Govt ramps up fight against militancy

Bans Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, Majid Brigade banned

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan has banned Hafiz Gul Bahadur group and Majid Brigade, a suicide wing of the Baloch terrorist outfit, in a latest move to ramp up fight against the resurgence of militancy in the country.

There has been no formal announcement made about the listing of two deadly terrorist organisations.

However, the list of proscribed organisations maintained by the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) shows Hafiz Gul Bahadur group and Majid Brigade are now part of the banned outfits.

The list available on NACTA website indicates that Majid Brigade was banned on July 18 while Hafiz Gul Bahadur group was outlawed formally on July 25.

The move was inevitable as both outfits have stepped up terrorist attacks in recent months, threatening the country's security.

Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, which was once dubbed as "good Taliban" since it fought against the anti-Pakistan groups in the erstwhile tribal areas, turned against the state after Pakistan launched massive military operations in ex-FATA.

The group, which now operates from Afghanistan, has carried out some of the deadly attacks targeting security forces.

Once such terrorist attack took place in Bannu Cantonment earlier this month leaving eight Pakistani soldiers martyred before 10 terrorists were neutralised.

In March, Hafiz Gul Bahadur also claimed responsibility of targeting a security check post in Tank, leaving seven Pakistani soldiers including two officers martyred.

That attack prompted Pakistan to carry out first publicly declared cross border strikes inside Afghanistan.

Pakistan has been repeatedly demanding the extradition of Hafiz Gul Bahadur, the group's chief. The militant outift is not part of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) but shares the same ideology.

The Majid Brigade, meanwhile, has been carrying out attacks targeting the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). It is the suicide wing of Baloch terrorist organisations to undermine Chinese investments particularly in Balochistan.

The group has carried out numerous attacks targeting the Chinese nationals. The most notable attacks included assault on Pakistan stock exchange, Chinese Consulate in Karachi and Confucius Institute at the Karachi university.

Baloch terrorist outfits have never used suicide missions before the Majid Brigade.

A recent report submitted to the UN Security Council reveals a possible nexus between Majid Brigade and the banned TTP.

It is believed that the TTP might have trained suicide bombers of the Majid Brigade.

Baloch terrorist outfits and TTP share no ideology but their common interests to target Pakistani interests have, perhaps, brought them on the same page.

With the formal listing of Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group and Majid Brigade, assets of both these terrorist entities would be confiscated and there would be travel and other restrictions on their members.

After the latest listing of both organisations, the number of banned outfits, as per NACTA, now stands at 81.