them as an Afghan that Pakistan is our neighbor; the British system rules there, and that is why the Taliban should cooperate with the TTP so that the Islamic system rules in Pakistan. Some Afghan commentators say that TTP commanders and fighters are in Afghanistan and are planning some of their attacks from Afghanistan. It is wrong. They have left their capital in Afghanistan, made up of the people's blood; they are saddened by it. They are
Reply6 Comment