THE ungoverned spaces of Afghanistan have long posed a threat to that country’s security as well as regional peace, and Pakistan has been saying all along that more needs to be done to address this issue. Now, as per a recent UN report, this country’s stance has been vindicated, as the global body has said that the presence of the banned TTP in eastern Afghanistan has led to an uptick in attacks. As per the 27th report of the UN Analytical and Monitoring Team, the TTP has gained strength after a number of militant groups united under its umbrella, which has “resulted in a sharp increase in attacks in the region”, including “more than 100 cross-border attacks [into Pakistan]”. Moreover, an American report has said that the ranks of the militant Islamic State group’s Khorasan ‘chapter’ were beefed up by TTP fighters, amongst others. Not too long ago, the TTP had unleashed a reign of terror inside Pakistan before military operations dealt it a strong blow. However, the fragile security situation within Afghanistan has allowed the outfit to regroup in that country, giving it the space to plan and execute further havoc across the region.

To ensure the security of Pakistan as well as Afghanistan’s internal stability, it is essential that this threat to regional peace be neutralised effectively. The TTP has shown that it poses a threat to both states, which means that a combined effort is required to eliminate it. Furthermore, its contacts with IS present a fresh challenge, considering the latter outfit’s ferocity and ruthlessness, as witnessed in Iraq and Syria. Therefore, instead of trading blame, Kabul and Islamabad must formulate a coordinated policy to tackle the TTP and its sub-groups. For its part, the world community needs to take note of Indian support to the TTP, as this country had pointed out last year when Pakistan had handed over a dossier to the UN secretary general regarding this nexus. As the Foreign Office has rightly pointed out, international forces in Afghanistan and the Afghan security forces must do their bit to eliminate the safe havens of the TTP in that country, especially since the Western forces have the firepower and technological expertise to flush out the militants. Pakistan, as the FO reiterated, “stands firm” in its decision to root out the menace of terrorism, and others will find this country ready to aid similar efforts.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2021