Pak Army is using TTP threat to get US aid

The cooperation between Islamabad and Washington in the field of tackling terrorism is now reaching a level, which was visible post the 9/11 attack.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

The breaking down of the talks between the Pakistan Army and the Tehreek-E-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has come as an opportune time for Pakistan, as Islamabad has been able to persuade successfully policymakers in Washington that it needs funds and weapons to tackle the TTP, a group that has repeatedly stated that its operations are limited to Pakistan and that it does not have any other geopolitical-ideological ambitions unlike the Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State (ISIS).

This has raised questions in Islamabad and Kabul on how serious was GHQ, Rawalpindi, about reaching a long-lasting ceasefire with TTP and whether all these talks were a part of a well thought out ruse. While no official numbers are available, the intelligence community estimates that the Noor Wali Mehsud-led group commands a strength of 5,000-7,000 men who are waging a war against the 11 lakh-plus strong Pakistan Army that boasts of having some of the best offensive and defensive capabilities.

According to an Islamabadbased research organisation— Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) —TTP has carried out more than 150 attacks targeting law enforcement agencies from January till November end, resulting in more than 150 deaths. As historical data shows, an increase in confrontation between the Pakistan Army and an armed group leads to an increase in the monetary and defensive assistance from Washington.