Following the terror attacks in Quetta and Chaman on Friday, the state seems to have initiated a new wave of anti-terror operations. Yesterday a 17-hour long operation took place in Peshawar’s Hayatabad area. Five suspected terrorists were killed and a policeman was martyred. According to police, the three-story building where the terrorists were based was so full of booby traps that the authorities had to take the safer route by demolishing the entire structure once the operation concluded. Luckily, there were no civilian casualties. Though this operation was successful, it is the latest in a series of events that shows that Pakistan’s war against terrorism is far from over. The rhetoric of victory has been employed by both military and civilian leaders, as well as certain journalists in recent years after a significant dip in suicide attacks, IED blasts and kidnapping by terrorist organisations has been noted. But while it is true that Pakistan is a much safer country than it was before Zarb-e-Azb and subsequent military operations, the events in recent days shows that terrorism is fully capable of raising its ugly head again in this country. There have been terror attacks in 2019 before the attacks in Quetta and Chaman as well. On March 20, six levies personnel were martyred in an attack on a check-post in Ziarat. Before that on January 29, eight policemen and a civilian were killed in an attack on a Deputy Inspector General’s office in Loralai. Pakistan had another close call in November 2018 with the attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi. These incidents clearly show that the narrative of victory the country has been sold in recent years has many gaping holes in it. This is not to make light of the sacrifices made by Pakistan’s military, police and other security forces and agencies in the war against terrorism. However, it must be pointed out that perhaps a better outcome could have been achieved had the National Action Plan been properly implemented from the get-go. It is hoped that the incumbent regime pulls its socks up in this regard and fully implement NAP, otherwise, this will be a never-ending war and many more Pakistani lives will be lost needlessly. *