Smart strategy for defeating terrorism
DEFENCE Minister amicably addressed politicization of Peshawar bomb blast in Parliament following unfortunate loss of lives.
Defence minister said that the matter will be addressed at an appropriate forum (NSC). Pakistan should not involve armed forces this time and use smart strategy for defeating terrorism comprising modern technology, diplomacy, global financial institutions and relocation of terrorists.
The provinces will also have to play their role which is their constitutional obligation. The PM is spot on in questioning the tragedy in the red zone. The Defence Minister shared details about the planned presence of the alleged terrorist.
The Defence Minister also raised similar concerns in Parliament including facilitating the terrorists terming it as an act against Pakistan. The fate of NAP was also raised by the parliamentarians.
The reported attacks on Pakistan’s border fence (inside its territory) on Pak-Afghan border is a gross violation of its territorial integrity and merits respect just like world border fences including America, China and the ME.
Like in the past, Pakistan can defeat terrorism with a smart plan in a pyramid form. The base comprises use of modern technology and method comprising demonetization, online trade, electronic fencing and surveillance in targeted areas.
Use made-in-Pakistan mobiles, local networks, satellite jammers, balloons for local control, apps for business and retail shopping linked to bank accounts, cash transfer, facial recognition, CNIC, NADRA, driver license, targeted tracking of mobile, individuals, transport and transit traffic.
At the mid-level, use neighbourhood watch, community, and retail business for direct reporting to the state.
Police and intelligence setups (federal, provincial & others) should do their own job. It should then be backed by special anti-terror squads, levies and other local quick response units and pre-emptive setup like West (EU, Americas, and UK).
It is a combination of intelligence, border security forces, police, liaison with neighbouring countries and a task force.
On an administrative level, the unity of command should be restored to the concerned authority.
Police should control its setup while bureaucracy and military their setups including cantonments.
Required number of cantonments should be established across Pakistan online of the British system to defeat war against terrorism.
The civil headquarters and military cantonments in USA and Commonwealth members are using a traditional security system which is effective and discourages politics.
The use of armed forces in war against terrorism must be selective and rare. The use of armed forces in the war against terror weakens its abilities to fight conventional wars.
Like Russia and America, Pakistan should adopt alternate options like self-finance non-military special force comprising tech savvy personnel who can fly, swim, fight and use technology.
This force can be raised immediately to deliver tactically, strategically and internationally with the help of existing resources, effective not costly.
The success lies in speed, unity and faith. Clearly, the Peshawar attack is an attempt to weaken the country’s armed forces on the pretext of war against terrorism at a time when there is political polarization.
The armed forces should be left to their primary responsibility to defend the borders of the country.
Government should deal with fallouts of political decisions. The smart alternative will increase online revenue collection, fight smuggling, secure borders and corruption.
Diplomatically, Pakistan should make electronic transactions mandatory with Afghanistan and other areas to decimate terror financing.
Like other regional countries dealing in commodities, Pakistan and Afghanistan can deposit sufficient funds in their banks accordingly.
It should not be a problem due to existing international legislation (UNAML). Like India’s bottom-up diplomatic approach for bilateral trade with individual EU member states, Islamabad can do it with its neighbours including Iran, CARS, and BRICS in no time.
To end terrorism in Pakistan, Islamabad should adopt a different approach with the UN. As a UN member, it has been supporting UN Resolutions on Afghan wars.
The UN should ask the US Congress to end the President’s war powers since successive presidents including Obama announced an end of war on terror.
Pakistan cannot be held hostage to fallout of West’s policies on Afghanistan, China and Iran in the region.
World knows that terrorism is an alternative to direct military attack on the country to colonize it economically.
Next, Islamabad should approach WB, IMF and WTO for complete debt write off, trade, exports and transfer of industry and funding for food, water, and energy security.
As part of the international coalition, Pakistan defeated Russia and defeated war against terror. It has been still hosting Afghan refugees since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
The EU has given €679bn subsidies to Germany, France and Italy in 2022 to lower the cost of living after the Ukraine war.
America has given $104bn to Ukraine.
The Afghan war was outsourced to Pakistan costing $125bn and 83,000 lives and the West did $2. 4T corruption (Afghan Papers Washington Post). Pak Defence Minister talked about terrorists.
International community is forcing Islamabad to deal with this challenge. Taliban are Mujahideen hosted by Reagan in the White House.
They can work for UN peace missions in global interest. According to the West, their number is between 5000 and 25000.
They can always be relocated in a single digit across the world to solve this issue and stop using so-called war against terrorism in the region for vested stakes.
—The writer is senior political analyst based in Islamabad.
