On 26 June 2024, the interior minister of Balochistan held a press conference revealing that Pakistan had arrested two commanders of Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Nasrullah alias Maulvi Mansoor and Commander Idress alias Irshad. The arrest came after the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) carried out a sophisticated intelligence based operation that has also led to the dismantling of the terrorist network. The arrest is a mere addition to a series of cases where Pakistan LEAs have been arresting terrorists and separatists with links to foreign intelligence agencies. The arrest and revelation by the terrorists vindicate Pakistan’s stance on foreign involvement in creating instability.
The captured terrorists, in a chilling display broadcasted live on national television, confessed to their involvement in various acts of terrorism against Pakistan. Nasrullah, hailing from South Waziristan who remained a part of TTP for 16 years, disclosed his role in orchestrating attacks before fleeing to Afghanistan post Operation Zarb e Azb. His admission included collaboration with Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) terrorists facilitated by crossing the Spin Boldak border, allegedly with the backing of India’s intelligence agency, RAW. Shockingly, Nasrullah implicated RAW’s interest in forging an alliance between BLA and TTP to establish training camps in Khuzdar, aimed at sabotaging the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Pakistan has been communicating directly to the Afghan Taliban that Tehreek e Taliban Afghanistan (TTA) and its purported influence on Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is briefly impacting Pakistan’s security landscape. Nasrullah has also asserted that the current Afghan regime lent support to TTP and BLA activities. TTP has long been viewed as a significant security threat, perpetrating attacks on civilian and military targets. The purported support from TTA not only complicates efforts to dismantle TTP networks but also raises concerns about Afghanistan’s role as a safe haven for anti-Pakistan militants.
The press conference served as a stark reminder of the persistent challenges posed by terrorism and the complex geopolitical maneuvers shaping the region’s landscape. It highlighted Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to combating terrorism while exposing alleged foreign involvement in destabilizing the country. As Pakistan confronts these challenges head-on, the international community faces renewed calls to address state-sponsored terrorism and its ramifications.
Pakistan has consistently presented its case of being a victim of state-sponsored terrorism. From diplomatic cables to dossiers, Pakistan has been pinpointing the involvement of Indian intelligence agencies in supporting and funding separatist and insurgent groups within Pakistan. While the arrest of TTP commanders offers a significant breakthrough in Pakistan’s anti-terrorism efforts, it also raises urgent questions about the broader implications of foreign involvement in regional conflicts.
Pakistan has been in an incessant war against terrorism with unflinching resolve. The menace of terrorism is global and needs collective solutions. However, Pakistan’s hostility in its neighborhood and faultlines from within have emboldened some states to use the act of terrorism as a state tool to destabilize Pakistan. Instead of adhering to the cooperation mechanism devised at regional level, India has blatantly added to the growing terror economy which has crossed a whopping amount of 30 billion USD in 2023. This denotes the policy choices by the South Block in New Delhi that has established links with the epicenters of terrorism inside Afghanistan to gain regional ascendency.
The press conference by the arrested TTP terrorist is not a surprise for the world. Indian involvement inside Pakistan is ‘usually suspected’ but the recent killings in European capitals, Canada, the UK and the US by Indian intelligence operators were an eye-opener. Using statecraft and national exchequer for instability, targeted killings and sponsoring terrorism is not only against the ethos of the international system but also denotes that a state getting preferential treatment by the international community can be set by default to abuse its international status.
The international community has been giving a clean chit to India for its wrongdoings worldwide. From EU Disinfo Lab report on Indian Chronicles to the misfire of Brahmos by the IAF inside Pakistan, from the instances of uranium thefts inside India to a series of killings in the international capitals, India has been exonerated by the international system – thanks to major power politics between the United States and China. However, it has implications for the smaller states of the region where India wants to be a regional hegemon by hook or by crook.
