Sir: Terrorism in Pakistan has become a highly destructive phenomenon in recent years. A record number of Pakistani civilians and security forces have died in militant violence as the country has reeled from an onslaught of Taliban suicide bombings, propelling it to the ranks of the world’s most perilous places. Pakistan saw 3,021 deaths in terrorist attacks in 2009, up by 48 percent over the year before, according to a new report by the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS). Researchers counted a total of 12,600 violent deaths across the country in 2009, 14 times more than in 2006. The Taliban also sabotaged the last elections, warning three political parties to stay away from campaigning. As a result, no jalsas (political rallies) were seen in Karachi, which is dominated by the MQM, PPP and ANP. Some “298 people lost their lives and 885 others were injured across Pakistan between January 1 and May 15, 2013 in 148 reported terrorist attacks on political leaders, workers and voters, besides 97 incidents of political violence,” said the Elections and Violence Monitoring Report. The annual death toll from terrorist attacks has risen from 164 in 2003 to 5,000 in 2013. According to the previous government of Pakistan, the direct and indirect economic cost of terrorism from 2000 to 2010 is a total of $ 68 billion.
Some politicians see opportunity; Imran Khan is leading an opportunistic group. Just after the death of PTI leader Zohra Shahid, the PTI held rallies in some parts of the country and even in London. Without knowing the truth, he blamed the MQM for her murder. He made strong statements against the MQM but, for extremists, he has the opposite policy. He wants peace with the Taliban and to negotiate with them. If dialogue is the right strategy, then we should have had dialogue with the Lyari Aman force in Karachi too. An operation should be launched against the Taliban with a proper strategy devised.
DAWAR NAQVI
California,
US