Daily Times

Although it is always a little comforting to know about the success of our armed forces in any clash against terrorists, losing those tasked with the backbreaking responsibility of ensuring our good night’s sleep as they stand in the line of fire is a stark reminder of our persisting vulnerabilities.

There’s no denying the courage of those four soldiers who gave their lives in a clash against militants in South Waziristan without moving an inch away from their goal, but their seemingly neverending losses do serve a chilling wake-up call, shattering any illusions of sustained peace and stability. We have long crossed the point where we used to celebrate the decline in terrorist activities, thumping our chests and making loud claims about sending them packing to their hideouts across the border. The month of July alone proved the fleeting nature of our euphoria wherein a single province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa witnessed at least 36 terrorist attacks, leading to 60 deaths. With more than 580 people killed in the ongoing year, even by conservative estimates, the spectre of terrorism becomes all the more menacing.

As of now, the relative weakness of our state institutions in addressing these threats head-on is a glaring impediment to our collective safety. Isn’t it high time that Pakistan’s government puts an end to feet-dragging and announces a decisive line of action to counter these threats? The signs of unrest were evident for a long time, with North Waziristan and Balochistan experiencing growing turbulence.

In the wake of Operation Azm-e-Istehkaam, while the army continues its sanitation campaigns, using counter-terrorism intelligence to disrupt the nexus between militant outfits and their facilitators, Islamabad should also make a case against Afghanistan’s involvement to the international community. Security experts consistently point to Kabul as the main supporter of TTP in its determined resolve to destabilise Pakistan, yet we haven’t responded befittingly on the diplomatic front. The Afghan government, on the other hand, denies the presence of terrorist factions, often exaggerating border clashes with alleged civilian deaths without providing evidence to substantiate these claims.

The government’s much-talked-about National Security Policy can only have a meaningful impact if supported by bold and resolute actions, not ineffective political manoeuvres or turning blind eye to the need for across-the-board consensus for proactive measures.

Even if the current situation dispels any possibility of cross-border cooperation with Kabul, adopting a firm stance against negotiations with terrorists and revisiting the security dynamic is crucial to show that the government has risen above its impasse.

The searing truth remains that Pakistan stands at a critical juncture where complacency is a luxury it can ill afford. As one life lost is one too many, the stakes are already too high, and the price of inaction is measured in national security. *