The Propaganda Of Noor Wali Mehsud: A Distortion Of Islamic Teachings – OpEd
Noor Wali Mehsud, the notorious leader of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has recently attempted to ride on the justification of the heinous and brutal activities of the organization by framing them as a jihad. The fact that his latest audio message states that they only attack security forces and never innocent civilians is a blatant lie that not only distorts the image of Islam but is also a threat to the stability and sovereignty of Pakistan.
Noor Wali has twisted rhetoric that is way apart from the teachings of Islam, which clearly disapproves of violence against innocent civilians. In Surah Al-Ma’idah (5:32), the Quran makes it very clear that anyone who kills an innocent soul has killed all entire mankind. This is a very strong verse that highlights the sanctity of human life, and this has been breached numerous times by the TTP by attacking the people who are not in combat. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also forbade the abuse of non-combatants in war, and it is now obvious that jihad is not an opportunity to commit terror. However, Noor Wali Mehsud is living against these basic tenets of Islam, destroying mosques, schools, women, children, and the elderly in their inhuman quest to acquire power.
It is imperative to point out that the activities of TTP cannot be called jihad, and they cannot be related to the Afghan jihad of the 1980s. A few years back, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the head of the Afghan Taliban, clearly stated that the Afghan jihad had ended. The objectives of Noor Wali and his cohort that they are following in the footsteps of the Afghan jihad are false; not only that, but it is a dangerous way to prejudice the story to enlist supporters who are still caught up in the notion of resistance.
Moreover, Mehsud is lying outright by presenting the argument that they are not targeting civilians but only security forces. Such lies have already been unveiled by key thinkers such as Mufti Taqi Usmani. The attacks by the TTP are blind, and they have no bounds to their violence. They have been attacking places of worship, learning institutions, and innocent civilians, irrespective of their age and gender. They are quite rebellious, rebelling against the state of Pakistan and Islamic teachings.
With these facts in mind, the position of Pakistani scholars is quite obvious and stark. The TTP ideology has been condemned by scholars of all schools of thought, who made a fatwa declaring that an armed attack against the state is forbidden in Islam. Islamic teachings have it that a Muslim must honor the sovereignty of the state where they live, and any form of rebellion by any means is violence. This is not a political but a religious position. Pakistan is an Islamic state, and its constitution is founded on Islamic principles. Thus, any assault on the institutions or civilians in Pakistan by any organization or individual is an insult to Islam.
In addition, the ongoing violence by other groups, such as TTP, is a serious threat to the national security of Pakistan. The terrorism that has been going on is not just an in-house problem; it is a larger geopolitical issue. The activities of the TTP are very much associated with the foreign factors, and the presence of their base in Afghanistanhas enabled them to acquire resources, training, and logistical assistance. This threat is further increased by the recent increase in cross-border terrorism, plus the fact that the TTP has connections with world terrorist groups. The problem is not a national problem only, but an international problem, and the world powers should realize that there should be a collective effort to fight terrorism in the region.
The Pakistani military, in collaboration with the law enforcement agencies, has been on the frontline in fighting against the terrorism of the TTP. The operations that have been done in areas such as North Waziristan and Bannu have yielded a lot of fruit, and most of the top commanders of TTP have been destroyed. These operations, despite their difficulty, have contributed to the deterioration of the operational potential of the TTP. However, the fact that the TTP is still defiant and violent is a reminder that the battle is not won yet. This has caused Mehsud and his organization to go into a frenzy following the recent losses to the TTP, and this can be seen by their new efforts to create sectarian and regional tensions in Pakistan.
The recent propaganda activities by Noor Wali Mehsud are a last-minute grapple at relatability as his losses continue to accumulate. His intentions of deceiving the nature of their attacks and trying to disguise their terrorism as a jihad are meant to control the feelings of those who are still willing to sympathize with their side. This will, however, not pull the Pakistani people or the state back.
The voice of truth should keep on resonating with the masses. The war on extremism is not a mere military war but also an ideological war. The lies by Noor Wali need to be brought out for what they have been: the distortion of Islam in favor of violence and power.
To sum it up, the terrorist attacks which are conducted by the TTP, headed by Noor Wali Mehsud, are not only crimes against humanity, but also crimes against Islam. They claim to be waging a righteous jihad, which is a lie on their part. The security forces of Pakistan have both the legal and moral responsibility of destroying this terrorist network. The Pakistani nation, which is united under the ideology of peace and justice, must be strong against this menace and make sure that the toxin of extremism is removed from its territory.
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