Pakistan's peace negotiations with TPP has 'limited chance of success', UNSC report claims

A new report by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has highlighted the persistent threat posed to Pakistan by the Afghanistan-based Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The new report by the UNSC has stated that the ongoing peace process between Islamabad and TTP has a "limited chance of success" and called the chances of achieving success "bleak", PTI reported. The report's launch comes a week after the third round of talks resumed between the Pakistani government and the TTP.

According to the report, the terrorist group had nearly 4000 fighters in east and south-east areas along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, PTI reported, citing a Dawn report. The annual report released by the 1998 Taliban sanctions committee monitoring team pointed out the links between the Taliban and the TTP. According to the report, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan was the 'biggest beneficiary' from the fall of the Afghanistan government led by Ashraf Ghani in 2021. The report said that the TTP started initiating ties with other Afghanistan-based terror groups. It is the first report released by the team after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan on August 15. 

The report shed light on the Taliban's internal politics, finances, its ties with Al Qaeda, Daesh and other terror groups and the implementation of sanctions announced by the UNSC. The talks between the Pakistan government and TTP began in November 2021. The first round of talks was able to yield a month-long ceasefire which was later breached after the terrorist group accused Pakistan of not fulfilling its promises and subsequently started launching attacks on its forces. The talks between Pakistan and TTP have been facilitated by Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani. 

Pakistan's talks with TTP

Last week, Pakistan's delegation led by Peshawar Corps Commander Lt. General Faiz Hamid held the talks with TTP, PTI reported. During the talks, both sides had presented their set of demands and Pakistan's focus remains on the extension of the ceasefire which is set to expire on May 30. As per the news report, TTP has called for the withdrawal of security personnel from tribal areas, the annulment of the merger of Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and withdrawal of cases against fighters as well as the implementation of Shariah-based ‘Nizam-e-Adl’ in Malakand Division. The security forces of Pakistan have stressed that the demands of TTP were 'unacceptable.'  

Pakistan security forces kill two most-wanted TTP terrorists 

Earlier on 16 May, the Pakistani security personnel reportedly killed two most-wanted terrorists of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in North Waziristan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The development was announced by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), ARY News reported. The terrorists were identified as Rasheed and Abdul Salam and weapons and other military equipment were also seized from the killed terrorists. According to the statement released by the ISPR, the two terrorists were involved in conducting terror activities. 

(With inputs from PTI, Image: AP/ANI)