Daily Times

Islamabad based think-tank, Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), released its second quarterly report for 2018 this past Monday, and the news is mostly positive. There has been a 51 per cent decline in violence-related fatalities as compared to the previous year. The average number of fatalities for each quarter of 2017 was 511.5.

All provinces have experienced a drop in violence, with Balochistan maintaining its lead as the most violent province. However, the number of violence-related fatalities rose from 30 to 55 since the previous quarter in what used to be the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region. Around 17 of these fatalities were related to sectarian violence.

Taking this into consideration, whichever party finds itself in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) after the upcoming general elections will have its work cut out for it when it comes to maintaining peace. It would not be incorrect to say that the state has been shirking its responsibilities when it comes to combating sectarian and religious hatred. Just last month, for example, the government removed the ban on the Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), an organisation known for spreading sectarian hatred.

That mainstream and extreme right-wing parties are being allowed to exploit the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat issue in the run-up to the election is also highly irresponsible. The assassination attempt on former interior minister Ahsen Iqbal in May, shows where such reckless rabble rousing can lead the country. This phenomenon also endangers already vulnerable communities like Ahmadis and Christians, who are routinely targeted through terrorist attacks and false blasphemy allegations.

Comparing the findings of the current report with the one CRSS issued for the first quarter of 2015 — which reported 1,236 violence-related fatalities and 655 injuries — it is clear that the counter-terror operations conducted by the Pakistan Army since 2014 have been effective. However, such operations cannot end religious extremism, lawlessness and the violence they lead to. For that, other state institutions and mainstream political parties need to step up and strive to revive the almost forgotten National Action Plan (NAP).  *

Published in Daily Times, July 11^th 2018.