Exclusive Interview with TTP leader Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud

Mepa News conducted an exclusive interview with the Pakistani Taliban leader Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud.

Mehsud answered the questions about the recent situation in the region, TTP's political and ideological position and the other issues about Pakistan.

Views expressed in the interview do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Mepa News.

Reorganization process

- What were the effects of Pakistani army's Zarb-e Azb offensive in 2014 upon you? How could the Pakistani Taliban recover after this offensive?

As it is clear that the Holy Jihad of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has been going on in guerilla style since its inception, operations are not harmful to guerilla movements but sometimes they benefit the movement because in response to guerilla warfare when large operations are carried out the people could see the atrocities of the government and the hatred of the army increases among the people, as a result of which new young people also become armed and become part of the movement.

Today the hatred against the army present in KP and Balochistan is the result of such operations.

Mujahideen of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan are the children of their Islamist nation, no matter how many operations the government conducts, the impression of Mujahideen in this Islamist society cannot be eradicated. Due to Zarb-e-Azb or other military operations, the negative effects of which were directed towards us, Alhamdulillah due to the special support and continuous efforts of Mujahideen, it has been solved to a great extent.

- You underwent a reorganization process after 2019. How can the Pakistani Taliban achieve this? Were there any new mergers? What is the present structure and strength of the Pakistani Taliban on the ground?

Jihadi groups are joining the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan continuously and Alhamdulillah the number of Mujahideen is in the thousands, headed by a leadership council consisting of Ameer, Naib Ameer and Jaid Ulama and then under its supervision two central military commissions, various ministries and the various provincial organizational structures include multiple institutions, Darul-Qaza,  which includes the initial Marafia and Tamiz, the central Darul-Ifta,and so on.

What is TTP fighting for?

- What are you fighting for? Is your war just limited to the Tribal Areas, or it contains all of Pakistan? What is your ideology and methodology/manhaj? What is the extent of your connection with the Afghan Taliban?

Our war is for the supreme word of Allah and this movement is not limited to the tribes but it is the Tehreek Taliban Pakistan at the level of the whole of Pakistan includes mujahideen from about all territories of the country the attacks continues all over the country include FATA. Our manhaj is the Manhaj of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah and regarding the doctrine of war, we mentioned that our war is for the Supreme Word of Allah.

Our relationship with the Afghan Taliban is that of Amir and Mamoor.

- Pakistan is known as an Islamic Republic. And the media labels the Pakistani Taliban's war against this state as "terrorism." On which legitimacy basis do you build your war against the Pakistani state?

We have started jihad in the light of the fatwa of five hundred Deobandi scholars of the country. Among the contemporary jihadist movements, only Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has this distinction that such a large number of great scholars wrote the signed fatwa in favour of jihad.

Afghanistan issue

- As you know, the US-led Western coalition has quit Afghanistan after 20 years of war. As Pakistani Taliban, what was your role in this war? What is your share?

It is a fact that contemporary Jihad was organized from the core of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan i.e. the tribes. The Mujahideen of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan created a jihadist environment in the tribes. There used to be thousands of tribal youths and devotees who sacrificed until the morale of Muslims rose and they saw the possibility that the infidel powers are not invincible but defeatable and without exaggeration, the role of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan is central and fundamental in this evolution.

- What are the effects of the Taliban's victory in Afghanistan on the Pakistani Taliban and your areas? Do you think that the Taliban's victory will contribute to you?

The victory in Afghanistan has not only had positive effects on our region, but it has had positive effects on the entire Islamic world.

Yes, it is true that the Emirate's victory has dramatically benefited us - the spirit of Jihad has been highlighted among the youth of our areas and the arrival of new Mujahideen in the movement has increased.

Durand Line

- What are your thoughts on Durand Line that separates Afghanistan and Pakistan? Do you deem this border as a legitimate border? Do you have any plans to abolish this border if you prevail against the Islamabad gov't?

The Durand Line is an unnatural and cruel line. Pashtuns as a nation are never ready to accept this cruel line and separation.

This is premature, so there is still some journey left, when this journey reaches the goal, then we will think about the plans.

Ceasefire talks

- The issue of the ceasefire with Pakistan is on the agenda nowadays. During the ceasefire talks, Omar Khalid Khorasani was killed in an attack in Paktika, and clashes have erupted again. Can you describe to us the latest situation in the ceasefire talks?

Negotiations are currently at a standstill - we have respected the ceasefire but the army does not respect the ceasefire and the agreement as per its previous traditions, it raids our comrades, arrests them and martyrs them. Demolishes their houses, and then our colleagues also take action in defence and revenge.

- Recently there was a gov't change in Pakistan. Shahbaz Sharif took the Prime Minister's seat from Imran Khan. Is that change affected the ground? Let's assume that Imran Khan comes into power again and limit the influence of the Pakistani army and intelligence's role in politics. Do you believe something like that will affect Pakistan in general and FATA in particular?

Our real war is against the army. Political governments are under the influence of and are slaves of the army. The change of political governments does not have any significant effect on us. I don't think so that Imran Khan or any other leader can eliminate or weaken the dominance of army or intelligence agencies.

- How about your presence in regions like Waziristan and Swat Valley which were considered strongholds of the Pakistani Taliban before? Will you pursue the strategy of controlling these regions again?

Our strength is the tribes, Malakand Division and the whole of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in general.

- Before 2014, you had conducted many critical attacks deep inside Pakistan. Do you have a strategy to carry out broad attacks upon military targets in the cities like Karachi, Peshawar, and Islamabad?

Exactly the kind of attacks we used to do before 2014, we can still do it in a systematic way, but due to some tactics, we have changed the battle format a little bit. God willing, the manner in which we are currently continuing the war has a collective interest.