TAUNSA, Pakistan: In a bold display of defiance against escalating militant activity, prominent tribal leader Sardar Meer Badshah Qaisrani convened a grand jirga here to rally tribal elders and community leaders against the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Qaisarani is a seasoned politician and the 21st chief of the influential Qaisrani Baloch tribe. He served multiple terms in the Punjab Assembly from 2002 to 2013, holding key parliamentary secretary positions. He hails from a politically prominent family, with both his father and grandfather having served in provincial legislatures.
Hundreds of tribesmen from various clans participated in the gathering, which was held in response to increasing reports of violence, abductions, and extortion allegedly carried out by TTP operatives in the border areas of southern Punjab.
Our traditions are clear: we issue a warning first. But if they fail to retreat, we are prepared to defend our land and people by hook or by crook.” – Sardar Meer Badshah Qaisrani
During the jirga, Sardar Qaisrani formally announced the formation of village-level vigilance committees to monitor and counter any militant activity. “We’ll not allow TTP militants to gain a foothold here,” he told attendees. “Our traditions are clear: we issue a warning first. But if they fail to retreat, we are prepared to defend our land and people by hook or by crook.”
The traditional meeting concluded with a collective pledge to stand united against militancy. Many participants urged the government to provide weapons and logistical support to help safeguard their families against all odds.
Spike in terrorist attacks
Law-enforcement authorities confirm the rising threat in the area. Dera Ghazi Khan District Police Officer (DPO) Syed Ali confirms that the region had witnessed more than 30 attacks linked to the TTP in recent months. “Our security forces have successfully neutralised 18 militants, including a senior TTP commander, hailing from Bahawalpur, who was killed in Dera Ghazi Khan. These efforts have disrupted some of their networks, but the threat persists,” he states.
The DPO emphasises the need for collaboration with the local population to effectively counter the infiltration of militants, particularly through routes from Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) into Taunsa and adjoining areas. “Community vigilance is crucial. We encourage citizens to report suspicious movements. We assure them of swift and firm action,” he adds.
Terrorists’ expanding tentacles
Security analysts say the TTP has grown increasingly assertive in stretching its wings into Punjab. In 2023, the group announced the establishment of shadow administrative zones within the province. The TTP had announced two wilayas—shadow provinces—in Punjab on June 15, 2023: North Punjab and South Punjab. Syed Hilal Ghazi and Umar Muaviya were reportedly handed the reins to oversee operations in both regions, respectively.
Ghazi, a native of Malakand Division in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has long maintained operational ties with Jamaatul Ahrar (JuA)—a splinter group of TTP led by dreaded commander Abdul Wali, also known as Umer Khalid. He was once a student of Abdur Rasheed Ghazi, the cleric of Islamabad’s Lal Masjid who was killed during a military crackdown on his seminary in July 2007.
Umar Muaviya, a relatively obscure figure serving as the TTP’s chief for Southern Punjab, is believed to have ties with Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) and has reportedly been involved in multiple targeted attacks on law-enforcement personnel and sectarian killings.
The TTP faction in South Punjab is said to comprise at least 10 sub-groups operating under what it refers to as a “shadow province.” While the exact number of operatives remains unknown, the network seems to be gaining ground. On August 2, 2023, a previously unknown faction—led by Muhammad Arshad Bhatti—publicly pledged allegiance to the TTP. These various factions are primarily active in the tri-border region of Dera Ghazi Khan, Dera Ismail Khan, and Mianwali.
Community vigilance is crucial. We encourage citizens to report suspicious movements. We assure them of swift and firm action.” – Syed Ali, district police chief Dera Ghazi Khan
Another sub-group affiliated with the TTP is led by Nawaz Ustarana, who remained in Afghanistan until 2023. His deputy, Ijaz Ustarana, shares command responsibilities. The Ustaranas, who speak Seraiki, are based along the border between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and South Punjab and have deep-rooted ties with both LeJ and TTP.
Additional TTP-linked factions include the Adil Buzdar group, based in Dera Ghazi Khan, and the Ali Muaviya group, also affiliated with LeJ. As of yet, neither faction has owned up to responsibility for any specific attacks. The group has reportedly attempted to entrench itself in districts bordering southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, such as Taunsa Sharif, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Mianwali, capitalising on the region’s porous terrain and complex tribal dynamics.
