In the wake of the current
barbaric act of terrorism that the nation has had to endure where hundreds of
innocent lives were sacrificed, the nation needs a policy that not only
denounces it verbally, but takes strict action against it too. The entire nation
is shocked and saddened to see young children being butchered so cold bloodedly.
This picture of hopelessness, however, made the nation rise against the evil
force of terrorism and has brought a fresh resolve to tackle it once and for
all.
So far the regional security dynamics have revealed that the counterterrorism
policies and plans pursued in South Asia have been suffering from flaws and
omissions, thus failing to achieve desired objective. Whatever little that has
been achieved is rapidly moving towards a reversal. With the continued terror
attacks in the country it becomes imperative to modify the prevalent security
structure and strategy where the political, economical, psychological and civic
dimensions are equally significant for success to be achieved.
First of all the war that began as the US war on terror needs to be termed as
our own where the terrorists are targeting our own people, our children and our
soldiers. Thus, the Pakistani war on terror ought to be taken up as an
indigenous and significant issue. For this purpose all political differences
should be put aside and a national counter terrorism policy needs to be defined
keeping in view the indigenous factors that are affecting our people and their
collective psyche.
All stakeholders that include the civil-military leadership ought to be taken
onboard and formulate a clear counter terrorism plan along with the means
through which it can be successfully executed. A multi-pronged approach needs to
be devised that should begin by strangulating the resource sites including
foreign funding and criminal activities. In addition to this, the Afghanistan
chapter also needs to be closed simultaneously so that the free to and fro
motion does not serve to strengthen them. The poppy cultivation and the supply
money that the terrorists extract from the containers goods to the Nato soldiers
needs to be controlled by the afghan side.
The Pakistani society needs an uplift by morale boosting endeavors that include
developmental projects, opportunities of growth based on merit and distinction,
the installation of justice and fairplay, and other emergency measures to
increase self-worth and raise self-esteem. For this, economic and political
stability is a pre-requisite. But most essential is the education sector where
reforms of all sorts are needed. The general intellectual level of the nation
needs to be uplifted at least so that they become able to differentiate right
from wrong instead of following blindly people who have learnt only to exploit
ignorance.
There is also a dire requirement of building a national integrated thought that
may provide a profound feeling of hope among the masses. Watching both the
military and civilian leaders being involved on the issue of eradication of
terrorism from the Pakistani soil is a site that can serve as glue for the
people. Just like squabbling parents that have found harmony between each other
have a positive effect on their children, the PM taking an interest in the
affairs of the military endeavors provides hope and gives an impression that the
elected government has finally taken control of the state.
It not only boosts the morale of the military personnel, the soldiers who are
fighting, training, exercising and performing on multiple fronts, but also
passes a significant message across the globe that the civilian government has
finally found its foot and is ready to put it down both literally and
figuratively.
It must be noted that the previous government had always dealt with the
militants from a weakened position, thus demanding less from them and offering
more in return. Many captured militants had been released by them in the vain
hope of bringing peace. Instead of documenting and making the clauses of the
deals public, it was kept secret. Whether there was a strategy devised to make
sure the principles of the deal were adhered to by both parties- especially the
militants- remains a mystery. It would not be entirely wrong to assume that this
administrative incompetence and indifference had been instrumental in allowing
free rein and space to the militants to gain strength and vigor to resume their
activities.
The current regimes change in capital punishment plans has brought about a
change on this front where its serious-mindedness cannot be doubted. The hanging
of key terrorists is a step that would have positive impacts upon the war
against terrorism. This time round not only the foot-soldiers, but the master
minds will be taken to task for their evil deeds.
Now the government can take a position of strength from where it can formulate a
counter terrorism strategy and a sound and effective mechanism of implementing
it on ground. Socio-economic reforms must be introduced and rehabilitation
process be kicked into gear to de-radicalize the people, especially the tribal
youth. Every citizen has the right to have access to education, health, justice
and employment opportunities.
Further, Preventive strategies must be devised so that the militant leadership
that had fled to the neighboring countries should be denied easy cross border
access into the Pakistani terrain. The borders ought to be sealed and secured by
strict vigilant guard as this diffusion of terrorist elements increases
vulnerability. Afghanistan and India should be made to curb their anti Pakistan
desire to fuel militant activity by funding and providing them with an
extravagant supply of arms that has been confiscated by the security forces
several times at various occasions. The international community also needs to
address this point so that this menace may not spread further and engulf the
entire region in its grip.
The most important factor, however, will be the resolve of the nation where all
stakeholders including all political parties, the military, religious clerics
and the civil society play its due role. Terrorism needs to be eradicated at all
levels and for good this time.