Daily Times

Mastung, Balochistan and Hangu, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa were vehemently shaken by deadly blasts on the auspicious occasion of Prophet’s birthday. While the entire country was submerged in festivities of the auspicious day, the rogue terrorist elements grasped the opportunity to target innocent population. With terrorism spuriously infesting Pakistan, such incidences mark the graveness of confronting realities. How this menace will be combatted is a serious concern pinching the entire nation.

2023 marks a concerning rise in terrorist attacks across Pakistan. According to a report by Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), there has been 19 percent rise in deaths from terrorist attacks in 2023 compared to 2022 while 92 percent of the total deaths occurred in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, both of which share border with Afghanistan. While no faction has yet declared its involvement in the most recent attacks, previous incidents have mostly been the work of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Islamic State- Khorasan (IS-K) and Baloch separatist factions.

These recent terrorist attacks on a holy day targeting the most harmless and innocent of population has roused international community as well. United Nations has condemned the incident while numerous countries such as Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, China, United States of America, Iran, Iraq, France and Algeria as well as Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have also expressed concern over the gruelling turn of events in Pakistan. It is evident that the state cannot now escape this quagmire of spiralling violence. However, the path forward is the essential thing to be focused upon in existing dilemma.

There has been 19 percent rise in deaths from terrorist attacks in 2023, as compared to 2022.

While there have been reports of Afghan Taliban pulling in reins of TTP militants to prevent attacks on Pakistan, these attacks seem to be product of Islamic State of Iraq and the Leviant (ISIL) and its affiliated branches. The concerning point here is that this most recent attack targeted a Rabiul Awwal procession which signalizes the increasing impact of strict Salafism emanating from the Middle East. This dimension in the increasing violence threatens the very basis of sectarian tolerance, which in Pakistan, remained at tolerable levels in recent years.

In the past, there have been assaults on Christian and Ahmadi residential places and gatherings in Pakistan with strong backlash from authorities. However, the recent attacks depict complexity of emerging scenario with different Islamic sects purporting their own versions of religion. In a Muslim majority state, such developments if not heeded timely may cause an uncontrollable mayhem. Efforts in pursuit of tacking this complex ordeal are most vital to ensure successful handling of the terrorist factions.

Authorities in Pakistan are trying to adopt stringent measures to actively control the situation. The current policy decision to remove illegal Afghan refugees from state premises seem to be an ardent step in getting a foothold over the widely spreading rogue factions. However, there are speculations regarding the moral and ethical aspects as well as probable backlash from this decision which only time will ascertain.

The mineral rich yet badly impoverished province of Balochistan time and again witnesses nefarious activities of terrorists and separatist insurgents. The province has become largely infested with transnational factions like Islamic State (IS) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). After this most recent attack, patience of provincial authorities ended with Balochistan’s caretaker Information Minister, Jan Achakzai, declaring an all-out war against terrorists. It was high time that an explicit and loud expression of contempt and intention of full-scale backlash needed to be conveyed to the evil-minded plotters behind the violent attacks in Pakistan.

An entity which cannot be separated from instigating anti state antipathy as well as orchestrating terrorist attacks is the Indian Intelligence Agency (RAW). It is not just a lay man’s perspective, but the previous records also indicate a great likeness for involvement of RAW in terrorism across Pakistan. Balochistan, due to its precarious conditions, is a prime facilitating ground for RAW activities. A complete plan should be mapped out and implemented to root out these malicious agents from Pakistani soil and prevent exploitation of the aggrieved masses.

The blasts on 12th Rabiul Awwal have wounded not just Pakistan’s population but all humane and civilized minds across the globe. Authorities in Pakistan are on a constant lookout to prevent future turmoil in the country. Counter Terrorism Department, Peshawar, has given out a list of militants across the province with bounties on their heads. The efficiency of all such measures will be determined in near future based on the emerging statistics of terror incidents across the country. However, it is most pertinent for the nation as a whole to keep their morale and level of commitment high and aid the authorities in stringently curbing menace of terrorism.

The writer is a freelance columnist