‘We are here’: TTP issues threat to Pakistan govt, army from Punjab

The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has issued a stark and audacious warning to the Pakistani government and its military, declaring a stronghold within the nation’s Punjab region and vowing to impose an “Islamic system throughout the country.”

In a chilling video obtained by IANS, armed TTP militants projected their intent to march from Punjab to Islamabad, promising a resounding shock to the establishment and what they termed its “American facilitators”.

One militant singled out the Pakistan Army, branding it a “cruel force” incapable of confronting the “mujahideen,” and ominously predicted its impending downfall. This pronouncement flies in the face of official claims that the TTP operates largely from Afghanistan, directly challenging the narrative propagated by Pakistan’s intelligence agencies.

The declaration arrives against a backdrop of growing tensions, with critics suggesting that army chief general Asim Munir may be invoking the TTP threat to justify oppressive measures against Pashtuns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a strategy said to strain relations between Pakistani and Afghan populations, allegedly under US influence.

The TTP’s bold statements signal a major escalation and a direct challenge to Pakistan’s central authority, raising serious questions about the nation’s internal security and stability.

This development coincides with the third round of Afghan-Pakistani peace talks in Istanbul, aimed at preserving the fragile ceasefire and crafting a long-term border security agreement. However, the atmosphere of diplomacy contrasts sharply with reports of violence on the ground: Pakistani forces allegedly opened fire on Spin Boldak, an act condemned by Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, as causing distress among the local populace.

The juxtaposition of tense negotiations in Istanbul and escalating hostilities on the border underscores the precarious balance between diplomacy and conflict, as Pakistan grapples with internal insurgencies and the TTP asserts its defiant presence within the heart of the country.

With IANS inputs