The heightened attacks by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) against the Pakistani government following the Taliban’s assumption of power in Afghanistan are in the limelight. Empirical data from the Islamabad Research Center reveals a significant surge of 51 per cent in attacks within Pakistan since the Taliban’s rise to power, thereby underscoring TTP’s mounting challenge to the state’s authority. Originating in 2007, TTP’s primary aim has been to establish territorial autonomy in Pakistan’s tribal areas and enforce Sharia law nationwide, with its influence predominantly concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Last month’s suicide attack in Islamabad is a notable manifestation of TTP’s...