Till recently growing terrorism was considered a thing of the past and Pakistani state proclaimed its victory loudly on any forum it got access to claiming it to be its singular success. It was widely acknowledged that Pakistani authorities succeeded in eliminating terrorist networks within the country and some relocated to Afghanistan. The aggressive desire against terrorism lost steam as the Pakistani state changed its policy in wake of the expected change in Afghanistan where Taliban looked poised to return to government. Very soon therefore victory claims became a mirage as the scourge of terrorism has apparently come back with a vengeance. The fresh spate of terrorism has not only started claiming lives but has also incited public protests against the very authorities that once claimed controlling it has become evident by the protesting citizens of the badly affected districts of KP. The protests were joined by the elders, youth, and children who warned that they might take up arms to tackle terrorists if the authorities failed to play their due role.
It now appears that the so-called peace of the border areas was a forced acceptance of a status quo during which a harassed displaced people were not allowed to talk and if they did they could narrate their woes only in hushed tones. This situation is exactly the reverse of an earlier effort made by Pakistani authorities for confronting terrorism that took time to devise and implement rationally viable and administratively potent policies to counter terrorism and while doing so the security apparatus appeared to have imbibed the lessons from the past and started to clearly differentiate between good and bad Taliban as essentially there is no such distinction. Though a majority of decision makers were convinced about the overall negative nature of terrorist activity yet the desire to play the game according to good and bad categories remained latent in some sections of decision makers. It was precisely this hidden sympathy that erupted when the Taliban resumed control of Afghanistan and it became evident that Pakistan did not take much time to reach out to the new rulers of Afghanistan.
To bring this altered policy to fruition Pakistani authorities did take the civil government on board and began parleying with the Afghan Taliban regime without however recognising its existence with the expectation that they will be able to exert pressure on Pakistani terrorists to come to some agreement with them. While doing so they ignored the fact that they were going against the carefully designed narrative against terrorism and also that terrorists are recognised to change the goal post ever so frequently. Another flaw in the altered perception was that it went against the cumulative expectations of the people of Pakistan who have moved forward and were not prepared to accept any accommodation with the terrorists. It was clear that the public sentiment was against arriving at any compromise with the terrorists as they felt that the terrorist networks had grown weak after consolidated action against.
The permanent state apparatus fatally ignored the sentiments of the people of the border provinces who had to face the brunt of terrorism. They did not pay much heed to the strong resentment among the inhabitants of the affected areas and completely discounted the possibility of the local populace strongly reacting against bringing back the terrorists in their areas. It was also not taken into consideration that the local population may react violently against restoring the status quo that precisely happened putting the authorities in a double bind. The pro-establishment media understated the protests of the victims of terrorism and only when the recent increase in terrorism revealed the TTP’s agenda and real intentions, did state institutions once again start to appreciate the counterterrorism consensus of earlier days.
The renewed terrorism has not started claiming lives but has also incited public protests against the very authorities that once claimed controlling it as has become evident by the protesting citizens of the badly affected districts of KP. The protests were joined by the elders, youth, and children who warned that they might take up arms to tackle terrorists if the authorities failed to play their due role. It now appears that the so-called peace of the border areas was a forced acceptance of a status quo during which a harassed displaced people were not allowed to talk and if they did they could narrate their woes only in hushed tones.
The fact that the Taliban’s re-conquest of Afghanistan has emboldened their brethren in Pakistan that they are steadily reclaiming their lost hold in border areas of Pakistan is not openly acknowledged. Instead, local elements that are struggling for their rights within the borders of Pakistan are penalised. The situation was exacerbated when the official line taken was to support the Afghan Taliban takeover of Kabul and there was even celebration within the Pakistani mainstream at the fact that a friendly government had yet again been installed in Kabul. There is hardly any doubt that KP has literally become the frontline of terrorism and violent extremism and the terrorists have been emboldened to increase their areas of aggressive activity.
The protests against terrorism have increased after last week’s brutal Police Lines bombing in Peshawar. The reaction this time was not only limited to border areas but rather it gave way to an unprecedented protest by uniformed KP policemen in Peshawar and other cities demanding justice for their fallen colleagues. What is common in these protestations and also clearly discernible is the public urge to contain this surge of terrorism by cracking down on the terrorists and restoring peace and security. The general perception is that the state authorities are trying to resolve the issue through parleys but the public consensus is that this is a self-defeating policy and that what is needed is to deal with terrorist with an iron hand.
It is imperative that the state apparatus take steps to assure the people that it will stand up to the terrorists and will arrange adequate security. It is obvious that following the flawed policy of parleying with then terrorist outfits has seriously harmed the reputation of the state apparatus and has also encouraged the terrorist to increase their activities. It is now reported that frequent terrorist attacks are taking place in the border provinces and there is an ample danger that they will spread to other areas of the country. It is expected that the political elements will work in tandem with the security apparatus and will add strength to the broad national effort required in this respect.
