Daily Times

Terrorism has mantled the world, drenching it into the bloodshed of millions of innocents, thus losing a hope for a new lease of life.

The militant infestation has continued to outgrow, devastating regions to countries and striking the peace with a blow of absolute horror.

Counter attempts to root out terrorism around the globe have failed to live up to the expectations, depicted through a series of conflicts surfaced in the Muslim states in recent years, and has only gained an economic depression.

However, combating a war against terrorism since ages with an ultimate aim to bring peace within Pakistan has proven to the world that with joint efforts of Pakistan’s armed forces aim to curb the terrorism and flat out any remaining possibility of militants to fall back by implementing the deradicalization methodologies.

These efforts have depicted a peaceful image of Pakistan like never before, as a response of blame game continued to malign the country’s reputation by claiming that the country provides safe heavens to the most wanted militant groups and asking “to do more”.

But Pakistan hasn’t forgotten Trump’s New Year’s tweet ” Lies & deceit” coupled with threats to halt financial aids at the time, when the country is confronting a war of US, but not of Pakistan; tracing back its roots to the days when Pakistan helped the US to encounter Russian invasion, during the reign of late Gen. Zia-Ul-Haq.

The world should not turn a blind eye towards the casualties and economic setback Pakistan has suffered. The Global Terrorism Index, listing countries across the world affected by terrorism had ranked Pakistan second amongst the affected. About 30,000 militants were killed, which suffered Pakistan army a loss of nearly 6000 personnel’s in the fighting, though many fled back to their origin-Afghanistan, leaving behind the devastated towns with the sign of violence depicting an era of terror.

Nonetheless efforts are made to reinvigorate the region with hopes by building new roads to children’s park and clinics to schools are going up to welcome its people.

Despite army plans to build safe cities across Waziristan with the aim to build basic infrastructure across the region once considered world’s deadliest places still have a tenuous security outside the army’s fortified cantonments. Thus, the civilians killed by the militants in FATA including North Waziristan outnumbered from 86 in 2016 to 138 in 2017, as per the statistics revealed by an independent think-tank -FATA Research centre.

Moreover, neighbouring districts to North Waziristan like Khurram agency reckoned 76% causalities, suggesting that jihadist expelled from North Waziristan still have hideouts close by.

Amongst those who have disguised are the associates of Haqqani Network- an ally of Afghan Taliban that US has repeatedly accused Pakistan of providing safe heavens and harbouring those who US hunt in Afghanistan. Pakistan had to welcome this year 2018 with the Donald Trump’s dramatic famous tweet ” Lies & Deceit”, which later corroborated his words with the suspension of $2bn military aid.

Earlier in January, Haqqani network commander and two of his accomplices were killed in North Waziristan by an American drone strike, which was done just a day after an attack was launched at the Intercontinental hotel in Kabul, later Afghan officials claimed that it was carried out by Haqqanis.

However, army insists that it has redefined its narrative to avoid making any distinction between good Taliban, who make attacks in Afghanistan and India, whilst bad Taliban are the ones targeting Pakistan but with the launch of new campaign last year to clear terror pockets across FATA.

In addition, the army conducted 164 intelligence-led operations to eliminate the militants within the country, especially those having ties with the Taliban franchise in Pakistan – Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The army’s shift in strategy has been successful in bringing peace to the region, as evident through the statistics disclosed by the South Asia Terrorism Portal

The army’s shift in strategy has worked to bring peace within the region, as evident through the statistics disclosed by South Asia Terrorism Portal, which depicts a sharp decline in civilian death from nearly 3000 in 2013 to 540 in 2017, made by Taliban across Pakistan and it hopes to fall further this year with the consistent efforts, if done.

Officials believe that since the departure of NATO forces from Afghanistan in 2014, militant groups such as TTP have found a safe haven in the border provinces Khost, Nangarhar, Paktika and Kunar have become their abode due to ungoverned rule, where Jihadist can operate easily to launch attacks in Pakistan and later flee to Afghanistan. Almost 143 attacks have been organized by groups in Afghanistan, corroborated with the evidence, said Nasir Khan Janjua- National security advisor to the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. The same accusations are laid by the Afghanistan and Indian counterparts that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency is actively involved in carrying out terrorist activities and creating unrest within the states, but Janjua also accuses aforementioned countries being involved in espionage and extending helping hand to TTP and Islamic State (IS)to create insurgency within Pakistan, especially in the region of Balochistan- Kulbhushan Jadahv, a former naval officer who has been sentenced to death after caught spying in Balochistan in early 2016, he was later confirmed to be an Indian asset by the Indian intelligence authorities.

The army is all geared up to preclude any possibility of terrorist pouring into Pakistan through the Durand line- 2500 KM border- Pakistan shares with Afghanistan, as there is a plan to build a fence across the accessible parts of the frontier. According to army’s spokesperson Maj.GenAsif Ghafoor the sproject is divided into two phases, the first phase covers the most vulnerable 270 miles, which will be completed by the end of this year and the second one will be requiring $550m to get complete a year after. The two tall fences running across the length with barbed wire almost two meters apart, along with the installations of CCTV cameras and pressure sensors to monitor any camouflaged movements through the frontier. In addition, army personnel’s surveillance will be included, as part of the project by building man post after a mile or so.

One of the principal beneficiaries of the army’s campaign to mop up domestic terrorism is the Chinese stakeholders, who have invested through the China- Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This one Belt One Road initiative – the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, aims to revive the ancient trading routes linking China to central Asia.

With the Chinese investment over $60bn to rebuild the neglected infrastructure. It includes new roads, overhauling railway, installations of coal- hydropower stations and a deep-sea port at Gwadar in Balochistan are included, as part of the project. Pakistan’s economy is estimated to get a boost of three percent by the addition of 20% in GDP over next five years.

But Chinese investors still see their investment at stake and rest reluctantly to invest, unless security measures are tightened up, as the CPEC is planned to pass through security risked region: Azad Kashmir and Balochistan. In the wake of attack launched at Chinese labourer’s in 2017, claiming lives of ten workers by the Baloch separatist, Chinese authorities plan to install CCTV cameras across the main road that are part of CPEC.

Pakistan army is the last hope to Chinese investors to tame lawlessness. The top authorities are acquainted with the endless opportunities paving its way through the CPEC in Pakistan. Moreover, army’s efforts may halt the trump administration to raise fingers over Pakistan’s security and asking to redouble its commitment.

The writer is a freelance contributor. He can be reached at mohsin_2050@live.com

Published in Daily Times, May 12^th 2018.