Tirah rhetoric and ground facts

2026-02-07 - 00:16

THE role played by security forces in counter-terrorism (CT) operations is commendable. The menace of cross-border terrorism has been successfully confined to border areas adjacent to Afghanistan. Ironically, some ethnic pressure groups and a few unwise quarters of the provincial government are fanning rhetoric against CT operations by wrongly linking it to the current situation in Tirah valley. Winter migration in Tirah is a long-standing tradition, not a new crisis. People move to lower valleys due to harsh weather conditions, not because of any military operation. Historical records and official gazetteers confirm this seasonal migration pattern. Claims of forced displacement by ethnic groups, such as the PTM, are false and misleading. In reality, the people of Tirah have winter homes in nearby areas where they take shelter during harsh winters. The real issue is poor planning and limited resource allocation by the local government, which is being manipulated by ethnic pressure groups to shift the blame onto security forces. The 94,000 victims of terrorism, comprising a majority of Pashtuns, appear to carry little importance for PTM as evident from the ethnic group’s narrative directed against CT operations and security forces. At present, targeted intelligence-based operations (IBOs) are being conducted across the country by law enforcement agencies, including police, intelligence agencies and the army. These IBOs have proven highly effective in eliminating terrorists and their facilitators, with 2,597 terrorists neutralized in the past year. IBOs are particularly suited to the context as they do not entail the population displacement or human suffering typically associated with large-scale operations. Tirah’s challenges stem from the presence of Khwarij groups supported by a terror economy of drugs. Locals held a Jirga to deliberate on the elimination of foreign-sponsored terrorists. Three options were considered: engagement with terrorists by locals, continuation of operations by security forces and voluntary relocation of people to facilitate a large-scale operation. The Jirga, represented by the provincial government and other stakeholders, engaged with the Khwarij but achieved no resolution. After months of deliberation, the elders opted for voluntary relocation in line with the usual seasonal migration. This move was duly compensated by the government so that terrorists could be targeted through requisite operations. It was a mutually agreed arrangement and no local was forced to leave by security institutions. Unbiased commentators familiar with local dynamics opine that the current controversy results from incompetence and the ill-intended approach of local political leadership. Security forces have not inducted additional troops in the Tirah area, indicating that no major military operation is under consideration. False claims of military action are also contrary to common sense as harsh winter conditions are unsuitable for conducting complex CT operations in mountainous terrain. Unlike in the past, security forces have not established checkpoints along migration routes, further evidencing the absence of a pre-planned operation. The stance adopted by PTI, particularly the provincial government of KP, is unwise. Creating controversy over cross-border terrorism and aligning with ethnic pressure groups reflects the intellectual hollowness prevailing in the ranks and files of PTI. —The writer is a contributing columnist, based in Islamabad.