“My name is Liaquat Ali, aka Ehsanullah Ehsan, and I belong to the Mohmand Agency,” Ehsan is heard saying at the beginning of the the video.
“I joined the TTP in 2008, when I was a college student.”
“I have been a spokesperson for TTP Mohmand, TTP’s central division, and the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar,” he says. “I have seen a lot in my nine years with these organisations.”
“These people have misled people in the name of Islam, especially the youth, for their own ends. They themselves do not hold themselves to the same standards they champion for others.”
“A particular group [within them] is responsible for misleading people, kidnapping them and extorting them for money, and murdering innocents,” he says. “These people have been behind bombing attacks in public spaces and attacking schools, colleges and universities. This is not what Islam teaches us,” he says.
“When the operation in Waziristan kicked off, these people started fighting within themselves for more power and leadership,” Ehsan reveals.
“After Hakimullah was killed, a new succession struggle kicked off,” Ehsan says. “Separate campaigns were kicked off in support of Omar Khalid Khorasani, [Khan Said] Sajna and Mullah Fazlullah. Everyone wanted power, so a shura decided that there would be a draw of names for who would be leader. This is how Mullah Fazlullah was elected leader of the TTP.”
“What can you expect from a leader who was nominated through a lucky draw? And what can you expect from Fazlullah, who married his mentor’s daughter by force and took her away. People like him are not fit to serve Islam,” he says.
“After the operation in North Waziristan, we fled to Afghanistan,” Ehsan continues.
“Over there, we established and developed contacts with India and RAW,” Ehsan claims.
“They [the TTP leadership] got their [Indian] support, their funding and took money for every activity they did. They pushed the TTP soldiers to the frontlines to fight against the Pakistan Army and went into hiding themselves,” he adds.
“When they started taking help from India and RAW, I told Khorasani that we’re supporting the kuffar [non-believers] and helping them kill our own people in our own country.”
“He [Khorasani] said: ‘Even if Israel wants to fund me to destabilise Pakistan, I will not hesitate in taking their help’.”
“At that point, I had figured out that the TTP was functioning according to some sort of agenda that served the self-interest of its leaders.”
“These [terrorist] organizations have established committees in Afghanistan through which they communicate and coordinate with RAW. The Indians had given them special documents to help them move around Afghanistan with ease. In Afghanistan, these documents function like Pakistani ID cards.”
“Without these documents, it is very difficult for terrorists to move around Afghanistan considering the security situation in that country,” Ehsan claims.
“These [terrorists] used to keep in contact with Afghan and Indian security forces before they moved anywhere in the country. They used to grant them passage and guide their infiltration attempts into Pakistan.”
“Since Pakistan Army destroyed several Jamaat-ul-Ahrar camps in Parcha and Lalpura and killed many of their commandos in its ongoing operation, they’ve had to flee the area and abandon their stronghold. Due to this, the morale of their commanders and their senior leadership has been shaken.”
“There are people in those camps who have had enough — who want to quit. I want to send out a message to them.”
“Stop what you are doing and adopt the path of peace, and come back to a life of tranquillity.”
“When these people stopped getting airtime and coverage in media to the ongoing operations, they turned to social media to rope in young people who do not know better,” he continues.
“They started misleading them and provoking them using wrong interpretations of Islam. They spread propaganda and statements that could turn young people onto their side.”
“I have a message for young people too: these people are fighting only for their selfish designs and are being used by external forces.”
“The reasons I have discussed here turned me away from these organisations and motivated me to turn myself over voluntarily to Pakistan Army,” concludes his statement.
