Amnesty for banned TTP, is Pakistan ready for its effects?

The world will change so fast, maybe it was not in anyone’s imagination, the Taliban, whom the US used to call terrorists, later negotiated with them and now they have become the rulers of Afghanistan.

the banned outfit Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was previously considered part of the Taliban when it was said that the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban were separate, but it later became clear that this was not the case.

When the Taliban said that we would not hand over the TTP to Pakistan, it became clear that they considered them as their allies. Then a new Pakistani policy emerged. The prime minister said that a general amnesty could be granted if the TTP surrendered.

The question is if a general amnesty is announced for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban, is Pakistan ready for its effects? Because the Afghan Taliban have not yet been able to control cross-border terrorism.

TTP on September 30, A Pakistan Army captain was martyred during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Tank, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against TTP terrorists.

Three days earlier, on September 27, the CTD in an operation arrested the banned TTP terrorist Ehsanullah alias Talha from Buner District. A 20 2m reward was set for the 2009 arrest of Ehsanullah, who planted bombs in Buner district and other areas. 

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on September 23 said that 350 to 500 people of the banned TTP are involved in terrorism which will not be forgiven under any circumstances. 

Earlier on September 20, security forces conducted an operation in North Waziristan. TTP commander Safiullah, who was wanted for killing four NGO women and FWO engineers, was killed during the operation.

Less than two months ago today, two banned TTP terrorists were arrested from Karachi and grenades were recovered from their possession. These terrorists came to Pakistan after receiving training from Afghanistan.

Not only that, but on July 19, two TTP terrorists, Saifullah alias Mohsin alias Saddam and Hazrat Bilal alias Bilal, were arrested for their involvement in attacks on security forces. They set fire to a NATO container in 2013.

Indian intelligence agency, NDS, and TTP

Terrorism in Pakistan is blamed on other banned organizations, including the Indian intelligence agency RAW, the Afghan agency NDS and the ideology has become common in Pakistan that NDS, RAW, and TTP together carry out terrorism in the country. 

For example, on July 8, 2021, an FIA investigation revealed that the Afghan agency NDS had provided Pakistani identity cards to TTP terrorists and that al-Qaeda terrorists had also obtained CNICs from NADRA.

Statement by Prime Minister Imran Khan

Yesterday, Prime Minister Imran Khan said in an interview with Turkish TV that we are in talks with the TTP. “Some TTP groups want talks with the government. We are also in touch with some of their groups,” he said.

He said that we are in talks to disarm the TTP and make it an ordinary Pakistani citizen. “The Afghan Taliban are the mediators in the talks and the process is ongoing in Afghanistan. If the TTP surrenders, we will forgive. These people will be able to live like ordinary citizen,” he maintained.

Criticism of opposition

Opposition political leaders, including Rana Sanaullah, Hina Rabbani Khar, and former defense minister Khawaja Asif, sharply criticized the prime minister’s statement, saying the government-held opposition leaders accountable and announced a general amnesty for the TTP. Why this contradiction? Are NROs being issued to APS officials?

Sheikh Rashid’s answer

Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said talks with the Taliban had begun. “We know who is good and who is bad. Those responsible for the APS incident are separate. Those who have surrendered will not be fought,” he said.

Threats of terrorism

Of course, Pakistan cannot afford to continue the longest unending war on terror for no reason. The surrender of the TTP is also welcome, but the government of the day should take the nation and the families of the martyrs of the Pakistan Army, CTD and other law enforcement agencies into confidence before granting amnesty to a terrorist group like the TTP.