Militant hunt kicks off
In a recent counter-terrorism operation, the Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) reported a significant breakthrough in Taunsa Sharif. According to an official statement, CTD killed five alleged militants during an intelligence-based operation near the tri-border village name Jadewali, Wahuwa.
A CTD spokesperson said that the raid was launched based on credible intelligence, indicating the presence of armed militants in the area. Upon approaching the hideout, CTD officers came under fire, which led to a gunfight. “The operation was conducted to apprehend the suspects, but they opened fire. In the exchange, five terrorists were eliminated,” the spokesperson claimed.
The operation is viewed as part of a broader crackdown on militant networks operating in Punjab’s sensitive border districts.
Echoes of resistance
Speaking to WE News English, a jirga participant, Atta Muhammad Buzdar, painted a bleak picture of the deteriorating security situation. “The TTP has become increasingly brazen. They barge into homes, harass women, and kidnap people for ransom,” he says. “They even confiscate wheat stocks under the pretext of funding their so-called jihad and have instructed locals to quit government service. Enough is enough—we have no choice but to respond.”
A resident of Taunsa, requesting anonymity, voices same concerns. He tells WE News English that TTP operatives, espoused by some local sympathisers, forcefully enter homes and order residents to resign from public-sector jobs. “This lawlessness must end,” he says, urging government intervention.
Likewise, a schoolteacher from Taunsa, who also wishes not to be named, expresses support for Sardar Meer Badshah Qaisrani’s initiative, calling it a brave move in the face of rising insecurity. “If we are not safe, the only option left for us is to take up arms against the terrorists,” he resolves.
The TTP has become increasingly brazen. They barge into homes, harass women, and kidnap people for ransom. They even confiscate wheat stocks under the pretext of funding their so-called jihad and have instructed locals to quit government service. Enough is enough—we have no choice but to respond.” – A resident of Taunsa
He acknowledges the stark disadvantage local communities face, stating, “We’re untrained and poorly equipped, while the terrorists possess advanced weaponry.” Despite this, he adds, the determination of the people remains resolute. “Our people are willing to sell their livestock—including their buffaloes and cows—to purchase weapons and defend themselves.”
The teacher also notes that locals are fully aware of the deadly consequences faced by communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and South Waziristan who resisted militants. “We know those who stood against terrorism were systematically eliminated—but we are ready to lay down our lives to protect our honour.”
He criticises the government’s inaction, saying, “We’ve not been provided with weapons, funding, or any form of support. If the state had fulfilled its responsibility, we wouldn’t be forced to sell our livestock to arm ourselves.”
A voice of caution
Syed Akhar Ali Shah is a retired police officer who also served as the Secretary Home and Tribal Affairs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the peak of militancy in the province and its adjacent tribal belt, formerly Federally-Administered Tribal Area (Fata).
He holds a differing view on the idea of raising private militias, arguing that such measures are a recipe for disaster. “Expecting untrained civilians to face off against terrorists equipped with sophisticated weaponry is both unrealistic and dangerous.”
He warns that such actions could open a Pandora’s box, citing the example of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where similar civilian-led efforts after the 2005 wave of terrorism resulted in tragic outcomes. “Those who convened jirgas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were systematically targeted and killed by militants,” he explains.
Expecting untrained civilians to face off against terrorists equipped with sophisticated weaponry is both unrealistic and dangerous.” – Syed Akhtar Ali Shah
Shah emphasises that combating terrorism requires coordinated and professional efforts by law-enforcement agencies (LEAs). While security forces have achieved successes in neutralising many militants, he stresses the need to go beyond that—by disrupting recruitment networks and choking off funding channels for terrorism.
He further notes that TTP continues to recruit fresh blood, particularly from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and South Punjab, who are drawn to their extremist ideology. This recruitment trend, he elaborates, must be decisively curbed by LEAs.
The road ahead
The jirga held by Sardar Qaisrani has drawn attention for its grassroots mobilisation against militancy, marking a rare tribal-level call to arms in Punjab. While such actions are fraught with risk, they also reflect growing frustration among communities who feel left out in the cold and vulnerable to extremist violence.
For now, the message from Taunsa is clear: local resistance is taking root, and tribal leadership is stepping up to fill the security vacuum in the face of persistent militant threats. Nevertheless, throwing civilians into the lion’s den against the highly-trained and well-armed militants is neither practical nor sustainable—and may ultimately do more harm than good.
