The Start of Azm-e-Istehkam.
The National Action Plans Apex Committee came to the Agreement on Saturday the 22nd of June in approving Operation Azm-e-Istehkam. It is said that the operation aims to focus on two areas. The first addresses the national security issue Pakistan faces and the other focuses on threats emitting from Afghanistan. The forum also concluded that enhancing security measure for Chinese nationals was a priority, with the prime minister approving new “Standard Operating Procedures” which set out to improve the security framework for Chinese nationals in Pakistan.
Since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, it is said that the number of attacks by the TTP and other groups have risen significantly, with many of these terror organisations feeling very much empowered by the Taliban’s rise to power, toppling the American backed Afghan government in a matter of days in 2021.
This has been reflected in the rise seen in 2022 in which the number of attacks rose by 27% from the previous year and the number of fatalities rising by 25%. In 2023, there was no sign of any de-escalation with terror attacks once again rising by 17%. Many small scale IBO (Intelligence Based Operations) have been conducted by the Army’s SSG and the ISI, however, recent figures show that such operations are not enough in eradicating the threat that grows in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s History with the Taliban
Pakistan has struggled with their issue of terrorism for the last 20+ years, after involving themselves with the US’s war on terror. Attacks by various different terror groups seemingly took a toll on Pakistan with 25,000+ Pakistanis killed since 2005 and almost 50,000 injured alongside losing over $150 Billion. Despite this, the nation’s military have carried out multiple operations against the Taliban over the last 20 years, experiencing significant results. However, it generally seems to be short lived with many of these terrorist organisations regrouping and re-recruiting only to cause further problems a few years later.
Operation Zarb e Azb and Operation Radd ul Fassad oversaw over 350,000 IBO’s and eliminated tens of thousands of terrorists whilst retaking land that was previously occupied by these terrorist entities. Since 2014 and the start of these operations, the nation has seen a 300% reduction in terrorism and attacks, however the recent rise in attacks by these groups suggests that peace and prosperity may still be a while away.
TTP and their rise to power.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or better known as the TTP is an umbrella organisation of a number of various militant groups based in either Afghanistan or Pakistan. It was initially formed in 2007 by Baitullah Mehsud. They share a common ideology with the Afghan Taliban however differ in military objectives, which, for the TTP includes overthrowing the Pakistani government and enforcing shariah law throughout Pakistan.
The TTP are prominent for their brutal attacks and tactics which include hostility towards civilian and military targets alike. A number of their attacks have been condemned globally including the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team, and the massacre at the Army Public School in Peshawar which left 141 people dead, 132 of them being children. At their peak, they controlled multiple regions in Pakistan, including North and South Waziristan, imposing their own version of shariah law on the locals there.
For the last 2 decades, the TTP have proven to be a nuisance to the Pakistani military, government and the nation in general. With hundreds of their attacks leaving thousands dead, many would argue that despite several operations launched against them, there may be no end to their brutality and violence.
Relations with the Afghan Taliban
Many members of the TTP were initially part of the Afghan Taliban, experienced and battle hardened, something Pakistan discovered the hard way. During the US led invasion of Afghanistan, many Afghan Taliban fighters fled to the Pakistani tribal areas in which they found support from local militants, who would later form the TTP. Both groups follow the Deobandi sect of Islam and wish to establish a government based on a strict idea of shariah. This common and mutual ground assisted in facilitating corporation between the two sides.
Despite their historical separate operational goals, both sides have always provided mutual support, including safe havens and resources alongside manpower and training. The Afghan Taliban have historically found sanctity in Pakistan’s tribal areas whereas the TTP have used Afghanistan as a base of operation when the Pakistani military carries out operations against the TTP.
However, despite this, the relation has not been without friction. The Afghans have at times distanced themselves from the TTP to maintain political leverage and international legitimacy. This was seen during peace talks with the US and Afghan Government. There have also been instances in which the Afghans have discouraged the TTP from striking Pakistani targets to avoid putting their own interests in harms way.
It is clear that both sides have very limited allies and so can, at times, rely on each other rather heavily. However, with the Afghan Taliban now developing (or attempting to) relations with other nations, many are sceptical as to whether or not the IEA will distance themselves from the brutal TTP.