Over the borderline: on Pakistan and its security situation with Afghanistan
The terror attack in Pakistan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa region, which has claimed 54 lives and left over 200 injured, is a reminder of the worsening security situation in the country’s border region with Afghanistan.
Terrorism:
- There is no universal agreement on the legal definition of terrorism.
- It generally refers to the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, to achieve political and ideological aims.
Terrorism in Pakistan:
- A Geopolitical Perspective
- Pakistan has been battling with terrorism for decades, particularly in its border region with Afghanistan.
- The rise of the Taliban in the early 1990s and its subsequent takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 have further exacerbated the security situation.
The Historical Support to Islamist Extremists:
- The Afghan Civil War:
- Pakistan supported the Afghan Mujahideen during Afghanistan’s anti-communist civil war, providing weapons and training to defeat the Soviet invasion.
- The Emergence of the Taliban:
- Pakistan supported the emerging Taliban during the intra-Mujahideen civil war, facilitating their rise to power in the early 1990s.
Playing a Double Game:
- War on Terror:
- Pakistan joined the US coalition in the War on Terror but was also accused of harboring Taliban and other extremist groups.
- Safe Havens:
- Pakistan allowed safe havens to several terrorist groups, including the Haqqani Network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Radicalization and Security Threats:
- Extremist Ideologies: Decades of civil war have radicalized Muslim youth in the Af-Pak region, leading to the growing support of extremist ideologies among Pakistani militants.
- Bad Governance: The lack of governance, corruption, and power struggles have created the ideal breeding ground for radicalization and terrorism.
Combating the Pakistan Taliban:
- Operation Zarb-e-Azb:
- Pakistan launched a military operation against the Pakistan Taliban in 2014-15 to crush the insurgency in the border region.
- Rehabilitation Program:
- The government introduced a rehabilitation program to help Taliban fighters lay down their arms and reintegrate into society.
- Victims of Terrorism Fund:
- Pakistan established a fund to provide financial assistance and rehabilitation to the victims of terrorism and their families.
Steps Need to be Taken to Counter Terrorism:
- Strong and Reformed Institutions: There is a need to strengthen and reform the multilateral institutions and mechanisms to effectively deal with these emerging challenges.
- Strengthen Intelligence Agencies: There is an urgent need to empower intelligence agencies with adequate funding and modern technologies.
- Timely and Appropriate Action: To achieve positive results, international institutions and all countries need to take actions timely after receiving any intelligence input.
- United Approach: A collaborative approach is a need of hour to overcome these challenges.
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International Organizations against Terrorism:
- The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT):
- It leads and coordinates an all-of-UN approach to prevent and counter-terrorism and violent extremism.
- The UN Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT):
- It works under UNOCT that promotes international cooperation in the fight against terrorism and supports the Member States in implementing the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
- The Terrorism Prevention Branch (TPB):
- It works under the aegis of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
- It works to assist the Member States, upon request, with the ratification, legislative incorporation and implementation of the universal legal framework against terrorism.
- The Financial Action Task Force (FATF):
- It is a global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog that aims to prevent the illegal activities and the harm they cause to society.
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