Daily Times

Terrorism is mankind’s hidden enemy. It can attack anywhere in any form. Terrorism has terrified people around the globe, leaving the international community with a sense of insecurity. It does not exist in areas burdened by poverty or illiteracy alone, but also prevails in highly educated societies and countries. Governments around the world are striving to combat it, but progress has been limited, at best. Pakistan has made big achievements in combating terrorism; however, if a proper approach is not adopted, this success may prove short lived.

The word terrorism is combination of two words, terror and ism. Terror means fear, frighten, dread, shock or panic. ‘Ism’ means theory, system, doctrine, ideology or philosophy. Thus, the word terrorism may be defined as a philosophy or ideology that supports fear by causing loss of lives to promote an ideology. This ideology may be supported by an individual or collective. Pakistan has been a victim of terrorism for at least last thirty-eight years. It has cost the country thousands of lives and trillions of rupees.

Pakistan has succeeded in lowering the number of successful terrorist attacks, but this success might not be durable since the root causes of this phenomenon have not been dealt with. It has been dealt with only as a law and order problem.

Pakistani society has various problems. These include extremism, sectarianism, poverty, unchecked population growth, unemployment, non-performance of economy, decreasing foreign remittances, corruption, injustice, lack of living facilities, unplanned expansion of cities, ethnic and sectarian based politics, inconsistency in national policies, discrimination in the implementation of law and superficial degree oriented education.

Pakistan is blessed with an important geo-strategic location, natural resources and a young, able population. Consistency and introduction of various socio-economic, political, religious and cultural reforms simultaneously may help us in ridding ourselves of terrorism forever

According to Economic Survey of Pakistan 2016-17, Pakistan’s unemployment rate is 6.1 percent. The agriculture sector accounts for 19.53 percent of the GDP and employs 42.3 percent of the total work force.

However, the productivity of agriculture is decreasing day by day. Exports are decreasing and imports are increasing. Pakistan spends a huge chunk foreign exchange on imports.

The Economic Survey further informs that the remittances in Pakistan decreased to $4, 740 million in the third quarter of 2017 from $5,246 million in the second quarter. Remittances lowered by 2.79 percent during the July-April period in the financial year 2017.

10.9 percent of Pakistan’s population is between the ages of 0-4 years and 21.2 percent is between 5-14 years. 61.4 percent of population in the age group of 15-59 years.

According to United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) literacy rate of Pakistan was 55 percent in 2016.

The economy of Pakistan is consistently failing to perform at the required pace. There is a big gap between the ratio of population growth and that of growth of employment opportunities. Due to various reasons, Pakistani workers are being sent back from different countries. This has made earning a livelihood more difficult for much of the population. Thus, certain segments of the population readily accept any opportunity which may mitigate their economic woes — whether they be legal or not. The state fails to fulfil its responsibility, thus, such people are not concerned about the consequences.

Sectarianism is deep rooted in the country. It seems that its roots are not based on ideology but on intolerance and self interest. The masses are easily mobilised for the ulterior motives of certain stakeholders. It was said time and again that reforms are being introduced to prevent this, but still no tangible results have been observed so far.

Human resource is a form of capital. It is more precious than actual wealth. Japan is deficit in natural resources, but it has capitalised on human resource to such an extent that the country is the third largest economy of the world today.  Pakistan is self sufficient in both resources i.e natural and human. 61.4 percent of the population of Pakistan consists of persons falling between the age group of 15-59 years. This age group may revolutionalise the economy of Pakistan. But the country has not made any efforts to take full advantage of these resources. Thus, unemployed youth is exposed to internal and external anti social and anti state elements to be used in their interests.

The system of prisons in Pakistan needs to be improved. Our prisons are grossly over populated. Moreover, a prisoner never gets chance to refine oneself in the prison. Instead, he only becomes more hardened in his thinking and behavior, ready to violate the law of the land at any time.

Pakistan is blessed with an important geo-strategic location, natural resources and a young and able population. Consistency and initiating various socio-economic, politico, religious and cultural steps simultaneously may help us in ridding ourselves of terrorism forever.

The writer is an author and has a doctorate in Political Science

Published in Daily Times, February 15^th 2018.