Designated by the state as Fitna al-Khawarij, the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliated factions once the face of violence and unrest in Pakistan are now gripped by internal collapse and a vicious power struggle. Credible sources confirm that growing tensions between the banned TTP, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, Lashkar-e-Islam, and Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen have escalated into bloodshed, driven not by ideology but by competing interests over power, territory, and financial control.
The ruthless killing of three young men in the Tirah Valley of Khyber has exposed the deepening divisions. Local tribes directly blamed the banned TTP for the murders, igniting panic among the Khawarij factions. While the TTP, Lashkar-e-Islam, and Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen attempted to disown the incident, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar openly held the TTP responsible, marking a dramatic rupture in former alliances.
In a scathing statement, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar described TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud as “the local face of Daesh (ISIS),” accusing him of suppressing dissent by branding critics as apostates and orchestrating their murders under the guise of jihad. The internal discord has now exploded onto social media, where Jamaat-ul-Ahrar has launched a wave of audio messages, videos, and statements portraying the TTP as a mafia and a source of fitna (sedition or, in general, disorder).
TTP supporters have responded with abuse-laden propaganda and counter allegations. Prominent khariji figures such as Shoaib Bajaur, Mufti Muneeb Jutt, and Qari Shoaib have also been targeted in this internal campaign of defamation and blame.
Analysts now assert that the Khawarij have lost all ideological and religious credibility. Their activities, once cloaked in extremist narratives, have devolved into a criminal enterprise revolving around extortion, arms smuggling, and turf warfare. “There is no leadership unity, no moral cause only greed and chaos,” experts note.
The infighting and fragmentation among these Khawarij groups have made one fact abundantly clear: these fitna elements are gasping for survival. Defence experts view this as a historic opportunity for the state, the tribal populace, and the nation at large to unite in decisive action. They emphasise the urgency of uprooting these groups permanently, ensuring that no faction of Khawarij can ever again threaten the peace and sovereignty of Pakistan.
