Zarb-e-Azb was a joint military operation launched by the Pakistani government in June 2014 in response to the TTP's attack on Karachi airport. Over 30,000 Pakistani soldiers were deployed to target militant groups like the TTP, Haqqani Network, and al-Qaeda operating in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. While the operation was supported by most political parties and civilians, the TTP responded with several retaliatory attacks including the deadly Peshawar school attack in December 2014 that killed 145 people. The Pakistani military and police intensified counterterrorism efforts, conducting raids that killed many TTP commanders and militants.
2. INTRODUCTION
Zarb e Azb means sharp and cutting
It started on the reaction of militant attack on Karachi Airport on 8 Jun 2014
The operation is against militant groups like TTP, Haqqani network and foreign
terrorist like Al-Qaida and East Turkmenistan Islamic Movement-ETIM
The operation started on 15 Jun 14 with deployment of 30,000 Pak army soldiers
Pak army, civil society, political parties, religious figures and media has
appreciated the operation.
3. FATA
FATA – Federally Administered Tribal Areas
Borders with Afg to the north –west, KPK to east, Bal to south
Comprised of
Area – 27220 sq km
Population 3.3 million (1998 census)
Has seven units
Khyber
Kurram
Bajaur
Mohmand
Ourakzai
North and South Waziristan
4. BACKGROUND
Peace Negotiations
PM Nawaz Sharif announced peace negotiation with TTP and first session
held on 26 Mar 14
Govt wanted negotiations within Pak Constitution while TTP wanted Sharia
law in the country
Failure of Negotiations
On 17 Feb 14 negotiations collapsed due to execution of 23 Pak FC
soldiers
On 17 Apr 14 TTP formally ended the ceasefire
The peace talks suffered a deadlock due to TTP attack on Karachi airport
that led to the killing of 26 people
5. REACTION
Domestic
Social media, political parties, policy makers and civil society
appreciated the operation
PTI endorsed the op
Jammat e Islami opposed the op
MQM suppoted the op
ANP expressed reservations about the op
Sunni Ulema Board issued a Fatwa declaring op as Jihad against militants
Locals assured their support to the Govt for the op
6. REACTION
International
Afg assured Pak for providing every help in cooperation for the op
UAE extended cooperation to Pak
UN assured Pak for providing assistance to IDPs
US supported the op
China fully supported the op
7. OUTCOMES
WAGHA BORDER SUICIDE ATTACK
ON NOVEMBER 2 , 2014 , A SUICIDE BOMBING FOLLOWING THE DAILY PARADE
TOOK PLACE AT WAGHA BORDER IN PAKISTAN, IN WHICH MORE THAN 55 KILLED
AND OVER 200 INJURED.
The attack was claimed by militant groups jamaat-ul-Ahrar and jundallah,sub-
groups of TTP.
8. 2014 Peshawar school attack
On 16 December 2014, seven gunmen belonging to the
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) entered an Army Public
School in Pakistani city of Peshawar and opened fire on
school staff and children, killing 145 people. The
spokesperson of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Mohammad
Omar Khorasani, took the responsibility for the attack
and said it was revenge for Operation Zarb-e-Azb
9. Targeted killings of TTP terrorists by Pakistan Armed
Forces and police encounters in Pakistan
Responding to TTP's retaliatory attacks, Pakistan has
mounted deadliest counter-retaliation on TTP; first
removing the moratorium on executions of terrorists by
the Presidential Order, and secondly establishing military
courts commissions (roughly based on Gitmo). Pakistani
authorities have issued "hang till death" orders to jail
superintendents at the nationwide prisons. In weeks, a
number of high value detainees convicted on a
terrorism charges were hanged.
10. Since December 2014, Pakistan's intelligence community, law
enforcement agencies, antiterrorism forces, and inter-
provincial police have been engaged in deadly police
encounters in all over the country. News media have been
televising the live actions on tracking down the militants and
targeting the TTP operatives in series of police encounters. In
the afternoon of 20 December, the KP Police and the special
agents of the FIA raided a safe house in Shabqadar, a town
located in 30 km (19 mi) north of Peshawar. In an exchange
of fire at the safe house, the KPK police and the other law
enforcement agencies gunned down the six TTP fighters,
including their commander and two other high value targets
who assisted in the attack. At the night of December 20, the
team of Pakistan Rangers personnel raided a safe house in
Manghopir area of Karachi and killed five members of the TTP
in a deadly shoot out.
11. On 22 December 2014, Karachi Police and the CID
teams chased down and killed the TTP leader, Abid
Muchar, along with his three associates in a police
encounter. The same night, another action in took place
in Karachi when the CID teams, in a high-speed chase in
Hawke's Bay Beach, chased and apprehended five
members of al-Qaeda's South Asian chapter who are
suspected of planning an attack on a naval dockyard in
Karachi in September.
12. Acting on a MI information, the navy's SSGN teams were
inserted in secret hideout in Khyber Agency and stalked
the six terrorists led by Saddam Jan— the mastermind of
the Army Public School attack— at the midnight of 26
December 2014. In a late night operations, the SSGN
combat teams reportedly hunted and killed Jan along
with his six militants, while trying to seek sanctuary. An
unnamed senior Pakistan government official confirmed
the report.
13. On January 9, 2015, the CID teams gunned down the
four al-Qaeda operatives after another high speed
chase took place in Qayyumabad in Karachi. In another
separate midnight action in Lahore, the teams of FIA's
special agents, assisted by the Punjab Police, raided a
house located in Burki Road. Lasting almost two-hour
gun battle, the FIA teams hunted and gunned down
Roohullah (alias: Asadullah)—the mastermind of the
Wagah border attack along with three of his associates.
Since the attack, the FIA had been on a hunt for
Roohullah and was finally killed in a police encounter in
Lahore.
