PESHAWAR: Punjabi Taliban, an influential militant faction of the Pakistani Taliban on Friday said it would abandon insurgent activity inside the country and redirect its energies towards Afghanistan.
The announcement indicates further fragmentation in the umbrella Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which suffered a setback Thursday when a new bloc declared its split from the group’s official leadership.
“We will confine our practical jihadist role to Afghanistan in view of deteriorating situation in the region and internal situation of Pakistani jihadist movement,” Punjabi Taliban chief Ismatullah Muawiya said in a pamphlet faxed to the media, without clarifying further.
Jamatul Ahrar welcomes new Al Qaeda branch
The faction is active in Punjab, Pakistan’s wealthiest and most populous province and the political power base of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.
Muawiya said the faction will operate in Afghanistan under the guidance of Mullah Omar, the spiritual leader of Afghan Taliban, while its activities in Pakistan will be confined to preaching Islam.
“The announcement is a major setback for the TTP as it shows fragmentation is continuing and the organisation is fracturing,” defence and security analyst Talat Masood told AFP.
“The groups within TTP have not accepted Mullah Fazlullah, which has caused a serious split in the organisation.”
Mullah Fazlullah was elected head of the TTP last November following the killing of Hakimullah Mehsud in a US drone strike.
A new bloc, named the TTP Jamatul Ahrar (freedom fighters group), announced its split from the group Thursday and named Omar Khalid Khorasani as its commander.
They are all radical Islamic militants and they should be eliminated from civilized society…fanatic jihadis are ruining the reputation of Islam all over the world…peaceful Muslims should be leading the charge against all of these extremists who murder innocent civilians only to gain power…
Eddied,
I can appreciate from the outside looking in you can say this.
But the Pashtuns too have been wronged and are very honourable.
Call the fools naive or mislead there can be no excuse for the evil they unleashed.
However every man has the right to repent and throw down their arms and Pashtuns being Pashtuns wronged by Fazlullah lies and deception will avenge their fallen comrades.
Fazlullah unlike the other groups is neither mislead naive or stupid but in collusion with foreign states and killing people of every faith with impunity out of Kunar.
Why does Fazlullah sit unafraid in Kunar?
Why does the US not send drones over Kunar to kill him?
Fazlullah has a lot of wealth and his group make very bold and “calculated” attacks against economic, military targets but equally indiscriminately against innocent people of all faiths to spread panic and insecurities.
Where does Fazlullah get his wealth from?
Why does Afghan Government protect him?
Why have his affiliated been caught engaging Afghan and Indian intelligence?
Why did he attack Afghan Taliban?
When he unleashed terror in Swath why did he have uncircumcised south Asians within his ranks?
Does anyone even know his origins before 911!
He has the tell tale of a proxy and he has no repentance nor forgiveness and a Pashtun judgement awaits him.
Eddied we are Muslims and if a brother genuinely wishes repentance then we forgive and as a Pashtun just knowing he has wronged will haunt him and compel him to right the wrong.
چې د بل ننګ و ناموس ساتلے نشي
و به نۀ ساتي څوک خپل ننګ و ناموس
Pashtuns can notice without honour nor tolerate the dishonourable.
The true from among the ranks of the TTP mislead will find it difficult to live with themselves knowing they have wronged many and will seek to avenge their honour.
Fazlullah’s days are numbered.
Typo Pashtuns can not live without honour and avenge against the dishonourable and those who have mislead them.
We, you or anyone can change the Pashtun noble way an ancient code.
Fazlullah will get his just deserves…