TTP And Its Ideology Of Takfir – OpEd

Rise of TTP in Pakistan and Afghanistan around 2007 was nothing short of resurrection of a hibernating sidewinder known in Muslim history as Khawarij. Historically, this ideology is based on violent misinterpretation of Islamic scripture and it first appeared during the time of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. It continued to appear time to time and their only motive has remained to use twisted interpretation of Quran to declare other Muslims as Non-Muslims a phenomenon known as Takfir. Their ultimate aim has always remained to seek power, authority, and make people obey them through wrongful methods and reasons.

If we examine the behavior of TTP’s leadership it is nothing else but a clan of duplicitous, opportunists, cowards and deceitful manipulators. They use these traits for manipulating/ using their foot soldiers & innocent people as pawns for their nefarious designs in Pakistan. They consider any Pakistani standing up for its country’s traditions, constitution, and values as infidel (Kafir) punishable by death. 

TTP leaders have been totally oblivious to the religious, ethical, moral and cultural ethos of Pakistan and are exploiting innocent people through religious manipulation, coercion, intimidation and fear tactics. This explains their killing sprees through acts like suicide bombing across the country.  Through such heinous crimes they try to instill fear in general public so that their twisted, violent and un-Islamic ideology can gain acceptance among masses. But Pakistani people are cognizant of the TTP’s self-centered motives and their “Fasadi Agenda” this is why despite so many acts of horror, they have failed miserably to sell their political agenda cloaked in Islamic jargon. Pakistan LEAs along with the support of people of Pakistan eradicated the curse of terrorism from Pakistan through their dedication and commitment after 2014 and their leadership fled to Afghanistan. While they were able to save their lives there but they exposed themselves in the process. Following facts support this assertion.

• TTP leaders are duplicitous because they propagate their so-called holy cause but they never lead their fighters from the front. The complete leadership is based in Afghanistan while their fighters are fighting a futile war in Pakistan (MNW, Mangal Bagh, Muhammad Khorasani, Faqeer Muhammed etc all are based in Afghanistan).
• They are opportunists and cunning because they have a comfortable life in Afghanistan, but the foot soldiers have been left to fight the harsh, hostile and daunting conditions in Pakistan where ultimately these terrorists are eliminated by the LEAs. Recent reconciliation process with GoP also proves this fact where TTP leaders exhibited their opportunism by increasing their footprint in Pakistan in the garb of reconciliation process. 
• Cowardice of TTP leaders is evident by the fact that they are not ready to come to Pakistan and lead the so-called Jehad (recent killings of the leaders prove this point).
• Their manipulations and deceit is manifested through targeting and enticing poor Afghan nationals for so-called Jehad in Afghanistan in clear defiance of fatwa of prominent Islamic scholars from every sect of religion. TTP leaders are fulfilling two purposes by this; first, they are doing recruitment of fighters from Afghanistan for terrorism in Pakistan through religious manipulation, secondly, they are creating rifts between IAG and Pakistan for their nefarious designs. This rift and mistrust between the two state would provide them space to operate from Afghanistan safely. TTP is well aware that if both countries join hands to combat this menace then their days are numbered. To avoid such eventuality, creating a fog of mistrust is manifestation of their deceit and treachery.   
• Infighting for the sake of influence and power is also common within the TTP. The ongoing media war between JuA and TTP amply proves this assertion. This is not the first time this is happening. A lot of blood of foot soldiers/ fighters and TTP divided into multiple splinter-cells each with own agenda waging war against other cells in turf battles. This proves that TTP is nothing more than guns for hire and they are ready for spreading chaos for the sake of personal gains using twisted religious teachings. 
• The most important fact that proves TTP’s duality is the absence of any noticeable leaders themselves as well as their kith and kin in suicide attacks. Only poor and innocent, and often ignorant, people are brain-washed for suicide attacks but the leaders themselves as well as their kith and kin are never into the active fighting/ suicide attacks.

In the light of above mentioned facts, the Afghan nation as well as IAG leadership needs to understand the evil designs of TTP who are playing them for their nefarious designs in the name of religion, ethnicity, Pashtunwali etc.

It is critical for our young minds to get proper education about concepts like Jihad. State of Pakistan must take adequate actions through education, information and religious affairs’ ministries to disseminate correct Islamic narrative. TTP thrives on people’s ignorance. End it and TTP will end along with it as education is the most appropriate weapon against extremist ideologies like Takfir and radicalization tendencies!