Afghanistan: Taliban unlikely to take actions against TTP for attacks in Pakistan

Contrary to Pakistan's plan of action, cross-border terrorism has increased along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border although PM Imran Khan had allegedly supported the Taliban during and before the takeover of Kabul in August 2021. Experts say that Islamabad supported the hardline extremist government in Kabul believing that the new regime would not allow the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to attack Pakistan from the neighbouring Afghan soil.

A report by International Forum For Rights and Security (IFFRAS) stated that the Taliban is unlikely to prevent TTP from enticing unrest in Pakistan, and there is every possibility of escalation of violence along the border areas.

While the Taliban's rise to power was perceived as a 'strategic win' for Pakistan, it also turned out to be a boost to the TTP. As per the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), 207 terrorist attacks took place in Pakistan in 2021, an increase of 42% compared to 2020. Nearly 335 lives have been lost in these attacks. PIPS underlined that the TTP alone was responsible for 87 attacks, an increase of 84% compared to 2020.

TTP claimed an additional 42 attacks in the month of January 2022, reported IFFRAS. Also, escalation of violence in the Durand Line area was also recorded after Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021. In addition, reports suggest that after TTP launched attacks towards Pakistan from Afghanistan, an infuriated Islamabad reminded the Taliban of their commitments and objectives in the Doha Accord.

At the 29th Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team report published in February 2022, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) enumerated the gravity of the security situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan's tribal areas. The report stated that TTP consists of 3,000 to 5,000 fighters in Afghanistan, while it also revealed that the family members of TTP militants wish to resettle in Pakistan under assurances to reintegrate.

What are TTP's demands from Pakistan?

The two key demands are the imposition of Sharia laws in Pakistan and the release of TTP members from Pakistan's prisons. IFFRAS has stated that Prime Minister Imran Khan, in December 2021, ordered the release of TTP cadres who were in white and grey lists of the Pakistani administration.

Also, TTP stated its anger when Pakistani forces conducted raids in Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, Swat, Bajaur, Swabi and North Waziristan and TTP members were detained and killed in the process too.

While Pakistan, on the account of long-standing association with the Afghan Taliban, assumed that TTP would not trigger nefarious activities towards Islamabad, the truth is that the Taliban is unlikely to take actions to restrict TTP - its ideological twin, stated IFFRAS.

Read more about Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)