QUETTA: Balochistan Home Mi­­nister Ziaullah Langove on Wed­­n­es­day disclosed that a network of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan carrying out terrorist attacks in collusion with a separatist organisation, aided by India’s RAW agency, had been busted by security forces and TTP’s two important “commanders” captured.

Addressing a press conference, he identified the detainees as Nasarullah alias Molvi Mansoor, the chief of the TTP’s so-called Defence Shura, and ‘commander’ Idrees alias Irshad. said the two had been rounded up during an operation, adding that they wanted to establish TTP centers in the province.

“With the arrest of these two…their plan to establish their centers in the province has been foiled,” Mr

La­­n­gove said, adding that the operation had been carried out by security forces and intelligence agencies.

Detained militant claims RAW, Afghan govt ‘fully support terror activities’, CPEC is their target, kidnappings carried out to defame agencies

The minister claimed that the TTP and the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) were jointly carrying out terrorist attacks in parts of the country and India was financing their terrorist activities.

He described the arrest of the TTP men in a “complicated and crucial” operation as a big success of the security forces. He said, “Nasarullah alias Molvi Mansoor is a member of the core committee of the outlawed TTP and part of the defence shura.”

Confession

During the presser a video statement of Nasarullah was shown in which he confesses his involvement in terrorist attacks on security for­ces and acts of terror in North and South Waziristan, Dera Ismail Khan and other areas of the country.

“During Operation Zarb-i-Azb in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, I escaped to Afghanistan,” he claimed, adding “Indian intelligence agency RAW is behind TTP’s all terrorist activities in Pakistan”.

He disclosed that the Afghan government was also extending full support to the TTP in conducting terrorist attacks in Pakistan.

He said the TTP leadership, including its chief Mufti Noor Wali, BLA (Majeed Brigade) chief Bashir Zeb and many other leaders were freely living in Afgha­nistan and enjoying Kabul’s full support.

He confessed to his involvement in terrorist activities. He claimed that Noor Wali met RAW officials at the Indian Embassy in Kabul and he also had a meeting with BLA’s Bashir Zeb in the Indian Embassy.

“India is looking after all financial affairs of TTP,” he said.

In the statement, Sanaullah asked Noor Wali why he was not sending his own children or youngsters of his Mehsud tribe to carry out suicide attacks.

He talked at length about TTP’s terrorist activities in Pakistan.

Anti-Pakistan objectives

He claimed Noor Wali Mehsud and Mufti Muzahim had told him that he and their friends, including RAW, have three objectives in establishing a foothold in Balochistan.

“These objectives include sabotaging the CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) projects that will include targeting Chinese citizens; carrying out kidnappings for ransom to play up the matter of enforced disappearances so that intelligence agencies can be defamed; and, spreading anarchy and frustration among people by fomenting terrorist activities in Balochistan.”

Nasarullah said he was told about a plan in January 2024, according to which a BLA guide would help him cross the Pakistan-Afghan border via Spin Boldak town and take him to southern Balochistan. The plan was made in connivance with the ‘commander’ of BLA (Majeed Brigade), he added.

During the implementation of that plan, the militant said he and his accomplices came across a patrolling party of the Pakistan Army near Kalat, adding that the BLA guide then fled, leaving them behind.

“We also tried to flee, but were soon arrested,” he added.

Mr Langove said the global community should have no doubt that an international terrorist country, India, was behind all this.

The home minister urged the youth and women of Balochistan to “recognise” the aims of terrorists, stressing that those “enticing them and taking them to the mountains have no connection with our rights”.

“Not all the people, who have gone to the mountains, are in collusion with our enemies; they have been enticed and misled,” he said.

Mr Langove emphasised that Pakistan is their own country and urged them to stand with the security forces and the government.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2024