New Delhi: Major Moiz Abbas Shah, a 37-year-old officer in the Pakistan Army, was killed during an encounter with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the South Waziristan region. Shah, who hailed from Chakwal and was a member of the elite Special Service Group (SSG), lost his life while leading an anti-terror operation aimed at combating the growing threat posed by militant groups within Pakistan. The Pakistan Army confirmed that Lance Naik Jibranullah, another soldier, also perished in the gunfight. This incident underscores the increasingly precarious relationship between the Pakistani state and the TTP, which has transformed from a group once tolerated by certain state elements into a significant internal threat, frequently targeting both civilians and military personnel.
Major Shah gained notoriety in 2019 during the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack. After India’s Balakot airstrikes, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, flying a MiG-21 Bison jet, was shot down during a dogfight with the Pakistani Air Force and subsequently captured in Pakistan-occupied territory. Shah claimed involvement in Varthaman’s capture, which became a pivotal moment in the ongoing conflict between the two nations, symbolizing the intense rivalry and military engagements that characterize their relationship.
The TTP, established in 2007 in the wake of the Pakistani Army’s siege of the Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) in Islamabad, has its origins in the country’s jihadist networks. One of its founding figures, Qari Hussain Mehsud, a former commander of Jaish-e-Mohammed, was instrumental in training suicide bombers for both the TTP and Jaish. Over the years, the TTP has evolved into a formidable insurgent force, with its current leader, Noor Wali Mehsud, and several other key figures reportedly receiving training in camps operated by Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, allegedly with support from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The TTP’s fighters have increasingly posed a significant challenge to Pakistan’s security forces, highlighting the complex and often fraught dynamics of militancy within the country.
