The Pakistan Taliban, following up on its relentless offensive against Islamabad, has announced a shadow government.
The Pakistan Taliban more formally called Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), signalling that it aspires to form a full-fledged state, has announced that it was dividing the outfit into various “ministries”, The Khorasan Diary Twitter handle revealed.
The TTP announced appointments for the ministries of Defence, Judiciary, Information, Political affairs, Economic Affairs, Education, and Intelligence along with the setting up of a fatwa issuing authority and a department for construction.
The “Defence Ministry” is headed by Mufti Muzahim. He is designated by the US State Department as a terrorist. The “ministry” is divided into North and South zones with the former including Peshawar, Malakand, Mardan, Gilgit Baltistan & Hazara “wilaya” and the latter DIKhan, Bannu, Kohat and Zhob “wilaya”.
The TTP defense minister Mufti Muzahim’s letter that ordered fighters for across-the-country attacks against the security forces. A militant source said, “𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆.” pic.twitter.com/y9N0hGpSR4
— Abd. Sayed ترمذی سادات (@abdsayedd) November 28, 2022
The geographical contours reveal that as of now the TTP is targeting the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as Gilgit-Baltistan as part of its future state.
The group also announced that it has established a “Special Isteshhadi Force”. This is a squadron of suicide bombers. Given the psychological edge that the force provides, the TTP has released a new video “We are ready, Part-2”, which spotlights the “Special Istishadi Force”.
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Pakistani Taliban (TTP) has released a new video “We are ready, Part-2”, featuring a recently created “Special Istishadi Force” -a squadron of suicide bombers with over a dozen of them undergoing training in complete combat uniform and US made assault rifles. pic.twitter.com/2JzIhiNEo4— The Khorasan Diary (@khorasandiary) January 8, 2023
Besides, two operational camps are being set up under the “Al Farooq Foundation”.
Significantly, the TTP’s intelligence directorate is headed by the group’s chief Noor Wali Mehsud himself. Separately, the TTP is trying to drive a wedge between Pakistani religious scholars and the state.
In a recent video, Mehsud urged the Pakistani ulema to refrain from labelling the TTP as terrorists. In a typical cloak-and-dagger game, he points out that the ceasefire will stay intact if the Pakistani government also upholds it.
The TTP made headlines recently by taking over a counter-terrorism centre in Bannu. Pakistani commandos could take back the Counter Terrorism Department (CDT) facility, located inside the cantonment after suffering heavy losses. Suicide bombers then struck inside capital Islamabad, marking a significant psychological victory.
Pakistani Taliban (TTP) Umar Media released a 6:12-min video showing footage of the jailed militants who have held hostage security officials in the CTD Banu prison — with a short message from its defense minister Mufti Muzahim — urging prayers for the release of the militants. pic.twitter.com/ZGUs0wp8Zm
— Abd. Sayed ترمذی سادات (@abdsayedd) December 19, 2022
There have been several other attacks including the killing of two ISI operatives working with the CDT.
Also Read: Are Baloch and Pashtun rebels now working together against the Pakistani State?
