TTA is leveraging its influence over TTP to pressurize Pakistan over border dispute. When Taliban capture the power in the Kabul, it was celebrated as a victory in Pakistan. Due to close coordination and warm relations with the Taliban, Pakistan was content with the Taliban Regime in the Kabul. Instead, the recent border skirmishes and failed peace talks, mediated by Turkiye and Qatar, Pakistan-TTA relations have turned out to be quite opposite of what have been anticipated. The bone of contention between two neighboring states is the support and shelter provided by TTA to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. There has been a surge in terrorism-related incidents and fatalities in Pakistan since 2020. This surge in terrorism coincides with the ascendency of Taliban regime in the Kabul in August,2020. Taliban regime in Afghanistan helped TTP to regroup and strengthened itself to carry out successive attacks on Pakistan’s civilians and security personnel. Do Afghan Taliban back TTP against Pakistan only due to their close ties or due to some underlying strategic ambitions?

TTA and TTP shares a historical and ideological bond with each other. TTA-TTP’s close relation has been confirmed by UN’s 35^th report of Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which described the relations between them as a “Strong and Symbiotic”. Moreover, TTA officials has been reluctant to take any action against the TTP owing to the assistance they provided TTA during insurgency against American Invasion. Moreover, the UN’s 35^th report highlighted the operational space, logistical assistance, training and financial support provided by TTA to the TTP. Both of them referred to as a distant cousin of each other. This patronage and protection of TTP by Afghan Taliban is a direct violation of Doha accord 2020, in which Afghan Taliban guaranteed that they will not allow terrorists to operate from the Afghan soil.

In a calculated attempt to earn a legitimacy for TTP as a group, Afghan Taliban has offered direct negotiations between TTP and Pakistan as the only solution to these crises. TTA’s support goes beyond the financial, logistical and operational support Afghan officials have mentioned their inability to directly to control TTP and refrain them from the cross border terrorist attacks due to brotherly relations and their favor during Taliban’s insurgency against the US led coalition forces. Even during the recent Turkiye Peace negotiations, it has been reported that Afghan Taliban’s Delegation attempted to include representatives in the peace negotiations. Pakistan rejected any direct engagement and legitimacy for the TTP.

Afghan Taliban’s support and efforts to earn TTP a legitimacy are linked to their strategic ambitions regarding the Durand line. While Pakistan considers the 2600 Km long strip between the neighboring states as an international border, it is considered as a temporary and hypothetical line by Afghan officials. The Afghan Taliban disputed the word ‘border’ for the Durand line in an official statement of ceasefire mediated by Qatar and Turkiye in Doha. Afghan Taliban rejects Durand line as an international border citing the 100-year sunset clause and signing of Durand line under duress by the then Afghan king. They claim that territorial rights over Pakistan till the western Indus River based on historical myths and unfounded reasons.

One of the main ambition of TTP is the reversal of FATA merger with the KPK.  The merger of the causes of both groups has united them against Pakistan. TTA is backing TTP to carry out attacks against administration and security set up of KPK and Balochistan. These coordinated and sustained attacks will weaken the Pakistan’s hold over these provinces and eventually, TTP will be able to capture it. The most of terrorist attacks by TTP are concentrated in KPK and Balochistan. TTP is also making working arrangements with the BLA- Baloch separatist group. These two tier attacks are destabilizing Pakistan’s security calculus.

TTA practices strong influence over the TTP owing to their historical and ideological ties. The extensive support and protection of TTP by TTA is not due to historical favors but is a part of their strategic ambitions.  TTA is trying to achieve its long held desire of territorial expansion till the west of Indus river. TTP exercises ideological, ethnical and religious influence in the tribal areas surrounding the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. With the support from TTA, TTP is establishing itself as a savior of Pashtuns in KPK and weakening the security and administrative apparatus of the KPK. It has become an existential threat for Pakistan that needs to be eliminated and Afghan Taliban must be approached through dialogue and diplomacy to settle the border dispute for them once and for all.