There has been an uproar on social media and streets in the Malakand division about the alleged return of TTP in the Malakand division of KPK. Large protests have been witnessed in Mingora town in Swat. Thousands of people took to the streets and announced their complete rejection of TTP’s ideology. There have been trends on social media that the Pakistan Army and other Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) have failed to perform their duty of securing the masses.
Fact remains that Pakistan Army’s counter-terrorism strategy in the global war on terror was the only successful one despite having much fewer resources compared to NATO forces in Afghanistan. The success of Operation Rah-e-Nijat in the Malakand division in 2008-09, is well recognized internationally and now is an illustrious chapter of the Pakistan Army’s proud history.
There is no denial in the fact that recently, there has been an uptick in terror incidents inside Pakistan particularly in areas adjacent to Afghanistan-Pakistan international border. These incidents began after a long string of successful intelligence-based operations by Pakistani security forces against TTP factions in the last few months on both sides of the border.
According to initial reports, the Afghan Taliban (IEA) is also against TTP’s strategy of using Afghan soil for terrorism inside Pakistan. Afghan Taliban had given assurance during Doha negotiations that once US troops leave Afghanistan, the Taliban would not allow the use of Afghan soil against any of its neighbors. Clearly, TTP activities put IEA in a very compromising position which the Kabul regime does not want as it’s struggling for international recognition.
Now keeping all this background in mind, it’s obvious that to encourage the falling morale of their comrades, TTP leadership has activated some of its sleep cells and propaganda factions in certain Areas in Pakistan including the Malakand division and this is something that has triggered widespread protests by the local population.
People in Swat have suffered first from TTP and then from climate change and floods. They have just begun to normalize their lives while TTP elements surfaced in the area. The news about the resurgence of TTP drew a strong reaction from locals who don’t want to be displaced once again from their houses.
The fact is there is no high-profile incident in Malakand despite a few law and order incidents including kidnapping and extortion. These incidents were carried out by TTP’s recently activated sleeper cells and their core aim is to spread despondency and misinformation about the strength of TTP.
Both local and international tourists are visiting Swat once again as tourism activities are being restored after the devastation caused by historic flash floods in the area. The law and order situation in the Malakand division is completely under control and there is no need for any military operation in the area. Police and other law enforcement agencies are ensuring complete peace. Even small incidents have been responded to by the security forces and now the protests against TTP are also dying down as people have realized that it was TTP’s propaganda to spread misinformation about the return of this terror organization in the area. These protests were later on hijacked by political parties who wanted to ride on the popular anti-TTP bandwagon but soon their political sloganeering exposed them in front of the masses and people rejected them as well just like the atrocities of TTP in the name of religion. Swat is peaceful today due to tireless efforts and countless sacrifices of brave sons of the soil who fought one of the most ruthless foreign-funded terror machines and pushed it out of Pakistani borders. Pakistani armed forces have made it very clear that at no cost peace and stability of the Malakand division and other parts of KPK will be allowed to deteriorate. In Sha Allah with the help of the people, Pakistan Army, and other LEAs will ensure peace in every nook and corner of Pakistan.
