A banned coalition of terrorist organizations engaged in terrorism in Pakistan warned on Wednesday that it would attack the government if it declared war on the organization to purportedly “appease” the United States.
The Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), specifically warned the heads of the two largest members of the government coalition, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) (PPP). Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari leads the PPP, while Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif leads the PML-N.
The TTP, which the United States and the entire UN have designated as a global terrorist organization, has recently carried out practically daily strikes, killing hundreds of Pakistani security personnel and civilians.
After Sharif presided over a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), the nation’s top security-related body made up of political and military leadership, on Monday, militants issued a warning. Sharif had earlier promised that terrorism “will be dealt with full force of the state.”
According to Pakistani officials, the new wave of terrorist assaults has been launched from the Afghan side of the border by the TTP, an affiliate and ally of Afghanistan’s ruling Islamist Taliban. A subtly worded warning was also delivered to the Taliban’s leaders at the NSC meeting: “No country will be allowed to give refuge and facilitation to terrorists.”
Tuesday saw a U.S. State Department spokesperson supporting Pakistan’s redoubled efforts to combat terrorism and reiterating calls for the Afghan Taliban to follow through on their counterterrorism commitments.
“Terrorist assaults have caused great suffering for the people of Pakistan. According to Ned Price, Pakistan has a right to defend itself against terrorism.
He stated, “We continue to urge on the Taliban to fulfill the very pledge they have made to ensure that Afghan land is never again utilized as a launchpad for global terrorist strikes.”
According to Price, “These are some of the very obligations that the Taliban have not been able or would not deliver to yet.”
This week, Pakistan’s defense minister Khawaja Asif claimed that TTP members were “overwhelmingly present” in Afghanistan.
Asif told the local media on Monday, “We have been asking the Taliban to halt the TTP from planning terrorist actions in Pakistan ever since they returned to power (in Kabul).” He stated that Islamabad expects the authorities in Kabul will assist in containing the militants.
Tuesday, a spokesman for the Taliban government disputed Pakistani accusations, calling them “false” and “regrettable.” According to Zabihullah Mujahid, the goal of his administration, which the international community has not yet recognized as legitimate, is to maintain cordial relations with all of its neighbors, including Pakistan, in order to advance regional and Afghan peace and stability.
In August 2021, the Taliban retook control of the country as American-led troops left Afghanistan after 20 years of hostilities.
Noor Wali Mehsud, the TTP’s leader, and other commanders have sought safety on the Afghan side of the border after leaving Pakistani counterterrorism military operations.
Officials in Islamabad claim that since the Taliban took control, militants have been operating freely in Afghanistan and planning cross-border terrorism with more freedom.
