File photo of Pakistan Senate
In a written statement submitted to the Senate on Tuesday, the Interior Ministry warned that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is continuing to infiltrate into the erstwhile FATA areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in significant numbers, adding its operations have expanded significantly since the collapse of peace talks in 2022.
Submitted as the Upper House was briefed on the escalating influence of the TTP following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the interim Afghan government’s refusal to take any action, it said the banned group had boosted its militancy and was now seeking the support of other militant groups to increase its strength and capabilities. “It is mostly concentrated in KP, especially merged districts, with footprints in Balochistan and trying to activate its network in the country,” it said.
Describing as a “cause of concern” the ongoing arrival of TTP fighters in the merged districts, as well as their recruitment, training and suicide bombing operations, it said Daesh was also trying to secure a foothold in Pakistan through sectarian strife. It further noted that the militants were also endeavoring to sabotage the fencing along the Pak-Afghan border, aimed at curbing illegal movement.
On the repatriation drive of undocumented migrants, the Interior Ministry said over 500,000 illegal migrants were repatriated so far. “Around 1.7 million illegal aliens are unlawfully living in the country, the majority of whom are Afghans. They are living without any legal documentation necessary for staying in the country,” it said, adding after the repatriation of 541,210 people, roughly 1.15 million were still residing in the country.
It said smart identity cards were issued to 1.45 million registered refugees, containing basic information, so they could be strictly monitored. This, it explained, was aimed at identifying any individuals involved in criminal and terrorist activities. It said the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was also actively monitoring cyberspace to counter online extremism. “A total number of 16,522 complaints were forwarded to social media platforms for blocking of radical/sectarian, anti-state and terrorist content during the year 2022,” it said.
National consensus
During the Senate session, Leader of the Opposition Shahzad Waseem called on all political parties to evolve a national consensus to find solutions to all problems facing the country. Calling for a “reset” of national priorities, he said economic stability and continuity of policies should be priorities—echoing calls for a “charter of economy” that founding PTI chairman Imran Khan had repeatedly rejected in the past.
“We will have to set aside ego, and personal and political agenda,” he said, stressing all major political parties had held power and committed mistakes and it was now time to rectify them rather than continue to blame each other. “In the past, priority of the governments had been to complete five-year term and punish the political opponents,” he said, maintaining free and fair elections were an essential requirement and prevalent conditions did not allow for it.
The PTI leader also called for a reduction in the levels of political animosity—despite his party spearheading such commentary in recent years—and backed tolerance.