The federal government on Wednesday declared the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as “Fitna al-Khawarij” and made it mandatory for all official institutions to designate any perpetrators of terror attacks within Pakistan as “Khariji.”
“Khariji” refers to an Islamic sect that rebelled against the rulers of early Islamic history and is widely considered to be extremist. A notification issued by the Interior Ministry said its decision to declare the TTP “Fitna al-Khawarij” was aimed at exposing the real “ideology” of the banned militant group, stressing it had “distorted the image of Islam under the guise of religion.”
“Keeping in view the involvement of so-called Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in activities which are detrimental to Islamic faith, and which actually are in contradiction to the true teachings and essence of Islam, it has been decided that, henceforth, so-called TTP will be referred to as Fitna al Khawarij,” read the notification.
Additionally, it said, individuals associated with terrorist organizations would not be eligible for honorary titles such as ‘Mufti’ and ‘Hafiz.’ Instead, it reiterated, the term “Khariji” would be written and read before their names in all official documentation to reflect their “true nature and ideology.”
The notification maintained that TTP terrorists have no genuine interest in Islamabad and such “corrupt elements” should be referred to as “Fitna al-Khawarij.” Directing all government institutions to implement the order immediately, it said they should use these terms in all letters and documents.
The Interior Ministry has also banned two additional terrorist outfits—the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group and Majeed Brigade—bringing to 81 the total number of banned organizations in the country. The decision was taken under Section 11-B(1) and Schedule 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. Pursuant to this decision, the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) has included the two entities on its list of proscribed organizations.
The Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group is reportedly closely allied with the banned TTP and largely operates from Afghanistan. The Majeed Brigade, meanwhile, is a sub-group of the Balochistan Liberation Army and has claimed responsibility for several suicide attacks in recent years.
The Interior Ministry notification comes after the government’s announcement of launching Azm-e-Istehkam, a nationwide counter-terrorism strategy aimed at eradicating militancy from the country. The initiative came about due to a resurgence of terrorism across Pakistan, particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which observers have noted is proving a significant roadblock to the government’s attempts to attract foreign investment and ensure economic stability.