Daily Times

According to the Islamabad-based think tank, the Pakistan Institute for Peace Strategies (PIPS), 59 terrorist attacks occurred across the country in August 2024, compared to 38 in July. These incidents included 29 attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 28 in Balochistan, and 2 in Punjab, resulting in 84 deaths and 166 injuries. The report also stated that factions of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Al-Qaeda were responsible for these attacks, targeting civilians, security forces, women, mosques, government buildings, and minorities across the country.

This new wave of terrorism has emerged in recent years due to geopolitical shifts in the region. Terrorist groups have resorted to guerrilla warfare to carry out their activities. Since its inception, Pakistan has been a security-centric state, facing security threats for decades. After extensive military operations, terrorist activity in Pakistan had significantly reduced, with a relatively peaceful period from 2017 onward—not only in Pakistan but throughout the region.

However, several factors have contributed to Pakistan’s enduring security challenges, making it a security-focused nation. On its eastern front, Pakistan shares a hostile relationship with India over the Kashmir dispute, having fought three wars between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. This constant threat has compelled Pakistan to strengthen its border security. On its western front, Pakistan shares the contentious Durand Line with Afghanistan, which Afghanistan has never officially recognized as the boundary. The Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship has also been strained due to the affiliation between the TTP and Afghan Taliban, further complicating Pakistan’s security concerns.

Flawed state policies from the 1980s and 1990s contributed to the rise of militancy and sectarianism. General Zia-ul-Haq’s support for jihad during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s mobilized citizens for the cause, but it also had long-term consequences. Militancy first arose in Khyber agencies and later spread across the country. Additionally, Pakistan’s direct involvement in the U.S.-led Global War on Terror post-9/11, particularly under General Musharraf’s decision to provide logistical support to the U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, further damaged Pakistan’s relationship with Afghanistan. Domestically, this period saw immense internal chaos, including the destruction of infrastructure, a surge in militancy, and the rise of the TTP. The resulting casualties, distrust between citizens and the state, and tensions with neighboring and Muslim countries peaked during this time.

Between 2002 and 2017, Pakistan received military and economic support from the U.S. as part of the War on Terror, totaling $34 billion, according to The Express Tribune. However, internal socio-economic grievances provided fertile ground for terrorist groups to operate. Poverty, unemployment, and resource scarcity pushed citizens toward extremist groups, while mismanagement of provincial resources led to ethnic tensions, such as the Muhajir-Ansari clashes in the 1990s.

In response to these decades-long challenges, Pakistan launched military operations across the country, with the final full-scale offensive being Operation Zarb-e-Azb in 2017. While military operations proved effective in the short term, they failed to provide lasting solutions to eliminate terrorism at its roots. Since 2021, a new wave of terrorism has resurfaced, driven by political shifts in Afghanistan. The TTP became more active after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan. According to the Global Terrorism Index 2022, Pakistan ranked sixth among the countries most affected by terrorism, with one of the highest rates of incidents and fatalities.

To address this issue at its core, Pakistan must restructure its security policies with new strategies and long-term planning. Solutions include neutralizing existing security policies, addressing socio-economic grievances, creating employment opportunities, and engaging in dialogue with the TTP for the state’s interest. Building national unity and using media platforms to rally citizens against terrorism can help Pakistan finally overcome the insurgency.