Durand Line and its surroundings including Waziristan were lawless lands for a long period of time. When Pakistan attempted to establish Law & Order in this region after 9/11, TTP emerged to resist this development by force (and terrorism). PTM seems to be a political expression of the same mindset in Waziristan. These are Pakistani Pashtuns in fact.
And how can they do that? Pakistani security forces control Waziristan, and can monitor actions of PTM in said region.
ISKP was founded by former members of TTP and other like-minded groups after death of Mullah Omar in 2013.
Treasuretrove of information in following link:
Amin Tarzi, Islamic State–Khurasan Province, The Future of ISIS, pp. 119-148
www.jstor.org
You may thank both Trump and Biden administration(s) for this development.
Fencing of Durand Line and introducing visa-based entry for Afghans are more helpful steps in my opinion.
You are exaggerating the role of Afghan Taliban in softening ISKP in the region. US-led forces were attempting to soften ISKP in Nangarhar since 2016, and Afghan Taliban were late to join the show. Trump administration extended American air cover to
both ANA and Afghan Taliban in these battles in fact.
Col. Sonny Leggett, a spokesman for U.S. Forces Afghanistan, tweeted early Thursday morning that airstrikes on Wednesday killed three ISIS fighters in Kunar Province and forced 34 ISIS militants to surrender to Afghan forces in Tswokey district.
www.militarytimes.com
ISIS-K found itself cornered in Nangarhar while under assault from
both Afghan Taliban and ANA from different locations in 2020. Those helicopters belong to ANA and they airlifted 'many ISIS-K captives' to a prison complex in Kabul.
ISIS-K responded with suicide bombings in Kabul and attempted to liberate its captives from the relevant prison complex of the city.
The 20-hour gun battle left officials scrambling to recapture hundreds of prisoners, including many from the Islamic State and the Taliban.
www.nytimes.com
It also resulted in the escape of hundreds of inmates in Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan.
www.cbsnews.com
Militants affiliated with the Islamic State group stormed a prison in eastern Afghanistan and freed nearly 400 of their fighters before security forces restored order, a government official said Monday.
www.militarytimes.com
TTP was founded by Baitullah Mehsud in Pakistan in 2007. He was a charismatic figure, a former Mujahideen, and close to the Afghan Taliban as well.
Baitullah Mehsud is a natural leader: cagey, dogged and charismatic, with an apparent knack for uniting disparate factions around a common cause. But instead of...
content.time.com
It is easy to berate TTP now but I shall remind you that the 'political will and consensus' to challenge TTP did not build overnight in Pakistan. There is no shortage of
Educated Mullah in Pakistan, let alone others. I recall critics of military operation in Lal Masjid in Islamabad in higher education institutes of the country; nevermind the excesses of Lal Masjid Mullahs in Islamabad.
It does not surprise me that Pakistani leaders scheduled talks with TTP on multiple occasions:
Arshad Ali, Peace Talks with the Pakistani Taliban, Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses, Vol. 5, No. 4 (April 2013), pp. 11-13
www.jstor.org
Sources reveal secret negotiations between Pakistan’s government and the TTP, which ultimately fell apart.
thediplomat.com
- to no avail (of-course).
TTP was creating problems for both USA and Pakistan in different ways. The way out for both was to cooperate with each other to soften TTP eventually.
1. Obama administration delivered a major blow to TTP by assassinating Baitullah Mehsud in 2009.
Border warrior turned high priest of suicide bombers killed with his family in attack on farmhouse in tribal badlands
www.theguardian.com
Baitullah Mehsud was blamed for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto and scores of suicide bombings.
www.nytimes.com
2. Obama administration declared TTP a terrorist organization in 2010:
Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) are foreign organizations that are designated by the Secretary of State in accordance with section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended. FTO designations play a critical role in our fight against terrorism and are an effective means...
www.state.gov
Many in Pakistan do not see or understand a SNAKE until it bites them where it hurts. Much can happen in Pakistan in the name of Islam; even a murder can be justified in this way. This is the level of our societal morality.
