A large scale crackdown against militants linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliated terrorist outfits across the country is on the cards in the wake of horrendous acts of terror during the month of Muharram.
Scores of people were killed in terrorist attacks in the last few days targeting various processions of mourners and imam bargahs and the responsibility for most of those assaults was accepted by the Hakeemullah Mehsud-led TTP. The terrorist attacks were carried out in Rawalpindi, Karachi, DI Khan and some other parts of the country in the first few days of Muharram, leading to great anger and anguish among the country’s security circles.
TTP had also been involved, according to Pakistani investigators, in other acts of terror during the recent months, including the assault on PAF base Minhas in Kamra.
Pakistan’s civilian and military authorities believe that the TTP consists mostly of irreconcilable elements that have no love or appetite for peace in the country and hence they need to be dealt with an iron hand. Pakistani law enforcement authorities and intelligence agencies are likely to start a massive crackdown on TTP and its affiliated organisations across the country soon to block further terrorist attacks.
“Intelligence agencies will accelerate their process of information gathering and use all available resources to the maximum to find the hideouts of the TTP activists and its cells in various parts of the country,” an official source said, seeking anonymity. He said investigators were looking into the possibility of involvement of ‘foreign hand’ in the recent acts of terror and also to see whether the local militants linked with the TTP were being used for the purpose by some external force. A couple of months ago, there were press reports suggesting a ‘targeted military offensive’ in North Waziristan against the TTP and its affiliate local and foreign militants, but that did not happen. Commenting on the possibility of any military action against TTP in North Waziristan in the aftermath of attacks in Muharram, an official said Pakistani security forces were in action against the militants in various tribal regions and whenever there was concrete information about their (militants) presence in any area, they were not spared.
“Intelligence agencies will accelerate their process of information gathering and use all available resources to the maximum to find the hideouts of the TTP activists and its cells in various parts of the country,” an official source said, seeking anonymity. He said investigators were looking into the possibility of involvement of ‘foreign hand’ in the recent acts of terror and also to see whether the local militants linked with the TTP were being used for the purpose by some external force. A couple of months ago, there were press reports suggesting a ‘targeted military offensive’ in North Waziristan against the TTP and its affiliate local and foreign militants, but that did not happen. Commenting on the possibility of any military action against TTP in North Waziristan in the aftermath of attacks in Muharram, an official said Pakistani security forces were in action against the militants in various tribal regions and whenever there was concrete information about their (militants) presence in any area, they were not spared.
He said any military operation in North Waziristan or any other region was the decision to be made by the government. The official said the situation on ground was that Pakistani security forces had been overstretched because of anti-terror activities in the Tribal Areas and “our troops were doing a great job”.
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