Security through de-securitisation
THE gruesome incidents of terrorist attacks on Police force across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since a few months are highly eyebrow rising. The sacrifice of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and other forces being front liners against terrorism and militancy is undeniable fact. The January 30th 2023 terrorist attack on hundreds of Muhammaddans while offering prayer in the Mosque at Police Line Peshawar again created an environment of mourning in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The attack resulted into martyrdom of more than a hundred people and injury of others. Mainly of those victims hailed from Police department because Police Line is the Provincial Police Headquarters where police personnel use to visit on account of posting, transfer, promotion, departmental inquiries, pension-related issues, etc. In addition, Police Hospital is also located there to provide treatment to Police personnel and to their families. The most heartening matter is that such huge losses of our people once again was politicized and subjected to political scoring without knowing the realities and fundamental facts of the causes of that incident.
The social media jihadists started unabated propaganda against Pakistan army and Inter-Services Intelligence and also posted the picture of Chief of Army Staff General AsimMunir – during his visit to hospital to enquire about the health of injured people – with unpleasant and derogatory remarks. The pseudo nationalist elements also uploaded anti-military and anti-Punjab posts while the Pakhtoon Nationalist Parties are now the blind followers of Punjab-based leadership Political Party of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz. These are part of Pakistan Democratic Movement, the coalition of thirteen major and minor political parties that has government at federal level; and governors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
On January 16, 2023, famous senior lawyer and former President of Pakistan Bar Association Abdul Latif Afridi was shot dead on the premises of the Peshawar High Court by one of his relatives due to their personal animosity. His murder also created havoc in the society, especially among his political circle. Initially his political comrades, particularly the youth, uploaded very disappointing posts blaming the Pakistan intelligence Agency for his murder. No doubt his murder was a sad news because he was a senior citizen and the murder of women, children, old, clergymen, or any weaker are even forbidden during holy war with heathens. On the other side, the murder of Aftab Afridi (an Anti-Terrorist Court Judge), of his wife and two children was also heart burning because not only Islam but also Pakhtoon Code of Conduct also does not allow anyone to claim the lives of female and kids. The fact is that it was security lapses. In any case, it was the loss of Pakhtoon community. Unfortunately, the Pakhtoons shed the blood of fellow beings in daily life on petty issues due to their intolerant attitude.
The political parties, especially Pakhtoon nationalist political organizations, instigated the general masses and police personnel to come out for protest for nothing except political point scoring. In addition to this, teachers in university academia also betrayed the young students and tried to cash emotions on the basis of narrow Pakhtoon nationalism which is also very alarming; while the nationalist leadership is divided into different factions for gaining their personal and political objectives. None of them even knew the real picture of the occurrence of the terrorist; and even the high officials of KP Police were not sure unless going through some strong evidences and recordings of CCTV.
The BDS investigated that twelve kilograms of Trinitrotoluene explosives were used which is usually used to demolish buildings; and it also damaged the pillar-less roof of the Mosque which caused severe human causalities. The CCTV footage also negated the false propaganda of some circles regarding a drone attack on the Mosque. Initially the TTP claimed responsibility for that attack but later it also showed its alienation from it. However, whatever may be the case, the suicide bomber seemed a trained person and certainly he would have been sponsored by a strong terrorist network. The suicide bomber in police uniform and wrapped in blanket with helmet crossed the police check-barriers and entered into the premises of Police Line Peshawar, which was security breach on the part of police personnel despite the fact that new wave of militancy since several months started in the province wherein the police has been mainly targeted in various parts of the province.
It is beyond any doubt that the KP Police as civilian law enforcing agency rendered sacrifices and it tried to restore peace to KP over its blood. However, the aftermath of recent attack raised some questions on its professionalism. It also questioned its poor training. It can easily fell prey of false propaganda of some selfish political elements and started agitation.
Astonishingly, police in Pakistan serves the elite classes. MNAs, Senators, MPAs, provincial ministers, federal ministers, advisors to CM and PM, Judges of superior judiciary all have heavy protocols and police convoys for themselves and their families’ security. There is need to withdraw all kinds of security from them. This will force them to think seriously about national security. The se-securitization of Political elite, de-securitization of Ministers, de-securitization of Bureaucracy, de-securitization of Judges of Superior Judiciary can ensure security of a common Pakistani.
—The writer is Chairman, Department of Political Science, Islamia College Peshawar.
