Peshawar [Pakistan], February 4 (ANI): Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan poses an open challenge to the security apparatus of Pakistan and Peshawar Mosque blast is a grim reminder of the home truth, as articulated by Afghan Taliban regime that Pakistan cannot blame others for its own failures, the Policy Research Group (POREG) reported.

The deadly blast in Peshawar, the latest attack in northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, occurred in a mosque in the Police lines compound. The death toll from this suicide bomb blast rose to at least 100 on January 31, marking one of the deadliest attacks in Pakistan in years.

The main motive or target of attack was not ascertained,As reported by Al Jazeera, the authorities were blamed for lapse of security. The POREG report cited an Al Jazeera report from February 1 that had claimed that the authorities were aware of the security. As the intelligence agencies informed the authorities that suicide bombers have penetrated into the city of Peshawar and there was a threat of an imminent attack but they took it lightly.

On January 30, TTP members Sarbakaf Mohmand and Omar Mukaram Khurasani claimed the blast was a "revenge" attack for the death of TTP militant Khalid Khorasani in 2022. Later, the TTP's main spokesperson, Muhammad Khorasani denied involvement of the group.

"Regarding the Peshawar incident, we consider it necessary to clarify that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has nothing to do with this incident," TTP spokesperson said in a statement on late January 30.

He asserted, "According to our laws and general constitution, any action in mosques, madrasas, funerals grounds and other sacred places is an offence". Muhammad Khorasani as of now has not given the reason behind the prior statements by TTP, according to the report by POREG.

Earlier the same terror outfit which claims that any action in mosques, madrasas, funerals grounds and other sacred places is an offence had attacked an Army Public School in Peshawar killing almost 150 teachers and students, according to the POREG report.

There have been many attacks on Peshawar before this. In 2013, a twin suicide bombing killed at least 78 people at All Saints Church in Peshawar, officials said, in what is believed to be the country's deadliest attack on Christians.

In 2009 a bomb had exploded in the mausoleum of a 17th century Sufi poet Rehman Baba in Peshawar. This blast damaged one corner of the shrine, but no one was injured.

In retaliation of these attacks, Pakistan's authorities have moved like a few military operations in the tribal belt of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Although the Ops like Zarb-e-Azb and Radd- ul- Fasad did flash out the militants, some of them 'took shelter' in the adjoining tribal areas of Afghanistan.

The TTP outlined its militant campaign as a defensive war against Pakistan's military operations, the group hoped to follow in the Afghan Taliban's footsteps and create a sharia system in Pakistan, freeing the country from the "American stooges" who supposedly governed it.

Since the Afghan Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, TTP has experienced a resurgence. The peace negotiations that collapsed in November were mediated by the new Kabul authorities, but there is now renewed worry that the armistice backfired and gave the TTP a chance to restore power.TTP leaders openly say that their group seeks toestablish an Islamic caliphate in Pakistan that would require the overthrow of the Pakistani Government, The research group reported.

(ANI)