The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP): Where do they get their money from? How are they funded?
Much has been talked about the sources of the TTP’s seemingly limitless supplies of weapons and cash. The Pakistani media has often speculated that the TTP receives its funding from India and the United States so that it can create instability in Pakistan and give the US an excuse to invade and de-nuke the Islamic Republic. Supporting evidence for these claims, unfortunately, has never been given and thus, these claims are no mere than mere rhetoric and conspiracy theories . Holes in this theory also appear as virtually every TTP leader has been attacked by US drone strikes. Moreover, the claim that Indian weapons have been ceased from the TTP can be discounted on two grounds: one, the Pakistani military has never officially complained about this and two, even if India were to fund and arm the TTP, it would never do use using its own weapons. Even the US armed the Afghan mujahideen with Soviet-made weapons captured by Israel from Egypt in1973 instead of handing over US-made arms to the fighters (although US made Stinger missiles were transferred to them towards the end of the war).
On the other hand, it has become clear over the years that the TTP funds itself through kidnapping, extortion, smuggling and donations (both foreign and local) . According to Maulvi Omar, a spokesman of the TTP, “Though we condemn kidnapping for ransom, if it’s meant for the promotion of the Islamic cause, then it’s very much fair ”. The Pakistani police claim that the Pakistani Taliban claim ransoms of up to US$250,000 and as many as 70 victims were kidnapped in 2010 alone . Prominent members of Pakistani society, such as businessmen and television personalities are often targeted by the TTP’s criminal wings. The Pakistani television actor, Arshad Hussain had to pay US$11,500 for his release. Other targets for kidnapping include aid workers, journalists and tourists. The British-Pakistani journalist Asad Qureshi was held by the Taliban in Waziristan for 6 months before he was rescued .
Apart from kidnapping, the TTP make the best possible use of the black market. For example, according to the Aryana Institute for Regional Research and Advocacy in Peshawar, during their two years in power in Swat, the TTP stripped the surrounding pine forests of an up to US$100 million in timber . Other valuables from the regions, gems and antiquities included, provide further revenue to the TTP. Peshawar’s bazars are lush with smuggled goods, where they are purchased and taken to Lahore and Karachi.
Extorting local businesses is another way of raising funds. FATA is known for its fine, light-colored marble, which is in high demand in Karachi and Lahore. Instead of taking over these mining operations, the Taliban have begun imposing “protection taxes” on every truckload of these stones, charging US$10 per truck with up to 50 trucks crossing their checkpoints daily .
A smaller and more benign method of raising funds is through donations. The United Nations estimates that up to 15% of the Taliban’s funding comes through donations. According to Dr. Said Alam Mehsud of FATA, the local sources for the Taliban include small boxes in shops where sympathizers drop spare change to help finance “the Islamic cause”, collections in mosques and religious seminaries, women donating their jewelry or wealthy businessmen donating as much as US$100,000 at times .
Much has been talked about the sources of the TTP’s seemingly limitless supplies of weapons and cash. The Pakistani media has often speculated that the TTP receives its funding from India and the United States so that it can create instability in Pakistan and give the US an excuse to invade and de-nuke the Islamic Republic. Supporting evidence for these claims, unfortunately, has never been given and thus, these claims are no mere than mere rhetoric and conspiracy theories . Holes in this theory also appear as virtually every TTP leader has been attacked by US drone strikes. Moreover, the claim that Indian weapons have been ceased from the TTP can be discounted on two grounds: one, the Pakistani military has never officially complained about this and two, even if India were to fund and arm the TTP, it would never do use using its own weapons. Even the US armed the Afghan mujahideen with Soviet-made weapons captured by Israel from Egypt in1973 instead of handing over US-made arms to the fighters (although US made Stinger missiles were transferred to them towards the end of the war).
On the other hand, it has become clear over the years that the TTP funds itself through kidnapping, extortion, smuggling and donations (both foreign and local) . According to Maulvi Omar, a spokesman of the TTP, “Though we condemn kidnapping for ransom, if it’s meant for the promotion of the Islamic cause, then it’s very much fair ”. The Pakistani police claim that the Pakistani Taliban claim ransoms of up to US$250,000 and as many as 70 victims were kidnapped in 2010 alone . Prominent members of Pakistani society, such as businessmen and television personalities are often targeted by the TTP’s criminal wings. The Pakistani television actor, Arshad Hussain had to pay US$11,500 for his release. Other targets for kidnapping include aid workers, journalists and tourists. The British-Pakistani journalist Asad Qureshi was held by the Taliban in Waziristan for 6 months before he was rescued .
Apart from kidnapping, the TTP make the best possible use of the black market. For example, according to the Aryana Institute for Regional Research and Advocacy in Peshawar, during their two years in power in Swat, the TTP stripped the surrounding pine forests of an up to US$100 million in timber . Other valuables from the regions, gems and antiquities included, provide further revenue to the TTP. Peshawar’s bazars are lush with smuggled goods, where they are purchased and taken to Lahore and Karachi.
Extorting local businesses is another way of raising funds. FATA is known for its fine, light-colored marble, which is in high demand in Karachi and Lahore. Instead of taking over these mining operations, the Taliban have begun imposing “protection taxes” on every truckload of these stones, charging US$10 per truck with up to 50 trucks crossing their checkpoints daily .
A smaller and more benign method of raising funds is through donations. The United Nations estimates that up to 15% of the Taliban’s funding comes through donations. According to Dr. Said Alam Mehsud of FATA, the local sources for the Taliban include small boxes in shops where sympathizers drop spare change to help finance “the Islamic cause”, collections in mosques and religious seminaries, women donating their jewelry or wealthy businessmen donating as much as US$100,000 at times .
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