How far will this game go in Pakistan's favor?
Author: Abdul Naser Noorzad, security and geopolitics researcher, columnist for the "Sangar"
The government of Pakistan has announced that the number of attacks by the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) has increased and there have been about 1,500 attacks in the past year. Only the total number of attacks in the last month reached 99 attacks and shows an upward trend in Samavari. According to security analysts and the writer's opinions, this is actually a media headline aimed at launching a psychological war, which shows that there are hidden hands behind the TTP's strengthening in Pakistan. Hands that, with the help of ISA, are trying to lead the rest of the game.
Recently, the acting Prime Minister of Pakistan, Anwarul Haq Kakar, took a step forward and said that if needed, the Pakistani army will resort to military and operational options against the Taliban. What is evident is that the TTP has been trying to prove something since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 with a large volume of attacks. This is proof of the hidden agendas that Pakistan is implementing and creating. The widespread and non-stop attacks, conquering geography and creating apparent security disturbances for Pakistan, apparently, show a security issue. However, the existing evidence and the absolute role of the Pakistan Army in the creation of TTP and other terrorist groups that have used them as a strategic tool in the two fronts of Afghanistan and India, disobedience and the rise of the graph of terrorist attacks inside the territory of Pakistan, is a questionable amount.
The author, following the news related to TTP, the Afghan Taliban, and Pakistan's unusual reactions, has reached the conclusion that several factors are lying in the fakeness of this security story, which directly benefits Pakistan. In my opinion, TTP is still in the hands of ISI and is moving according to ISI's security plans. Not only TTP, but other terrorist groups that have been created and brought to the stage in the last forty years, have served Pakistan's security and strategic interests, and there is no room for doubt in this dangerous and multi-sided game. But the following reasons can be examined regarding TTP and Pakistan's suspicious performance, which shows that Pakistan is playing a security game with TTP's card:
FIRST - There is a high probability and close to reality that shows that TTP is like a card in the hands of Pakistan. Because, after the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, there have been many criticisms regarding the rooting of terrorism and the gathering of terrorist groups in the territory of Afghanistan under the control of the Taliban, and everyone blames Pakistan for this. Bana Pakistan is trying to show that it is a victim of terrorism and TTP is considered a dangerous factor for Pakistan's national security and this danger is getting bigger;
SECOND - Islamabad is trying to align its security interests with those of Washington. This work is possible only in the case of the existence of terrorism, which Pakistan itself was the founder of. In this regard, efforts are being made to show the seriousness of Pakistan's security situation, and TTP is considered a good tool in the hands of Pakistan's military and security structure to achieve this political goal. By doing this, Pakistan can be acquitted of the accusation of creating a platform for terrorism in Afghanistan and the region, and it can have a share in the Pentagon's military aid to fight terrorism. Something that has been stopped after America's withdrawal from Afghanistan and has put this country in a security and economic crisis.
THIRD - Pakistan is trying to show the link between TTP and al-Qaeda as very ideologically based. Al-Qaeda is still a sensitive name and can link any political destination with security issues. Since Pakistan has stayed away from America's regional agenda after America's withdrawal from Afghanistan, and instead, America's interest in India, Pakistan's historical rival, has increased. He is responsible, he tries. This effort requires a serious demonstration of the security situation and the growth of terrorist groups that Pakistan has founded;
FOURTH - Islamabad wants to extort money from regional and extra-regional actors who are worried about the growth of terrorism in the region by showing the scale of TTP attacks and proving its link with Al-Qaeda. All of Pakistan's concerns about security developments in the region are economic blackmail that can untie its economic and financial challenges and help stabilize it. Because Pakistan's economy is a militaristic economy and has always been based on security programs, it has been on its agenda due to the use of the terrorism card, whose control is directly related to the military structure of this country;
FIFTH - Pakistan wants to show that it is a victim of terrorism and deserves political kindness, arms, and economic aid. With this work, Pakistan is trying to clear the charge of supporting and supporting terrorism from its security system on the one hand, and on the other hand, by receiving military aid and weapons which are based on cash amounts, it is on the way to compete. With India, it did not lag behind.
SIXTH - that the political and security system of Pakistan has a problem with the Pashtuns of this country and TTP is made up of a large number of Pashtuns of this country, so it will create a good opportunity to suppress the Pashtuns. TTP is good as long as it is under the control of Pakistan. But when it turns into a security risk and goes out of control, it is no longer of interest to this country and it is labeled as a terrorist.
SEVENTH - Finally, since the rumors about the communication between Nooruli Mehsud, the leader of one of the TTP sections, and the Indian Intelligence Organization have been spread, Pakistan no longer sees this game in its favor and wants to take preventive measures against Organize an attack against RAO (Intelligence Agency of India) programs. The destruction of TTP in the current situation is mainly due to this concern.
With that being said, Pakistan's new game with the TTP card is a dangerous security game with political and economic objectives. Ironically, Pakistan is used to using the terrorism card and playing with self-created terrorist groups and considers them a good source of financial income, pursuing security and political goals. Let's see how far this game goes in Pakistan's favor and can this country benefit from the card of terrorist groups for its own benefit?
