Hassan Abbas, author of the book “The Return of the Taliban,” says that the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has become uncontrollable.
Abbas stated that the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan have become “stronger and more coordinated than before,” making it difficult for TTP to be defeated through military action alone.
The author of “The Return of the Taliban” claims that the Afghan Taliban and the TTP are two sides of the same coin.
Hassan Abbas, now a professor at the National Defense University in the United States, emphasized the need for “engagement and dialogue with the Afghan Taliban leadership” during his speech at the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (PIIA) on Friday, September 6.
Abbas described the first iteration of the Taliban, led by Mullah Omar, as having “limited resources, organization, military skills, and political vision.”
He claims that the second group of Taliban became specialized in warfare, but the current ruling group in Afghanistan is “highly organized.”
According to the Pakistani author and academic, the current generation of Taliban “has a good understanding of politics and is in coordinated communication with the West.”
Abbas referred to the TTP as a “backup plan” for the Afghan Taliban, explaining that the current regime anticipated that, if forced to flee, they would take refuge in the border areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan, necessitating the presence of the TTP in those regions.
Abbas believes that the TTP is now beyond control in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He noted that under pressure from Pakistan, the Afghan Taliban appear to want to control the TTP, but these actions are more strategic moves to transfer TTP fighters to northern Afghanistan.
He also criticized the narrative of “good Taliban versus bad Taliban” prevalent in Pakistan, calling it misleading.
Abbas pointed out the ideological rigidity of the “Kandahar group” of the Taliban in Afghanistan, stating that they, along with other southern Taliban factions, are “ideological masters” who oppose progressive issues like women’s education. Despite fundamental disagreements, he emphasized that the Taliban remain united.
Abbas believes that if various countries collectively demand it, the Taliban might agree to women’s educational rights.
He highlighted the dire situation of the Hazara community, which has suffered from what he describes as a “genocide” perpetrated by Taliban fighters over the years.
The ongoing conflict and instability in the region continue to impact vulnerable communities, underscoring the need for international attention and intervention to address these humanitarian issues.
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