Afghan Taliban vs TTP

Letter August 25, 2021
A grave concern for Pakistan amidst the crisis is the presence of TTP

KARACHI:

The Taliban swiftly seized control of the majority of Afghanistan after US President Biden announced the withdrawal of the US troops. To ease tensions in the country, the Taliban have agreed to grant amnesty to all Afghans that worked alongside the US-backed Afghan government and NATO forces. However, we have yet to see if the Taliban will uphold their promises.

A grave concern for Pakistan amidst the crisis is the presence of TTP. The militant group has been involved in countless attacks and suicide bombings within Pakistan. They carried out the attack on APS in Peshawar that claimed the lives of as many as 132 students. In the aftermath of the attack, Pakistan Army initiated the military operation Zarb-e-Azb to try and eradicate the TTP from Pakistan. The operation turned out to be a success as it led to the eradication of the lower ranks of the TTP. Furthermore, after countless requests from the Pakistan government, the Afghan government did not take any action against the militant groups in Afghanistan operating against Pakistan.

Now that Ashraf Ghani has fled Afghanistan, the Taliban leadership needs to ensure that the Afghan soil is not used against Pakistan in the future. Taliban spokesperson, Zabiullah Mujahid, has announced that the Taliban will not allow Afghanistan to be used as a breeding ground against any other country. The Taliban must uphold their word and ensure peacekeeping in the region.

Mohsan Mahmood

Lahore

Published in The Express Tribune, August 25th, 2021.

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