Although an agreement was reached between Pakistan and the terrorist organization Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on an unlimited ceasefire, the parties could not agree on the text of the agreement that would constitute a lasting peace. Because while the Islamabad administration demands that the TTP terrorist organization lay down its arms in accordance with the Constitution of Pakistan; The terrorist organization demanded the release of its members in Pakistani prisons, the lifting of Pakistan’s tribal region’s dependence on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province and the relegation of the region to the control of the TTP terrorist organization. The failure of the parties to agree on the aforementioned conditions resulted in the suspension of the ceasefire. In this context, the terrorist organization has announced that it will attack the Pakistani security forces with all its might. Here, the aims of the organization can be listed as forcing Pakistan to make concessions, dissuading the Pakistan Army from conducting operations and achieving its political goals. The TTP terrorist organization implements different tactics in order to achieve its aforementioned goals.
The first tactic used by the TTP, was suicide attacks. The terrorist organization TTP, which has carried out suicide attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in the past, has also carried out a suicide attack in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad after the ceasefire was suspended. As a result of this attack, one Pakistani soldier was killed, and two others were wounded.[1] Unlike other attacks, it is stated that TTP adopts this method due to a few features of suicide attacks.
First, suicide attacks are difficult to prevent. Because the attacker can attack the security forces by tying the explosive material around his waist, kill himself and cause significant damage to the other side. Moreover, such attacks have important consequences in terms of achieving the target. On the one hand, it maximizes fear in society and forces the people to submit to the organization that carried out the action; on the other hand, it forces the other side to make concessions.
In short, the terrorist organization TTP is implementing this tactic thinking that its suicide bombings have brought the Taliban to power in Afghanistan and that it too can dominate Pakistan, or at least that these attacks will play a decisive role in the acceptance of its demands by the Islamabad administration.
The second tactic of the terrorist organization TTP is to assassinate Pakistani security officials. In this context, the organization announced that it had killed two senior officials of Pakistani intelligence in Pakistan’s Punjab Province.[2] With this action, the terrorist organization gives the message that the fate of those who oppose it will be like those it kills. Thus, Pakistan aims to put pressure on the government by the security forces and stop the operations.
The third tactic of the terrorist organization TTP is to break up the unity between the country’s political forces by threatening senior Pakistani officials with death. In this regard, the TTP issued a statement threatening Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
On the other hand, the terrorist organization TTP has also demanded that religious parties not support the steps to be taken against itself.[3] In addition, there is no consensus among Pakistani political forces on the fight against the TTP. The Pakistan People’s Party and the Muslim League Party, which constitutes the government, are in favour of war against the TTP. However, former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan stated that the state had no choice but to reconcile with the TTP terrorist organization and that Pakistan would be harmed by any war that would occur. Religious parties in Pakistan refrain from taking an open stance. [4]In such an environment, the terrorist organization TTP threatens the government’s senior leaders and political actors, isolating the government and forcing it to make concessions.
Another tactic used by the TTP is propaganda. In this context, the organization has shared with the public opinion the rate of attacks it has carried out in 2022. The terrorist organization stated in its video that it carried out 367 attacks in the last year, and that 446 members of the Pakistani security forces were killed and 569 people were injured as a result of the attacks.[5]
Undoubtedly, the terrorist organization is intimidating Pakistan by explaining the rate of attack in the context of its propaganda tactic. At the Pakistan National Security Council Meeting, a resolution was adopted to resolve the fight against terrorism. Therefore, it can be argued that the TTP terrorist organization gave a message that it was ready for war through the data it published.
However , the terrorist organization is terrifying the people of Pakistan and wants to support it. As it is known, terrorist organizations use violence as a tool to achieve their political goals. Hence, the TTP aims to make the people obey itself rather than the state by boasting about the attacks it has carried out.
Finally, it asserts that attacks on Pakistani security forces are religiously legitimate. In this regard, Pakistan-based Down Newspaper announced that Nor Vali Mahsud, the leader of the terrorist organization TTP, is interested in renewing the ceasefire with Pakistan. Mahsud also stated that if he was on the wrong path, scholars should guide him.[6]
On the occasion of this approach, the terrorist organization TTP portrays Pakistan as an aggressor and an unpromiseable party and demands that scholars put pressure on Islamabad to make efforts to stop the operations. In addition, the TTP wants to put Pakistan in a difficult position by stating that the doors for negotiations are open.
As a result, the terrorist organization TTP is putting all its trump cards into action for Pakistan to make concessions or to stop its resolute operation. However, when the latest statement of the TTP leader is examined, it is seen that the organization is in favor of the agreement even though it attacks Pakistan with all its might. It cannot be denied that the Taliban contributed to the TTP’s moderate statements. Because the Taliban considers the TTP’s entry into the war with Pakistan against its own interests under the current conditions and is willing for the two sides to sit at the negotiating table again. The main question here is whether a lasting peace can be achieved even if the parties make a ceasefire. As a matter of fact, when the wishes of the terrorist organization TTP and Pakistan are examined, it is foreseen that it is not easy for the parties to agree on a lasting peace agreement.
[1] “تحریک طالبان پاکستان مسئولیت حمله انتحاری در اسلامآباد را بر عهده گرفت”, Afintl, https://www.afintl.com/202212231117, (Date of Accession: 14.01.2023).
[2] “تحریک طالبان پاکستان مسئولیت کشتن دو افسر ارشد آیاسآی را پذیرفت”, azadiradio, https://da.azadiradio.com/a/32209369.html, (Date of Accession: 14.01.2023).
[3] “طالبان پاکستانی، نخستوزیر و وزیر خارجه پاکستان را تهدید به مرگ کردند”, ufuqnews, https://ufuqnews.com/archives/208009, (Date of Accession: 14.01.2023).
[4]“طالبان پاکستانی، نخست وزیر و وزیر خارجه پاکستان را تهدید به مرگ کردند”, ufuqnews, https://ufuqnews.com/archives/208009, (Date of Access: 14.01.2023).
[5] “طالبان پاکستان آمار حملات یکسال اخیر خود را منتشر کرد”, ufuqnews, https://ufuqnews.com/archives/207927, (Date of Accession: 14.01.2023).
[6] “طالبان پیشنهاد جدید داد”, moniban, https://l24.im/fOrdL, (Date of Accession: 14.01.2023).
