ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s leading Islamic scholar and jurist Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani has said that the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had assured religious scholars they would lay down their arms and refrain from violent activities against the Pakistani state and its citizens.
Mufti Taqi Usmani shared details of his meeting with the TTP leadership, including its chief Noor Wali Mehsud, during a visit to Kabul in July 2022. The visit of a 13-member delegation of Pakistani Ulema was part of a broader initiative to persuade the TTP to abandon violence. The delegation, which included prominent scholars from Karachi, Lahore, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was headed by Mufti Taqi Usmani.
In a video statement posted on social media, Mufti Taqi Usmani recounted the lengthy discussions during the meeting with TTP leadership, saying that the delegation had conveyed the Islamic stance on violence. He stated, “We explained to the TTP leadership that their violent actions against Pakistan are un-Islamic, illegal, and contrary to Sharia law, as Pakistan is an Islamic state with an Islamic government and Islamic Constitution.”
The Grand Mufti said that the delegation had reminded the TTP leaders about Pakistan’s Islamic constitution, which aligns with Sharia principles, and urged them to accept the writ of the Pakistani government. He further denounced the TTP’s declaration of apostasy (takfir) and decrees of disbelief (kufr) against the state, calling them un-Islamic.
تحریک طالبان پاکستان کے سربراہ مفتی نور ولی محسود سے ملاقات کے دوران ہونے والی گفتگو کے دوران پاکستان میں جاری فسادی کاروائیوں کے حوالے سے کیا کہا گیا اور کیا ہوا ؟
سنتے ہیں مفتی تقی عثمانی صاحب کی زبانی ۔۔۔ pic.twitter.com/P1zzfVvTeo— War analyst (@War_Analysts) January 2, 2025
The delegation also confronted the TTP leadership about their decades-long campaign of violence, which had claimed the lives of children, women, scholars, and innocent citizens, Mufti Taqi Usmani said. Reflecting on the discussions, the Grand Mufti said, “After our dialogue, Noor Wali Mehsud and his colleagues assured us that they understood our message and expressed their commitment to refraining from armed actions in the future.”
However, in a video message addressed to Pakistan’s religious scholars, Noor Wali Mehsud appeared to justify the TTP’s campaign while stating that the group was “open to guidance” from Ulema if their path was deemed incorrect.
Responding to Mehsud’s statement, Mufti Taqi Usmani reminded him of the guidance provided during the Kabul meeting. “The guidance you now seek was already delivered during our direct conversation. It is surprising to see these statements after such a clear dialogue,” he remarked.
Reiterating his stance, the Grand Mufti stated, “Pakistan is an Islamic state with a constitution unparalleled by any other country in the world. Any armed action against this state is a clear rebellion, forbidden (haram), and unlawful in Islam. Such actions cannot be justified under any circumstances.”
The outlawed TTP has intensified terrorist attacks in Pakistan. The attacks by TTP killed about 300 people during 2024, according to the Pakistan Security Report 2024.
Released by the Islamabad-based think tank Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) on Wednesday, the report documents a disturbing rise in both the frequency and intensity of terrorist attacks in the country. Over 95 percent of terrorist attacks recorded in 2024 were concentrated in KP and Balochistan. KP recorded the highest number of terrorist incidents in the country in 2024, with 295 attacks.
In 2024, as many as 358 personnel of security and law-enforcement agencies were martyred in terrorist attacks. In these attacks, 139 militants were also killed.
The report noted that while the banned TTP remained a key perpetrator of terrorist violence in KP.
