Pakistan facing increasing threat from ISIS, says Interior Ministry

Pakistan is facing a threat from the Islamic State (ISIS), which is attempting to gain ground in the nation, as well as an influx of Tehreek-i-Taliban terrorists in large numbers in the unrest-plagued tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In a statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior made this claim as the Senate was informed about the TTP’s growing power and operations in the wake of US army withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban-led interim government’s inaction against the outlawed organisation.

In a written response given during question hour, the interior ministry emphasised how the TTP’s operational growth and reorganisation during the peace negotiations in 2022 have greatly expanded its militant actions.

“It has given significant rise to its activities and is seeking the support of other militant groups to increase strength and capabilities. It is mostly concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially merged districts, with footprints in Balochistan and trying to activate its network in the country,” the statement said.

It stated that it is concerning that the TTP is still showing up in large numbers in the combined areas and that suicide bombers are being recruited, trained, and deployed there.

According to the ministry, the militant group known by its Arabic name, Daesh, which calls itself the Islamic State, was attempting to gain ground in Pakistan and was using terrorist acts against Shias and other religious minorities in order to sow discord among the sect.

It stated that the majority of the fence along Pakistan’s western borders has been installed to bolster the government’s efforts to stop unauthorised cross-border migration. It did, however, make clear that the two organizations—the TTP in particular—kept up their efforts to undermine the fence.

In March 2017, Pakistan began fortifying its porous borders with Afghanistan in response to a wave of lethal strikes by militant groups operating out of that country the year before.

Nearing completion, the barrier is being constructed along the Durand Line, a 2,640-kilometer frontier. It goes through rocky slopes, valleys with thick forests, and little openings in the rock.

Since they cancelled a truce with the Pakistani government in November 2022, militants have increased the intensity of their attacks.

At least 23 Pakistan Army soldiers were killed and over 30 injured in the bloodiest attack on security forces of the previous year, which occurred on December 12 when militants from Tehreek-i-Jihad Pakistan invaded a military installation in the Daraban region of Dera Ismail Khan.

The ministry added that the issuing of smart identity cards resulted in the expansion and updating of data pertaining to 1.45 million registered refugees. “The cards are compatible with the local systems and contain basic information, including biometric data,” the statement stated.

It claimed that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority was aggressively monitoring cyberspace and was breaking up the communication networks to stop online extremism.

(With agency inputs)