Pakistani Taliban issues warning to civilians, targets military-owned enterprises
Jan 07, 2025
Islamabad [Pakistan] January 7, : The banned militant group Pakistani Taliban, Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), issued a threat to the Pakistani military, declaring that it will persist in targeting security forces and broaden its assaults to include the military's commercial ventures, Al Jazeera reported.
In a statement released on Sunday, the TTP vowed to target a range of business ventures operated by the Pakistani military al Jazeera reported. The group specifically mentioned several companies, including the National Logistics Cell, a logistics company based in Rawalpindi; the Frontier Works Organisation, which focuses on engineering and construction; Fauji Fertiliser Company, a fertiliser producer; military-run housing authorities throughout Pakistan; a commercial bank; and other related entities.
The Pakistani Taliban cautioned civilians to withdraw their investments from these military-controlled organizations within three months and advised employees of these companies to seek other means of earning.
According to an Al Jazeera report, the military has yet to respond to the Pakistan Taliban's statement.
Last month, the Pakistani military conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan, targeting suspected hideouts of the armed group. Pakistan holds the Taliban, which has governed Afghanistan since August 2021, responsible for providing safe havens to TTP fighters, enabling them to carry out cross-border attacks on law enforcement within Pakistan.
However, the Afghan Taliban denies these accusations. The Pakistan Taliban shares an ideological alignment with the Afghan Taliban. Established in 2007 during the U.S.-led "war on terror," it has been engaged in an insurgency against the Pakistani state for over a decade. The report further stated that the group's demands include the implementation of strict Islamic law, the release of its detained members, and the reversal of the merger of Pakistan's tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Since the Taliban took control of Kabul, TTP activity in Pakistan has surged significantly, with nearly 1,000 people, primarily security personnel, killed in 2023.
Violence continued into 2024, which the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), a think tank based in Islamabad, described as the deadliest year in almost a decade.
According to CRSS, 2,526 people lost their lives in attacks last year, including nearly 700 security personnel, over 900 civilians, and around 900 armed fighters. These fatalities mark the highest toll in nine years, surpassing the previous record of 2,432 deaths in 2016.
Imtiaz Gul, the executive director of CRSS, cautioned that the Pakistan Taliban's warning should not be ignored. "They are fully aware that the Pakistani military is crucial in this conflict, and their goal is to target the army and weaken its interests," Gul told Al Jazeera.
Security expert Abdul Sayed, based in Sweden, stated that the TTP's statement marks a "significant shift" in the group's strategy. "Since Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud became TTP leader in July 2018, a policy was set to focus attacks mainly on security forces.
However, the recent airstrikes in Afghanistan's Bermal district, which caused civilian casualties, likely prompted internal hardliners within the group to reconsider this strategy," Sayed told Al Jazeera.
Although the timing of the Pakistan Taliban's statement coincides with intensifying military operations, including a campaign that began in June last year, analysts believe the group is also taking advantage of the country's political rifts.
Qamar Cheema, an international affairs expert and executive director of the Sanober Institute, highlighted that supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the prominent opposition party, have recently launched social media campaigns calling for a boycott of products from military-run businesses.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has accused the military of conspiring with the United States and his political opponents to remove him from power in April 2022. Since his ousting and imprisonment in August 2023, Khan and his supporters have remained critical of the military.
Following large-scale protests by the PTI in late November, which resulted in the deaths of 12 party workers and supporters, the party launched a social media campaign urging people to boycott businesses linked to the military's commercial interests. The campaign gained momentum after Khan threatened to start a civil disobedience movement.
Qamar Cheema remarked, "If the PTI had not politicized state institutions, the TTP might not have been in a position to target this sector."
During a news conference last year, ISPR chief General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry defended the military's economic role, stating that it had contributed over 100 billion rupees (USD 359 million) to the national budget in duties and taxes, with military-affiliated organizations paying an additional 260 billion rupees (USD 934 million) in taxes.
Abdul Sayed, the researcher, noted that the Pakistan Taliban is seeking to take advantage of the current political turmoil, as the military faces ongoing criticism.
Analysts are concerned that the Pakistan Taliban's new strategy could lead to a resurgence of widespread violence, especially in urban areas. Cheema noted that the TTP has recently threatened members of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
"We have seen the TTP target political parties in the past, but this indiscriminate assault on civilians is likely to backfire, although they may have the support of the Afghan Taliban," he stated.
Imtiaz Gul from CRSS suggested that the Pakistan Taliban aims to pressure the military into stopping its cross-border strikes in Afghanistan. "The tensions with the Afghan government are due to Pakistan's aggressive military strategy, including airstrikes on Afghan territory. The TTP likely believes that threatening attacks on commercial interests will deter the military from further aggression," he explained.