In the hope of reciprocity, the security apparatus of Pakistan had helped the Afghan Taliban after 9/11 with sanctuaries and other basic requirements in the hope that the Afghan Taliban would assist Pakistan in nipping the scourge of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan once the imperial forces were gone from Afghanistan. However, owing to the Afghan Taliban’s own predicaments of recognition; rising internecine conflicts; internal struggle for power and disruption in their rank and file, especially within its foot soldiers; and the larger socio-economic issues, they seem reluctant facilitators vis-Ã -vis the TTP.
Let alone facilitaiton– according to some experts on jihadism, terrorism and extremism– they are trying to counter the hegemonic influence of Pakistan over the Pak-Afghan border by extending relations to countries such as India, Iran and China. Given the changing regional dynamics of power with the Afghan Taliban at the helm of affairs, it is well-timed to study the duplicitous role of the Afghan Taliban as a security threat to Pakistan as it is working in cahoots with the TTP.
Given the admission of the security institutions of Pakistan that the Afghan Taliban and TTP are the two sides of the same coin in an off-the-record meeting on the security situation of Pakistan back in the last year while briefing Parliament’s National Security and Defense Standing Committees, it is clear that there is a deep realization in the security institutions about the deceitful role of the Afghan Taliban. This realization becomes even more stronger given the comment of the spokesman of Taliban, Zabiullah Mujahid, “ the issue of the TTP is one that Pakistan will have to deal with, not Afghanistan. It is up to Pakistan, and Pakistani Ulema and religious figures, not the Taliban, to decide on the legitimacy or illegitimacy of their war and to formulate a strategy in response.” It implies the fact that the Afghan Taliban are not on the side of Pakistan as they do not want to give the impression that they are against their ideological twin, the TTP.
In the same vein, Abdul Sayed, a researcher on jihadist politics, has given a similar impression that the TTP has become emboldened by the Afghan Taliban’s takeover in neighbouring Afghanistan, implying that the TTP is looking ahead to imitate the war strategy of the Afghan Taliban and for that it is reinventing itself by denying its link to transnational jihadist groups such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS. This change in position is indicative of the fact that the TTP is no longer interested in establishing an Islamic Caliphate all over the world.
Conclusively, from the impression of the Afghan Taliban that Pakistan has to solve its issues with the TTP to helping the TTP stealthily in attacks on Pakistan army, to making relationships with other countries, including India, proved that Pakistan is really at the crossroad when it comes to the cross-border terrorism.
Rather, it reaffirms its focus on the near-enemy, that is, Pakistan, instead of the far enemy, that is, America. In so doing, it has reduced its animosity towards the western powers so as to organize itself and to build he operational capacity that it has lost to operation Zarb-E-Azab and to recruit new cadres. Moreover, this ideological change in narrative occurred after 2018, especially after the Mehsud tribe took over the control of the TTP after the death of Mullah Fazlullah in a drone attack in Kunar province, Afghanistan.
Beyond the impression that the Afghan Taliban are not on the side of Pakistan, there is serious indictment of their role across the Pak-Afghan border as they are propping up the TTP not only by providing sanctuaries in Afghanistan from where it operates into Pakistan for cross border terrorism but also its cadre are involved in attacks on PK army in Tank district of KPK. Similarly, there was another attack on the military convoy in North Waziristan where the Afghan Taliban played their role. Owing to these attacks, it is understood that Pakistan has misconstrued the Afghan Taliban. They are not on the side of Pakistan for they are ideologically aligned to the TTP.
By announcing the Pakistan Army is its enemy, the TTP has provided space for the Afghan Taliban to mend its bilateral relations with the USA. Had the TTP been adamant on its previous position of fighting their far enemy, that is, the Western powers in general and the USA in particular, it would not have got the overt support of the Afghan Taliban. As a result, the TTP has reinvigorated itself to work towards its agenda of establishing a Sharia-compliant political state in Pakistan. For that end, it has been upping attacks on the military camps and convoys of Pakistan’s Army. Reportedly, from January to March 2022, a total of 97 Pakistani soldiers had been killed at the hands of the TTP.
Even though Pakistan has been pleading to the Afghan Taliban to restrain the TTP from cross-border terrorism, they didn’t listen and instead asked Pakistan to talk to the TTP. Resultantly, the talks between the Ulema from Pakistan and the TTP had started; however, given the TTP’s stance of reversal of the merger of the FATA region, the talks ended with no significant breakthroughs. As a result, terrorist attacks increased and subsequently the Pakistan Army got frustrated and dismayed at the apathetic response of the Afghan Taliban. Thus, it opted for air strikes inside Afghanistan. This was, in order, to give a message to the Afghan Taliban to nip their brother insurgents in the bud. Given this whole episode from negotiations to airstrikes, it is quite clear to Pakistan that the Afghan Taliban cannot restrain the TTP as promised in the Doha agreement between the Afghan Taliban and the USA, that no terrorist organization would operate from Afghanistan.
Rather than putting its house in order, the Afghan Taliban are trying to enhance their bilateral relations with India, China and Iran to reduce Pakistan’s hegemony over the Pk-Af border. To improve ties with India, the Afghan Taliban have promised to even carry out operations if they provided them with intelligence information. With China, they are negotiating the Visa issuance deal to offset their economic predicaments. To deter the Influence of ISKP, they want Iran to be on their side. Amid all this, the Afghan Taliban have ignored Pakistan and apposed the fencing across the Durand Line. It seems the Afghan Taliban are untrustworthy allies of Pakistan. Despite Pakistan having helped them in their insurgency against the USA, they are not ready to reciprocate and assist Pakistan in any way.
Conclusively, from the impression of the Afghan Taliban that Pakistan has to solve its issues with the TTP to helping the TTP stealthily in attacks on Pakistan army, to making relationships with other countries, including India, proved that Pakistan is really at the crossroad when it comes to the cross-border terrorism. Thus, instead of relying on Afghan Taliban, Pakistan should make new counterterrorism policies in alliance with the USA to deter the TTP and other regional terror organizations.
