Pakistan recently conducted peace talks with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a banned terror organization that is responsible for some of the deadliest attacks in the country. Peace talks became the need of the hour after concerns racked up that the TTP may join hands with Da’ish Khorasan, reports claimed.
To clarify, Da’ish Khorasan, or the Islamic State’s Khorasan chapter (ISK), is another terror organization that is notorious for attacking mosques, both in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Many of those attacks targeted the Hazaras and Sufi communities. For instance, in March 2022, the ISK attacked a Shia mosque at Qissa Khwani Bazaar in Peshawar, killing 63 people and injuring 196 people.
Read more: Culprits involved in Peshawar blast identified
As a result, the possibility of a TTP and ISK collaboration is alarming. Moreover, India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) would exploit such a scenario. According to media reports, Pakistan’s Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) on Tuesday formally endorsed the efforts aimed at seeking a peace deal with TTP.
Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt General Nadeem Anjum and Peshawar Corps Commander Lt General Faiz Hameed were present and they warned of devastating consequences for the country if the TTP joined hands with the Da’ish terrorist group.
TTP peace talks with Pakistan
Peshawar Corps Commander General Faiz Hameed gave a detailed briefing about the progress and background of the ongoing talks with the TTP who has announced a ceasefir for an indefinite period.
Gen Faiz is heading the Pakistani team that held a series of meetings with TTP chief Noor Wali Masood in Afghanistan who has reiterated the group’s demands in an interview with a private media.
TTP has put forward a series of demands, including reversal of the FATA merger. To clarify, in 2018, the federal government officially merged the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Many political parties in Pakistan supported the merger. However, there were those that also opposed the decision, for instance, JUI-F, and of course the outlawed TTP.
“Our demands are clear and especially the reversal of FATA merger with KP is our primary demand which the group cannot back down from,” said Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud.
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TTP has released interview of its chief, Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud on ongoing peace talks.1-General Faiz Hamid is leading talks from Pak side
2-We won’t back down from FATA merger’s reversal demand
3-Some of our prisoners have been released
4-No major breakthrough in talks pic.twitter.com/NqpBI8JiDJ
— The Khorasan Diary (@khorasandiary) June 29, 2022
TTP Chief Noor Wali also confirmed that negotiations between the TTP and the government were in progress but no major breakthrough had been made so far.