Taliban on Defense After Worst Pakistan Capital Attack Since ’08

The Pakistani Taliban distanced itself from the capital’s most lethal attack in more than five years, underscoring the difficulty of enforcing a cease-fire it declared three days ago to revive flagging peace talks.

Unidentified men armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles and bombs strapped to them killed 11 people at an Islamabad court complex yesterday, the deadliest attack in the city since the 2008 Marriott hotel bombing left more than 50 dead. While the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, denied a role in the attack, a splinter group reportedly claimed responsibility.

“If there is any evidence of involvement of any of our groups, we will definitely question them for violating the orders of our leader and opposing our organization’s policy,” TTP said in a statement yesterday. “We are fighting for Shariah — we consider any violation of the cease-fire un-Islamic and unlawful.”

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Ahrar-ul-Hind broke away from the TTP last month because it disagreed with holding talks with the government, The Long War Journal reported on Feb. 11, citing a statement from Mansour. It seeks to implement Islamic Shariah law in Pakistan through violent means, the report said.

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