India is - without any doubt - a
SPOILER in the region.
India wants to forment discord between Pakistan and Afghanistan; between Muslims of the region; between Pakistan and as many countries as possible in fact. India wants to isolate Pakistan in international stage.
Recent example:
“Obviously, we do not expect fairness from the Indian presidency for Pakistan,” says Ambassador Munir Akram.
www.dawn.com
Islamabad rejects allegations at council’s Friday session that it provides safe haven to Taliban
tribune.com.pk
While China support Pakistan on many fronts, there is a limit to how much cover it can provide to Pakistan and help our country to steer forward. Pakistan needs to rebuild its relations with as many countries as possible in fact.
For all the noise against India on PDF and other platforms, I have some questions.
Why Pakistan even have diplomatic relations with India? Why Pakistan have not closed Indian diplomatic enclave in Islamabad? Why Pakistan is obliging Indian Sikh with Kartarpur Corridor?
Either WE de-recognize India or stop complaining. But there are consequences of adopting 'extreme political stances'.
1. India is a big country with a big army, nuclear weapons, and a significant Foreign representation of its own. They can have their way with IOK and much of the world does not gives a shit about it. China made some gains in LAC but it cannot push too far either.
The Indian and Chinese armies have completed the disengagement process and restored the pre-standoff ground…
m.kashmirobserver.net
Entire world have diplomatic relations with India and many countries are home to Indian diaspora as well.
Even Afghan Taliban are having talks with India which is fine. International norms should be same for all.
2. WE cannot change our neighbors.
Kashmir is the fundamental source of tensions between Pakistan and India. Military solution was attempted in IOK but it failed.
When China made its moves in LAC, there were articles upon articles of how India is toast in Kashmir.
Is it?
Political solution might be the only option.
Diplomacy will remain an important consideration - always.
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Many in Pakistan have cultivated a black and white view of Afghanistan as well.
Afghan Taliban = Good/Savior/Anti-ISKP/Ertugrul
Others = Bad/Indian agents/Namak Haram/Kafir
Nevermind the excesses of Afghan Taliban including their ties to Al-Qaeda Network, TTP, and demand of Pakistan granting VISA-free entry to Afghans in Pakistan (news from Spin Boldak). Anything negative about Afghan Taliban must be propaganda?
Afghanistan is a land of great diversity much like Pakistan. Some support Afghan Taliban
but others do not.
The
Intra-Afghan Dialogue is the way forward for Afghanistan.
Afghan Taliban want to impose their rule over Afghanistan however?
Afghan Taliban had their shot in Afghanistan. They failed to improve Afghanistan and plunged the AfPak region into turmoil by shaking hands with the Al-Qaeda Network. How can people forget this aspect of history?
The ultimate truth is this = the 'strong' oppresses the 'weak' at every opportunity. Rest is noise.
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USA attempted to assassinate Hakimullah Mehsud multiple times, and succeeded in 2013.
It is very unlikely that the U.S. decision to kill Hakimullah Mehsud will significantly set back U.S.-Pakistan relations, but drone strikes will remain an impediment.
carnegieendowment.org
Many in Pakistan are/were critics of American drone strikes as well. There had been an utter lack of consensus over how to fight terrorism in the region unfortunately.
It is true that TTP have found refuge in Afghanistan. Nobody in Afghanistan have attempted to stop TTP from slipping into Afghanistan from Pakistan to my knowledge; Afghan Taliban have not taken its chances with TTP either. There is more to this story in fact.
There must be a reason as to why
Pakistani establishment declared Afghan Taliban and TTP as two sides of the same coin in a parliamentary session (no media coverage of it).
Why do WE expect miracles from ANA? They cannot fight TTP, ISKP, and Afghan Taliban at the same time.
- - -
So many in the region want to give another shot to Afghan Taliban?
Fair enough.
But [ if ] Afghan Taliban
flop in their 2nd term as well then what should be done about them and their supporters? This should be decided as well.
This circus must not continue indefinitely, or our region will not have a future TBH.