Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has ordered its top commanders to resume attacks across the country on Pakistani security forces after calling off their months-long ceasefire with the government of Pakistan.
The peace talks suffered several deadlocks as Pakistan’s government refused to fulfill TTP’s demand, which included the release of TTP’s key operators in major terrorist attacks in Pakistan, and the withdrawal of Pakistani forces from former tribal areas.
Sirajuddin Haqqani, the interior minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan had hosted the peace talks between Pakistani Taliban and Lt General Faiz Hammed, the then Corps Commander Peshawar. This was aimed at easing tension between the Taliban and Pakistani government over the use of Afghan soil for the activities of the TTP.
The peace process failed after months resulting in deadlock as the TTP was reluctant to its demand if accepted, which would have undermined the sovereignty of Pakistan.
The militant group has intensified its attacks targeting Pakistani security personnel and headquarters across the county. According to the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), the TTP carried out 282 attacks in 2021, which resulted in the deaths of 500 law enforcement personnel, followed by another 42 attacks in January 2022.
After ending their ceasefire with the government of Pakistan, the TTP conducted several fatal attacks in December alone, causing to the death and injury of scores of security personnel and civilians. These terror attacks took place in Islamabad, Balochistan, and Peshawar respectively. The TTP and other militant groups pose an eminent threat to the internal security of Pakistan. to counter this threat, Pakistan needs to formulate a comprehensive strategy by using public sentiment against the terror groups – to indemnify, prevent and prosecute them, TTP members, in particular. Furthermore, the Pakistani government needs to increase the number of security officers in Tribal areas and closely patrol the newly fenced border with Afghanistan. Doing so would not allow the terror group to increase its domain operations and conduct cross-border activities.
