Daily Times

The chief of Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, in a recent interview with an Indian magazine The Sunday Guardian, tried to change TTP’s narrative by denying its involvement in the Army Public School (APS) Peshawar massacre of more than 132 children in 2014. He claimed that TTP doesn’t kill children. Conversely, earlier, TTP had admitted to have carried out the attack on APS. Besides, the former spokesperson of TTP, Ehsanullah Ehsan, who escaped from the custody of security forces in Jan 2020, recently admitted on Twitter to have attacked the Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai, who was a child at the time.

Throughout TTP’s terrorist campaign, spanning over one-and-a-half decades, it carried out hundreds of attacks on civilian targets including markets and schools in which a large number of women and children were killed and injured.

The APS attack was the turning point which resulted in the military operation ‘Zarb e Azb’ that caused considerable damage to TTP and its leadership fled to Afghanistan. Terrorism diminished to a large extent in Pakistan.

Repeating and reminding of this record is beside the point. The point is that the denial by the TTP chief, of the most glaring achievement that befittingly enhances the profile of a terror outfit, smacks of a reconciliatory approach. An optimist would construe it as holding out an olive branch, though not throwing in the towel. In any case Noor Wali’s denial of involvement in APS cannot be ignored at this point in time. It is the statement of the chief of TTP; it merits consideration. It can be the first visible, though veiled, readiness to change the face and approach of TTP.

Mufti Noor Wali is a well-read man and author of a couple of books. He must be aware that all terrorist campaigns ultimately end in smoke. Especially, in these modern times it is impossible to fight with the state and survive till the end.

Secondly, presently there is an enormous pressure on the Afghan Taliban, by the US and all other countries of the world, to ensure that Afghan soil is used for harbouring terrorist groups that could launch attacks on other countries. China, Russia and Central Asian countries are also wary of such a threat. Taliban government, that is hard pressed for political and economic support, has been trying hard to allay the apprehensions of these countries. Recently it has ensured China that ETIM activists wouldn’t be allowed to stay in or operate from Afghanistan. Albeit Noor Wali claims to have good relations with Afghan Taliban and Haqqanis and that they had not pressurised TTP to make peace with Pakistan, it might be becoming increasingly difficult for them to operate from Afghanistan due to the world pressure on the Afghan government. Obviously TTP militants can’t relocate to Pakistan either. The choices are exceedingly limited for TTP.

Thirdly, the demand of imposition of sharia doesn’t need an armed struggle. The constitution of Pakistan clearly lays down that nothing repugnant to Quran and Sunnah would be enacted as law. The constitution gives the right to strive to bring the system and laws in conformity with the Islamic system. However, that ought to be done within the parameters of the constitution and democratic order.

The reporter claimed that Noor Wali is being searched for and Pakistan’s intelligence agencies are carrying out multiple operations daily to locate him. It might be an exaggerated guesstimate because the strategists have learnt this fact the hard way that TTP is not a particularly leader centric group. It survived the killing of its chiefs like Baitullah Mehsud, Hakeemullah Mehsud, Fazalullah and some other top leaders. These killings, however, definitely caused disruptions and internal fissures in the group. The struggle to fill the top slot undermined its unity and splintered it. It is also established that elimination of second and third tier leadership creates greater debility and disruption in the group. The strategists are well aware that having meaningful talks with an educated TTP leader, inclined to resort to peaceful means, stand better chances of success. They wouldn’t lose him.

Noor Wali clearly stated in the interview that meaningful negotiations are a part of the war. Being an educated man, Noor Wali gave desired twist to the established rule that negotiations are an inalienable part of counter terrorism strategy. Most probably his emphasis is on having decisive negotiations.

Responding to a question he said that the United States was a burden on the whole region, now that burden has gone. Interestingly, once TTP religiously followed al Qaeda’s line to strike at the US interests. Now that narrative has also changed. National Internal Security Policy 2018-23 had clearly indicated that negotiations could be conducted with the militant groups that showed inclination to give up armed struggle. The process however should be transparent and within the precincts of the constitution.

The writer is a security analyst.