It must be borne in mind that it has already been late to tackle terrorism and any further delay will cause serious problems. The people of Pakistan have already suffered a lot and they must not be subjected to the rising tide of terrorism. It would be futile to expect that the Afghan Taliban regime will render assistance in sorting out matters with the TTP as it has no love lost with Pakistan and it is openly supportive of TTP as it had remained in partnership with it during their struggle against the US-led coalition.TW
Growing terrorism
ByFahad Ali
Associated with maritime trade
Dated
February 12, 2023
Fahad Ali describes an urgent national need
Till recently growing terrorism was considered a thing of the past and Pakistani state proclaimed its victory loudly on any forum it got access to claiming it to be its singular success. It was widely acknowledged that Pakistani authorities succeeded in eliminating terrorist networks within the country and some relocated to Afghanistan. The aggressive desire against terrorism lost steam as the Pakistani state changed its policy in wake of the expected change in Afghanistan where Taliban looked poised to return to government. Very soon therefore victory claims became a mirage as the scourge of terrorism has apparently come back with a vengeance. The fresh spate of terrorism has not only started claiming lives but has also incited public protests against the very authorities that once claimed controlling it has become evident by the protesting citizens of the badly affected districts of KP. The protests were joined by the elders, youth, and children who warned that they might take up arms to tackle terrorists if the authorities failed to play their due role.
It now appears that the so-called peace of the border areas was a forced acceptance of a status quo during which a harassed displaced people were not allowed to talk and if they did they could narrate their woes only in hushed tones. This situation is exactly the reverse of an earlier effort made by Pakistani authorities for confronting terrorism that took time to devise and implement rationally viable and administratively potent policies to counter terrorism and while doing so the security apparatus appeared to have imbibed the lessons from the past and started to clearly differentiate between good and bad Taliban as essentially there is no such distinction. Though a majority of decision makers were convinced about the overall negative nature of terrorist activity yet the desire to play the game according to good and bad categories remained latent in some sections of decision makers. It was precisely this hidden sympathy that erupted when the Taliban resumed control of Afghanistan and it became evident that Pakistan did not take much time to reach out to the new rulers of Afghanistan.
To bring this altered policy to fruition Pakistani authorities did take the civil government on board and began parleying with the Afghan Taliban regime without however recognising its existence with the expectation that they will be able to exert pressure on Pakistani terrorists to come to some agreement with them. While doing so they ignored the fact that they were going against the carefully designed narrative against terrorism and also that terrorists are recognised to change the goal post ever so frequently. Another flaw in the altered perception was that it went against the cumulative expectations of the people of Pakistan who have moved forward and were not prepared to accept any accommodation with the terrorists. It was clear that the public sentiment was against arriving at any compromise with the terrorists as they felt that the terrorist networks had grown weak after consolidated action against.
The permanent state apparatus fatally ignored the sentiments of the people of the border provinces who had to face the brunt of terrorism. They did not pay much heed to the strong resentment among the inhabitants of the affected areas and completely discounted the possibility of the local populace strongly reacting against bringing back the terrorists in their areas. It was also not taken into consideration that the local population may react violently against restoring the status quo that precisely happened putting the authorities in a double bind. The pro-establishment media understated the protests of the victims of terrorism and only when the recent increase in terrorism revealed the TTP’s agenda and real intentions, did state institutions once again start to appreciate the counterterrorism consensus of earlier days.
The renewed terrorism has not started claiming lives but has also incited public protests against the very authorities that once claimed controlling it as has become evident by the protesting citizens of the badly affected districts of KP. The protests were joined by the elders, youth, and children who warned that they might take up arms to tackle terrorists if the authorities failed to play their due role. It now appears that the so-called peace of the border areas was a forced acceptance of a status quo during which a harassed displaced people were not allowed to talk and if they did they could narrate their woes only in hushed tones.
The fact that the Taliban’s re-conquest of Afghanistan has emboldened their brethren in Pakistan that they are steadily reclaiming their lost hold in border areas of Pakistan is not openly acknowledged. Instead, local elements that are struggling for their rights within the borders of Pakistan are penalised. The situation was exacerbated when the official line taken was to support the Afghan Taliban takeover of Kabul and there was even celebration within the Pakistani mainstream at the fact that a friendly government had yet again been installed in Kabul. There is hardly any doubt that KP has literally become the frontline of terrorism and violent extremism and the terrorists have been emboldened to increase their areas of aggressive activity.
The protests against terrorism have increased after last week’s brutal Police Lines bombing in Peshawar. The reaction this time was not only limited to border areas but rather it gave way to an unprecedented protest by uniformed KP policemen in Peshawar and other cities demanding justice for their fallen colleagues. What is common in these protestations and also clearly discernible is the public urge to contain this surge of terrorism by cracking down on the terrorists and restoring peace and security. The general perception is that the state authorities are trying to resolve the issue through parleys but the public consensus is that this is a self-defeating policy and that what is needed is to deal with terrorist with an iron hand.
It is imperative that the state apparatus take steps to assure the people that it will stand up to the terrorists and will arrange adequate security. It is obvious that following the flawed policy of parleying with then terrorist outfits has seriously harmed the reputation of the state apparatus and has also encouraged the terrorist to increase their activities. It is now reported that frequent terrorist attacks are taking place in the border provinces and there is an ample danger that they will spread to other areas of the country. It is expected that the political elements will work in tandem with the security apparatus and will add strength to the broad national effort required in this respect.
It must be borne in mind that it has already been late to tackle terrorism and any further delay will cause serious problems. The people of Pakistan have already suffered a lot and they must not be subjected to the rising tide of terrorism. It would be futile to expect that the Afghan Taliban regime will render assistance in sorting out matters with the TTP as it has no love lost with Pakistan and it is openly supportive of TTP as it had remained in partnership with it during their struggle against the US-led coalition.TW
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