THE government has approved a multi-pronged approach to eliminate terrorism under which operations will be carried out against terrorists, along with stronger laws and national discourse to root out extremism.
The plan was approved in a meeting of the Steering Committee on Counter-Terrorism and Establishment of the State Writ (Harden the State), which was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and also attended by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. Under the strategy, people from all segments of society will be taken on board to play their role in eradicating terrorism and extremism.
A country-wide intelligence-based operation against all sorts of terrorists is underway and fuller details are presently not available about different dimensions of the new strategy but it apparently focus on enlisting maximum support from the civil society and greater coordination between the Federal and the Provincial governments, two elements which play crucial role in the success or otherwise of any such plan. No doubt, the National Action Plan (NAP), which still forms the basis for counter-terrorism operations in the country, could not succeed in eliminating the menace of terrorism and extremism as originally envisaged because of lack of proper implementation of its various points but it is also a reality that the defence forces and law-enforcing agencies scored major achievements in breaking the back of terror outfits and dismantling their networks. These successes are globally acknowledged and these were achieved because the plan was owned by the Parliament and the general public. As for coordination between the Federal and the Provincial governments, this is not a must during operational phase but also during post-operation period as legal, political, administrative and economic strategies have to be implemented to ensure stability of gains. It is important to note that the meeting discussed the repatriation plan for Afghan refugees and decided to expedite the process. The successful implementation of the decision will surely help realize the cherished objective of maintaining peace and security, especially in KP and Balochistan as Afghans living illegally in Pakistan have been found to be involved in serious crimes and anti-state activities. We hope all aspects of the new counter-terrorism strategy will be implemented in tandem as the country cannot afford laxity in this regard because of serious implications of the law and order situation on economic policies of the government. The Prime Minister has rightly pointed out that a peaceful and terrorism-free strong state structure is essential for restoring investors’ confidence at the international level. Of course, the government has introduced revolutionary reforms such as full digitization of systems and improvement in the tax system in order to restore investors’ confidence. Apart from successful negotiations with several countries that have made their plans known for substantial investment in Pakistan, the government has also entered into a trade deal with the United States, which, among other things, envisages significant US investment in energy and mining sectors of Pakistan. However, it is understood that a peaceful environment is a pre-requisite for success of these plans for investment and that is why there is a need to launch an accelerated but comprehensive operation to weed out terrorists and trouble-makers. The plan assumes urgency as there is clear evidence that after its humiliating defeat at the hands of Pakistan defence forces, the enemy is now fomenting trouble in the country through its agents that have increased their attacks on state symbols and governmental machinery besides taking lives of innocent people. The latest UN Security Council report also substantiates Pakistan’s concern as it highlights a nexus between the outlawed BLA and TTP – the two have joined hands in trying to destabilize the country. It also reported that the TTP had approximately 6,000 fighters and continued to receive substantial logistical and operational support from the de facto authorities (Taliban). The report shows growing realization among the international community about the security dilemma of Pakistan and it is now for the country to capitalize on this awareness.
