Pakistan’s fight against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) appears to be slipping further out of control, with militants now openly displaying heavy weapons and operating checkpoints along the Bannu–Waziristan axis, CNN-News18 has reported, citing sources. Videos circulating on local and social media platforms show TTP fighters halting vehicles, inspecting identity documents, and boasting of new arms consignments. In one clip, commanders can be heard claiming their group is ready to “continue attacks on security forces,” underscoring how emboldened the outfit has become inside Pakistani territory.
If authenticated, these developments expose a dangerous erosion of state control in Pakistan’s tribal belt and across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Analysts told CNN-News18 that since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan in 2021, the TTP has steadily rebuilt its networks, exploiting weak governance and security vacuums. Sporadic clashes, roadside bombings, and militant checkpoints have become recurring features of life in the province, while Pakistani security forces have struggled to fully neutralize the threat despite repeated operations.
Local sources cited by CNN-News18 say that in several districts, particularly around Bannu, some frontier posts were recently vacated by lower-ranking troops after militants issued direct threats. Fighters have reportedly begun moving freely in certain areas, confronting civilians and demanding “contributions” under the guise of taxes. The reports paint a grim picture of how militants are asserting dominance while Pakistan’s authorities appear either unable or unwilling to maintain a consistent presence.
Official statements from the Pakistani military and provincial government have so far avoided addressing the specific allegations of militant checkpoints and troop withdrawals. Yet Bannu’s history speaks for itself. The district has witnessed suicide bombings, assaults on security installations, and hostage situations earlier in 2025, marking it as one of Pakistan’s most volatile flashpoints. Authorities have previously responded with airstrikes, temporary curfews, and intelligence-led raids, but none of these measures have managed to uproot the TTP’s growing influence.
According to security observers cited by CNN-News18, the militants’ public display of weapons and roadblocks serves multiple purposes. It is meant to intimidate local residents, demonstrate their operational reach, and send a psychological message that the Pakistani state no longer controls its own territory. The move also functions as propaganda, designed to project power and recruit sympathizers in areas where state services are collapsing.
For civilians, the consequences are immediate and severe. Residents now face movement restrictions, disruptions in trade, and a growing fear of reprisals. Markets in affected zones have partially shut down, and transport routes that connect KP to the rest of Pakistan are becoming increasingly unsafe. The absence of a coherent state response has deepened local despair, with many accusing Islamabad of neglecting frontier communities.
Experts say restoring stability will require more than airstrikes and press briefings. Sustainable security, they argue, will depend on rebuilding local governance, policing, and public services—areas where Pakistan’s institutions have long failed. Without a serious political and military recalibration, the country risks allowing large parts of KP to fall under the shadow of the TTP once again.
For now, the situation in Bannu remains tense and fluid. Journalists and monitoring groups continue to track the fast-changing developments, though independent verification remains difficult due to restricted access. As CNN-News18 reports, both local residents and security authorities are scrambling to decide how to respond to a resurgence that starkly exposes Pakistan’s shrinking control over its own borderlands.
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