Jostein Gaarder defined myths in a really beautiful manner,” In ancient times, most people believed in the truth of myths. People believed in gods like Thor or Odin because they provided a convenient explanation for how things worked.” Similarly, Indian Media has been dealing with the propaganda and sponsorship related to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on the agenda of mythological explanation as a cover-up to their propaganda strategy. The fundamentalist group uses the name Pakistan to operate under the umbrella of Indian sponsorship against Pakistan.
The armed group has declared the end of the definite ceasefire that had been thoroughly worked out in June of this year and has ordered its fighters to carry out attacks across the country. The recent attack of TTP in Balochistan after the announcement of the termination of the ceasefire with the Government of Pakistan, reveals the aligned strategy between TTP and Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). In past, all the major attacks in Balochistan have been claimed by BLA in the near past but the responsibility claim by TTP after the recent unfortunate incident was an indication of the new alignment of splinter groups in the Baloch region. This new strategy has changed the whole security landscape in Balochistan.
To gain the support of the people of Pakistan, the false impression being conveyed by TTP is that Pakistan is the aggressor and that their retaliatory measures are a response to it. Whereas, the hard reality is that the TTP has dangerous motives. The extremist group has openly challenged the writ of the state of Pakistan for years and wants to impose its own agendas under a religious cover. The group actually wants the reversal of the merger of tribal areas into KP, so that it could have impunity for defying the state authority.
Moreover, another unjust demand was made by TTP to release their members but there are several hardline TTP members who are under imprisonment having committed serious crimes, including those involved in planning the horrendous killing of 150 people, mostly students, at the Army Public School in Peshawar. Pakistani Nation and Law would never provide any leverage to these involved murderers.
Pakistan continues to put pressure on the Taliban government in Afghanistan to take action against the TTP and not allow them to operate with impunity. But the Taliban government has hardly had any control over these groups. The attack on the Pakistan embassy in Kabul last week raises questions about the Taliban government’s capacity, control, and resolve to fight terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan. The attack that targeted the chargé d’affaires seems to be an extension of the terrorists’ war on the Pakistani state.
The attack on the embassy has exacerbated an already hazardous environment, endangering the lives of Pakistani officials based in Kabul and other Afghan cities. The way Indian Media is highlighting TTP’s ceasefire announcement is raising suspicious questions over their involvement in the current security situation against Pakistan. Moreover, It is important that the Afghan Taliban cut off all ties with the TTP and other transnational militant groups if they are sincere about meeting their commitments to the international community.
Author: Rimsha Ehsan
The author has done her MPhil from RIPHAH International University, Islamabad in Media Studies and is currently working as a Research Officer. The views expressed by the author do not necessarily represent Global Defense Insight’s editorial policy.
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