Following the terrorist attack in the capital Islamabad last week, the re-emergence of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan [TTP] should not be a surprise for Pakistan.
With the return of the Taliban to Afghanistan in August 2021, the dynamic of TTP operations has changed in Pakistani tribal areas and other major cities to a great extent. Afghan Taliban, TTP’s ideological twin brother’s success in neighboring Afghanistan gave them extra momentum and energy to expand their operations across Pakistan.
Since the beginning of the year, the TTP has conducted hundreds of attacks mostly targeting police and army headquarters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, and Quetta Balochistan in Particular. Through political statements, protests and popular movements such as the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement [PTM], the people of KP have been ringing alarm bells, demanding action against the threats of the insurgent groups.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been the worst hit: the TTP and its affiliates have carried out 148 attacks against the province’s police since the start of this year.
However, the central government’s reluctance to act decisively against terrorist groups will lead to further chaos and instability in the country. According to unconfirmed reports, Baloch Separatists and other militant groups have joined hands with the TTP to further expand their operations and gain territories in tribal areas.
Undermining the potential of the TTP and their affiliated groups mainly operating in Balochistan and KP regions will now spread to other parts of the country as well. Since the TTP called off their year-long ceasefire with the government of Pakistan, they have intensified their operation, the most recent of which took place in Islamabad on Friday.
