Taliban Seize Two Police Stations Inside Pakistan

 In a major escalation the Pakistani Taliban seized two police stations in the Pakhtunwa area of northwest Pakistan. As at now one of the Police Stations is still being held by the TTP (Pakistan Taliban). 

Here is a quick video: 

 

 

 

As the fellow in the video says not only is the civilian population unsafe but now it looks like Police Stations and police personnel are also unsafe.

The protecters of the peace are themselves without protection.

There is something else going on.

The real issue now is that disputed border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The so called Durand Line. The Afghans do not recognise the Durand Line. I think neither do the Pakistanis. 

No one really cares about the exact border demarcation.  But the Pakistanis want to build a fence along the entire Durand Line and  the Taliban (on either side) are against the border fence.

The real issue is money. There is plenty of smuggling going on across the Durand Line. Opium, drugs, guns are the premium goods being sold both ways. Opium from Afghanistan and guns from Pakistan. This is big money.

This smuggling is controlled by the Taliban warlords on both sides of the Durand Line.  The Pakistani generals want to have tighter control over this trade. They want to provide "protection" and extract a toll or tax from every load of opium that comes into Pakistan or for every AK47 that is sent to Afghanistan.  

To achieve this they need to build that fence along that Durand Line and have designated border crossings which they will then control. Easy money.

After the Americans pulled out from Afghanistan on August 15th, 2021 the free flow of US Dollars into Pakistan has dried up.  Pakistan itself is almost bankrupt. The generals are desperate to find new sources of cash earnings.  Hence that border fence. Built with public funds but for the benefit of the generals. Quite a scam they have going on there.  This is Club of Doom stuff.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.