Why nobody will help Pakistan fight home-grown Taliban

A suicide bomber blew himself in a mosque in Peshawar in one of the deadliest terror attacks Pakistan has seen in recent history. Over 100 men, including police officers and civilians, were killed. Pakistani terror group Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is believed to have carried it out. 

The continuous onslaught of TTP has made Pakistan so desperate for help that it is now looking towards the Afghan Taliban for intervention in the matter. But there is a grim chance of any help. Here's why nobody will help Pakistan fight the home-grown Taliban: 

1) Afghanistan: Pakistan has sought Afghan Taliban Chief Haibuttallah Akhundzada’s help to rein in the outlawed Pakistani Taliban. This a desperate move by Pakistan, but the TTP and Afghan Taliban are fundamentally the same organization so there is little hope of help from Afghanistan against the TTP. 

2) China: Pakistan may look towards its friend China, hoping that China can at least convince the Afghan Taliban to push for a ceasefire between the Pakistan Army and the TTP. 

But if China interferes, it can jeopardise its interests at Pakistan’s Gwadar port which is the heart of the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the most significant culmination point for China's Belt and Road Initiative. Chinese citizens in Gwadar are already under threat to vacate the area by local political outfits. China has major stakes and there is little to no chance that China will interfere. 

3) Pakistan could consider repeating its joint military operation Zarb-e-Azb from 2014 when nearly 3,500 militants were eliminated. But the operation took a major toll on Pakistan as well. Over 500 Pakistani soldiers lost their lives during Zarb-e-Azb and nearly one million people were displaced from their homes. Given Pakistan’s current financial crisis – it cannot consider such an operation again. 

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4) US: Pakistan may look towards engaging with the US and asking for help, but again there is no chance the US would intervene in any conflict involving the Taliban or Afghanistan. In 2021, after 20 long years - the US exited Afghanistan by signing a deal with the Taliban under the Doha Agreement. Launching an offensive against the TTP to help Pakistan will jeopardise US’ deal with the Taliban and the US doesn’t want any of that. 

5) Finally, Pakistan has the option of negotiating directly with the TTP which basically means agreeing to their demands. The TTP has clear goals: 

Enforce Shariah law in Pakistan; establish a unified front to maintain Afghan Taliban control in Afghanistan; and conduct defensive jihad against Pakistani security forces.  

Ultimately, the group seeks to overthrow the Pakistani government and establish an Islamic caliphate in Pakistan. 

TTP is gunning for the Pakistan army and is believed to have carried out 140 attacks in Pakistan in the past three months with close to 10,000 cadres based in Afghanistan and the Pashtun tribal areas of Pakistan. Seems like Pakistan is stuck with the monster they created with no escape. 

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)   

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