Pakistan is currently grappling with a surge in Tehreek-i-Taliban terrorists infiltrating the volatile tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, alongside a looming threat from the Islamic State (ISIS) seeking to establish a presence in the country, according to the Ministry of Interior.
This revelation emerged during a Senate briefing addressing the escalating influence and activities of the TTP following the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. The interim Afghan government's inaction against the banned group further exacerbated the situation.
The interior ministry, responding to questions, underscored the TTP's reorganization and operational expansion during the peace talks in 2022, leading to a significant uptick in militant activities. The group is actively seeking alliances with other militant factions to bolster its strength, predominantly concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly the merged districts, with growing influences in Balochistan and efforts to activate networks across the country.
The influx of TTP members, coupled with recruitment, training, and deployment of suicide bombers in merged districts, raises serious concerns. Concurrently, Daesh (ISIS) is making efforts to establish a foothold in Pakistan, resorting to terrorist activities targeting Shias and religious minority communities, instigating sectarian strife.
Despite the completion of fencing along the western borders to curb illegal movement from Afghanistan, the TTP, especially, continues to sabotage the fence. Pakistan initiated border fencing in March 2017, following deadly attacks from Afghanistan-based militant groups. The 2,640-km barrier, known as the Durand Line, traverses challenging terrains, yet nears completion.
Militant attacks surged after the breakdown of a ceasefire in November 2022. In a tragic incident on December 12, militants from Tehreek-i-Jihad Pakistan stormed a military compound in Dera Ismail Khan's Daraban area, resulting in the martyrdom of 23 Pakistan Army soldiers and over 30 wounded.
The ministry reported the update and expansion of data for 1.45 million registered refugees through the issuance of smart identity cards, containing basic and biometric information compatible with local systems. To combat online extremism, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority actively monitors cyberspace, forwarding 16,522 complaints to social media platforms for blocking radical, sectarian, anti-state, and terrorist content during 2022.
(With Agency Inputs)
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