THERE is no exaggeration to say that no military in the world has so far played a pivotal role in curbing terrorism as that of Pakistan’s military. With regard to mitigating terrorism in the region, the US Ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Blome, has recently appraised the role of Pakistan defence forces. Needless to say, for the past two decades, Pakistan military has been ardently committed to combating, curbing and countering terrorism in South Asia. Given the emerging threats from the militant splinter groups of AL-Qaeda and the TTP to destabilize the region, it is time that the western powers must financially, technically and diplomatically assist Pakistan in its ongoing fight against terrorism.
Arguably, the terrorists manipulate fear through use of violence to achieve their objectives. These characteristics define a terrorist: (a) the actor is a non-state one; (b) the person is involved in violence that can cause serious bodily harm or death (indiscriminate or targeted); (c) the violence targets civilians or non-combatants (including military personnel if not in combat); and (d) the purpose of the violence is to intimidate a population or to change the policies of a government or an international organization.
Many reservations notwithstanding, Islamabad’s decision to join the US-waged global war on terrorism (GWOT) in 2001 was the just manifestation of its geostrategic imperatives espoused by the international community’s call of exigency to fight terrorism. But it is pertinent to say that though the international community has always calculated Pakistan’s counterterrorism role through the Afghanistan angle, they have intrinsically failed to realize the magnitude of deterioration of Pakistan’s internal security and economic conditions owing to Islamabad ‘s risky and costly engagement in the US-waged war on terror. Moreover, Pakistan’s internal security gradually began to break down with the rise of the Afghan militants’ terrorist activities inside Pakistan.
Yet undeniably, terrorism has not only affected the socio-cultural environment but it has also damaged the scarce existing infrastructure in Pakistan by way of frequent attacks on educational institutions, healthcare facilities, communication networks and supply of energy within the country. Against this backdrop, Pakistan launched its internal security policy (NACTA) in 2014 to achieve the hereunder mentioned objectives:
(i). To establish the writ of the state and protect the people from all internal threats; (ii) To protect the life, property and fundamental rights of the citizens of Pakistan; (iii) To promote pluralism, freedom, democracy and a culture of tolerance; (iv) To prevent, deter and contain threats to internal security in a transparent, accountable and just manne; (v) To resolve and manage disputes with hostile elements peacefully without compromising the rule of law.
Nevertheless, because of Pakistan’s counterterrorism operations (launched by the Pakistan military during the years 2014- 2018), terrorism has decreased in the region. But the US left Afghanistan in February 2020 without giving a future map of its administration and rehabilitation which created political and economic chaos in Kabul. Because of its non-recognition internationally, the Taliban Government is showing its frustration and there is still export of border terrorism into the Pakistan territory from Afghanistan.
From the Pakistan perspective, Washington policies — that have been practiced in South Asia largely lack precision–such as—that have increasingly shown a callous indifference to the Islamabad -perceived notion of existential security struggle with India, thereby showing its unwarranted strategic tilt towards New Delhi at the altar of ignoring Pakistan security concerns.
The most bewildering situation being faced by Pakistan today is that in its ardent endeavor to abolish the external security threat to the US posed by the Al-Qaeda, Pakistan has had to simultaneously deal with its internal and external security- challenges-thereby having a twin fold security threats coming from its western and eastern borders. Sadly, despite Islamabad being a non- NATO ally, Washington did ignore Pakistan security concerns while it developed its long-term strategic partnership with India. As for Pakistan, it is none other than the US side that played a double game.
Needless to say, an insight —into the escalating security threats posed by the India-TTP alliance—supports the very fact that there are plausible means that this evil agenda can metastasize into a future threat for the West, thereby undermining the security and stability of Pakistan in the region. In this context, the question arises: should not the western policymakers pragmatically decide to foster their vigorous support to Pakistan, thereby stepping up capacity-building, intelligence-sharing and targeting assistance to Pakistan? And yet, the western powers need not ignore this truth that the TTP-supplanted terrorist groups are financially supported by the Indian Government.
Nevertheless, the India-TTP‘s joint agenda of orchestrating terrorism inside the Pakistan territories remains no more a hidden secret. Pakistan Foreign Office justifiably decried PM Modi’s latest remarks against Pakistan by arguing that India reflects on its campaign of “orchestrating targeted assassinations, subversion and terrorism in foreign territories” instead of accusing others of terrorism. A new United Nations report warns that Al-Qaeda has established eight new training camps in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and is increasingly assisting anti-Pakistan militants to launch cross-border attacks.
Since the time General Asim Munir took command of Pakistan’s military in late November 2022, he has been profoundly concerned to dismantle terrorist networks inside Pakistan. Gen Munir also emphasized the critical role of the people of Pakistan in the collective fight against terrorism while giving a primary emphasis on military defence, and recognizing economic security as a crucial factor for achieving improved traditional security outcomes. In June, the Pakistani government approved a new counterterrorism operation named “Azm-e-Istehkam,” meaning Resolve for Stability, to address the challenges of militancy and extremism in the country.
The operation Azm-e-Istehkam will not only include military action, but socio-economic uplift to deter extremism. Last week, Pak army Chief Gen Munir warned that “inimical” forces and their abettors have unleashed “digital terrorism” and are trying hard to create division between defence forces and the people of Pakistan through peddling “lies, fake news and propaganda -highlighting the importance of synergy between various institutions.
—The writer, an independent ‘IR’ researcher-cum-international law analyst based in Pakistan, is member of European Consortium for Political Research Standing Group on IR, Critical Peace & Conflict Studies, also a member of Washington Foreign Law Society and European Society of International Law. He deals with the strategic and nuclear issues.
