Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal |
The successful execution of Zarb-i-Azb and Raad-ul-Fasaad operations have not only restored the authority of the state but also brought an audible sigh of relief in Pakistan. The law enforcement agencies preventive measures had thwarted many terrorist organizations fatal missions and saved the innocent people from the brutal wreckage. Despite these tactical achievements, the continuity of war on terrorism and nefarious designs of eastern and western neighbours necessitate vigilance and preparedness.
The suicide attacks in Quetta and Nowshera on the law enforcement agencies, during the last week, once again send shock waves in the entire nation. On May 17, 2018, at Taraweeh time five suicide bombers stormed a Frontier Corps Madadgar Centre in Quetta. Luckily, the forces foiled the attack and also killed the attackers. Earlier suicide attacks were made against a convoy of security forces Nowshera city. The attacker was killed and 11 others were injured in the attack.
The appropriate defensive arrangements and heroic sacrifices of law enforcement agencies officers and jawans have demonstrated the resilience of the nation to combat the menace of terrorism. The heroic action against the proscribed Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LeJ) underscores that Pakistani soldiers are battling terrorists fearlessly. On May 16, 2018, the security forces killed the Balochistan chief of LeJ Salman Badeni, two suicide bombers and arrested one injured terrorist in the Killi Almas area of Balochistan.
The multilateral approach or multinational cooperation is imperative for finishing the transnational terrorism. Islamabad needs to work closely with the like-minded nations to defeat the agenda of transnational terrorist organizations as well as the states that have been using them against Pakistan.
During the operation, a Pakistan Army officer, Colonel Sohail Abid, and a soldier embraced martyrdom and three other soldiers were injured. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi stated: “Our soldiers have paid the price of freedom with blood and there is no higher sacrifice than it. We as a nation are united than ever against the coward enemy.” Indeed, such heroic acts of the soldiers are guarding the freedom of the nation. Indeed, the Armed forces of Pakistan quashed terrorist sanctuaries in the remote or peripheral areas of the country.
They have been struggling to erase the terrorists sleeping cells located in the urban centres. It was reported that during the Operation Zarb-i-Azb the entire infrastructure of terrorists’, especially their outfits, was destroyed in North Waziristan. Unfortunately, the anarchical situation in Afghanistan provided the terrorist organizations, especially Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Pakistan leftovers to flee into Afghanistan. India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) with the connivance of Afghanistan National Directorate of Security (NDS) reorganized TTP.
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It is an open secret that RAW has been providing both financial and material support to TTP for conducting terrorist acts inside of Pakistan. Neither American forces nor Afghan law enforcement agencies are erasing the safe heavens of TTP located in eastern Afghanistan. It was reported that recent terrorist acts were sponsored from Afghanistan. Therefore, without the proper monitoring of entire Pakistan-Afghan border and winning the hearts and minds of Afghans, the prevention of cross-border terrorism is tiresome and challenging.
The radicalized militant organizations intelligently make use of the religious norms and principals for the recruitment and radicalization of ignorant people in a society. Even their narrative camouflages their extremists’ strategy that is not limited by theological moral scruples—inhibition in the killing of the innocent, unarmed, civilians and non-combatants. Consequently, the radicalized militant groups have no guilt against the killing of the innocent women, children and the unarmed civilians.
The appropriate defensive arrangements and heroic sacrifices of law enforcement agencies officers and jawans have demonstrated the resilience of the nation to combat the menace of terrorism.
Perhaps, the military operations destroy their sanctuaries but do not correct their mindset. For correcting the perverted mindset counter-narrative is required. In this context, the political forces, especially the religious political parties role ought to be enhanced. Today, combating the transnational radicalized militancy is nearly impossible by one country. The multilateral approach or multinational cooperation is imperative for finishing the transnational terrorism.
Read more: Stimulating geo-strategic environment
Islamabad needs to work closely with the like-minded nations to defeat the agenda of transnational terrorist organizations as well as the states that have been using them against Pakistan. The radicalized militancy is a gigantic problem for all the Shanghai Cooperation Organizations (SCO) members.
The ideological motivation through biased interpretation of Islamic norms; ability to freely move across countries; financial backing through illicit trade; adept in the use of communication technology; and above all the protracted global war on terrorism are important sustaining and enduring constituent of terrorism in the SCO member states. Therefore, the government of Pakistan could use SCO forum for chalking out a multinational comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy.
Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal is Associate Professor, School of Politics and International Relations, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. He is also an advisor on Non-Proliferation to SASSI, London and a course coordinator at Foreign Services Academy for the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Email: jaspal_99@hotmail.com. This piece was first published in Pakistan Observer. It has been reprinted with permission. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Global Village Space’s editorial policy.