ISLAMABAD: The federal government appears to be inching closer to an all-out offensive against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates after it has given the go-ahead for ‘preemptive strikes’ against militant hideouts in the tribal areas, officials said on Tuesday.
Under the new plan that seeks to dismantle the TTP infrastructure, the army will not only conduct ‘punitive strikes’ but also act swiftly against militants if intelligence information confirms they are planning terrorist attacks, disclosed a top security official.
The official, who requested not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue, told The Express Tribune that the civil and military leadership have now decided that the ‘state will not tolerate’ any more violence from the TTP or any other group.
“The monopoly over the use of force is with the state and there will be no compromise on the country’s security,” the official added. He said all options were still on the table but the military would now “hit back if militants do not halt their terrorist activities”.
With the approval of a new strategy, the military is expected not only to continue airstrikes but also intensify such ‘surgical strikes’ in coming weeks.
Some sources claimed that the ongoing airstrikes were in fact the start of an unannounced targeted operation against the TTP.
It is also learnt that airstrikes may lead to a ground offensive probably by the end of March or in April if the TTP refuses to announce unconditional ceasefire.
Over hundred suspected militants have been killed and several others injured so far since the military targeted militants’ strongholds in the tribal areas particularly in North Waziristan Agency. The army launched air strikes after the TTP beheaded 23 Frontier Corps personnel, who were abducted by militants in 2010.
The killings compelled the government to pull out of the fragile talks with the TTP and made it clear that the process would only resume once the militant group announces an unconditional ceasefire.
The official claimed that the recent strikes had achieved great success against the TTP because their hideouts were targeted after ‘pinpoint’ intelligence
Under the new plan that seeks to dismantle the TTP infrastructure, the army will not only conduct ‘punitive strikes’ but also act swiftly against militants if intelligence information confirms they are planning terrorist attacks, disclosed a top security official.
The official, who requested not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue, told The Express Tribune that the civil and military leadership have now decided that the ‘state will not tolerate’ any more violence from the TTP or any other group.
“The monopoly over the use of force is with the state and there will be no compromise on the country’s security,” the official added. He said all options were still on the table but the military would now “hit back if militants do not halt their terrorist activities”.
With the approval of a new strategy, the military is expected not only to continue airstrikes but also intensify such ‘surgical strikes’ in coming weeks.
Some sources claimed that the ongoing airstrikes were in fact the start of an unannounced targeted operation against the TTP.
It is also learnt that airstrikes may lead to a ground offensive probably by the end of March or in April if the TTP refuses to announce unconditional ceasefire.
Over hundred suspected militants have been killed and several others injured so far since the military targeted militants’ strongholds in the tribal areas particularly in North Waziristan Agency. The army launched air strikes after the TTP beheaded 23 Frontier Corps personnel, who were abducted by militants in 2010.
The killings compelled the government to pull out of the fragile talks with the TTP and made it clear that the process would only resume once the militant group announces an unconditional ceasefire.
The official claimed that the recent strikes had achieved great success against the TTP because their hideouts were targeted after ‘pinpoint’ intelligence
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