The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is one such nation that is using the attacks committed by the Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP) on its territory as a pretext to acquire military aid from the United States of America. The TTP has repeatedly declared that its prime nemesis is only Pakistan and does not hope to have any ideological or geopolitical ambitions like other terror groups including Al-Qaeda and ISIS.
It is now clear to the intelligence community that the ceasefire talks and peace with the TTP was a well-thought ruse employed by the Pakistan Army General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi to buy more and more support from the US.
The Intelligence agencies of Pakistan have estimated that there are approximately five to seven thousand soldiers of the TTP under Noor Wali Mehsud who have waged war with the 11 lakhs strong Pakistani Forces who have boasted their superior size and best offensive capabilities to a great extent.
According to a Pakistani-based research organisation called “Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies” (PIPS), the TTP has carried out 150 attacks on Pakistan this year from January to November 2022.
Further study has revealed that an increase in confrontations between Pakistan Army and armed groups leads to an increase in assistance from Washington.
In 2018, Pakistan received a total of $424 million from the US. In 2019, the figure rose to $685 million. 54 per cent of the amount was used on military spending. In 2020, the figure went down to $197 billion. 19 per cent of the money was used on military assistance. The figure fell to $161 million in 2021 and $147 million in 2022.
Reports from Washington have predicted that the year 2023 will see an increase in foreign military and monetary support to Islamabad. The country received a massive $2.68 billion in 2010, when the US had begun its “war on terror’ against Al-Qaeda and Taliban, out of which 35 per cent was for military use.
This has paved the way for large-scale military transfer by Washington to Islamabad in the coming months. Under the presidency of Donald Trump, military assistance to Pakistan was “frozen”. The decision was reversed by Joe Biden when he came to power.
He allowed the transfer of $450 million worth of sustainment and other related equipment for the US-built F-16 fighter jets that Pakistan has been maintaining since the 1980s.
As per Sunday Guardian, the announcement of the F-16 was going to be the first step towards Biden opening more avenues of “military-security cooperation” with Pakistan in the coming months.
A diplomat of a pacific country posted in New Delhi told Sunday Guardian that Pakistan has played this game after the 9/11 attacks. It has been nurturing Taliban and Al-Qaeda on one hand and the other has gained military support to eliminate the same.
There has been an enhanced level of cooperation and coordination between the two countries. Some examples include the removal of Pakistan from the FATF list, the recent designation of individuals as global terrorists and the visit of the US Central Command Chief Eric Kurilla to Pakistan.
