Renowned social scientist Noam Chomsky states that “everybody’s worried about stopping terrorism. Well, there’s a really easy way: stop participating in it.” At least 101 innocent people including security persons were martyred in recent terror attacks in Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, Mohmand Agency, Awaran and most deadly at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. This very recent wave of terror demonstrates that still terrorists have capability to engage and execute their targets. These terrorist activities in the country rises many questions. Our foes are the beneficiaries of some domestic and foreign elements which do not want to see prosperous and bright Pakistan.
Intelligence reports of our security institutions depict that various anti-state actors are connected to India’s RAW and Afghan NDS. Such kind of terrorist activities in Pakistan are the tactics of the strategy which is called “International Isolation of Pakistan”. Our foes want to spoil development projects like China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and international events in Pakistan by deteriorating law and order situation.
Aligning my argument with above mentioned notion of Noam Chomsky, I am highly confident to say that at domestic level there are deficiencies to tackle and sort out socio-economic reasons of terrorism. There is no doubt that human development sector is extremely depriving off. Unequal growth and mismanagement of resources lead towards social injustice. And this social injustices amplifies frustration among deprived class which ultimately instigates them for aggression. Throughout our past, our domestic maladroitness has provided “golden” opportunities to our adversaries to pursue their objectives. Whether it is in the case of fall of Dhaka or is in the case of ethno-sectarian violence or is in the case of recent wave of terrorism.
We have ethnic and sectarian fault lines, which have been exploited severely. In the past, discrimination and iniquitousness has deepen these fault lines. It is recognized lesson that nations learn from their past. But unfortunately, still we are in learning process. Our some institutions understand it and work properly but some institutions are still not willing to do so. Without the shadow of doubt, lack of consensus and collaboration between the institutions is exceedingly fatal.
Take the example of National Action Plan (NAP). Still, it’s more than a half points are not implemented accurately. Still, no proper rules and regulation to galvanize NACTA. Still no consensus among our political parties to recommence article 245. We are listening since our independence that our institutions should be on one page. But now it is the dire need of time to come at the one page for the better future of the nation. It is crystal clear that prosperity and peace are the part and parcel. No peace without prosperity and no prosperity without peace.
In order to recommend policy, I must want to say that our institutions should be very meticulous to make short term as well as long term planes to eradicate terrorism. First of all it is the responsibility of our foreign office to internationalize Indian involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan. Secondly, government should take concrete measures to improve border management between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Similarly, it is time to say sorry to our Afghan “guests” that they should leave. Thirdly, at this moment we are not in position to compromise on the national action plan. All twenty points must be implemented wholly. And last but not least, rapid fulfilment of all the projects under CPEC is inevitable for the country’s development and growth. All parties should agree on a pattern, through which development opportunities will create in less developed part of the country. But one thing regarding CPEC is very vital that we do not have to put all eggs in one basket. Rather, we have to take several regional and extra regional players onboard regarding all projects under CPEC. In this way, the new wave of prosperity and boom will come, not only in Pakistan but also for the whole region.
The writer is an IR Analyst and freelance columnist based in Islamabad and can be reached at [email protected]