Terrorism: The biggest challenge
The Nation
The terrorist attack in Quetta that killed more than 70 people and a number injured, was a heart wrenching incident. The attack on lawyers who have been targeted quite a few times depicts the undeniable reality of RAW’S involvement in the attack and other terrorist activities going on to destabilise Balochistan. CM Balochistan Nawab Sanaullah Zehri has also stated that RAW is behind the terrorist attack in Quetta and he even said that the terrorist attacks have increased in Balochistan after the arrest of the RAW agent Kalbhushan Yadev. Balochistan Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti has also been denying the presence of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and Daesh in Balochistan and highlighted that Indian and Afghan Intelligence agencies execute terrorist attacks through local dissidents. Terrorist attacks firing on police, polio workers and the Khalid Aviation Base are the main recent incidents and these have been initiated by RAW and NDS from Afghanistan.
Balochistan ranks the lowest in development but currently several development projects are in progress and one of the major developmental projects is the Gwadar port. Once developed, the port would be a game changer for the province, country and region as well. It would promote trade in the entire region, as this would be the shortest route to Central Asia and China. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a one-time opportunity for Pakistan to resolve its crippling power supply shortfalls. Balochistan is a province with abundant mineral resources like gas, coal and gold. Pakistan’s close ties with China pinches India and it has an agenda of destabilising the country. Balochistan’s Gwader project irks India and some others. India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj gave a statement that their government is aware that China is involved in the construction of or assistance to infrastructure projects, including hydroelectric and nuclear projects, highways, motorways, export processing zones and economic corridors in Pakistan including construction of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and their government had conveyed its concerns to China about their activities, and asked them to cease such activities.
Balochistan Liberation Army and other outfits, which have been fighting for secession of the province allegedly get logistic, material and financial support from RAW. Under this movement Balochistan saw the massacre of people through suicide attacks, bomb blasts, targeted killings and sectarian violence. There have been killings and on a few occasions these insurgent groups have claimed the responsibility. Their main aim is to create hostility within and by doing that they tend to destabilise the country.
Balochistan, a huge, sparsely populated and undeveloped region that occupies the southwestern part of Pakistan bordering Iran, is believed to possess significant oil-and-gas reserves but the economic development of the region has been slow, the ethnic violence that has been going on for so long creates a chaotic situation. Thousands of Baloch people have gone missing over the past few years which has further aggravated the situation. India has been involved in all these activities by funding the insurgents. The strategic location of Balochistan is one of the critical factors. India, Iran and Afghanistan do not want to see the formation of Balochistan because they have their own vested interests. India has adopted a multiple strategy to wear down Pakistan’s resistance. One of them is to counterpoise Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities as well as infiltration, sponsorship and support for dissidents, which has now been confirmed by the recent capture and confession of the Indian spy. India is backing the existing terrorism in Pakistan. We also know that Pakistan’s armed forces are the remaining institution that poses any resistance to Indian dominance.
We need to seriously think about how to counter these objectives of our adversaries. We will have to involve the international community on a wider scale as we have been in War On Terror for so long and have sacrificed so many lives. The inauguration of the quadrilateral cooperation and coordination mechanism consisting of Pakistan, China, Afghanistan and Tajikistan towards countering terrorism is a positive step and all the three countries recognise that terrorism and extremism is a serious threat to regional stability as its about the whole region. It has been agreed that the QCCM will coordinate and provide mutual support in counter – terrorism situation evaluation, clue verification, intelligence sharing, counter- terrorism capacity building, counter terrorism joint training exercises and personnel training and all decisions reached by the QCCM would be based on mutual consultation and consensus. Terrorism is the biggest threat to Pakistan’s progress. Its roots can be traced back from 1979, when there was an effort to kick out Russia from Afghanistan. But the problem became severe after 9/11. The million dollar question is what are the ways to eradicate or to overcome this most dangerous problem, so that as a result our nation can be brought back to the road of progress in all fields of life?
Pakistan’s armed forces started operation Zarab-e-Azab and their effort to curb terrorism has improved drastically .The civil society should also come to the forefront to help the state machinery. A mass movement is required to defeat the ideologies of terrorist organisations. But this should be a collaborative effort from all stakeholders of the society. We need not worry as long as we are united, and with our Armed forces doing their best , we need faith and united. As the saying goes, “united we stand divided we fall.”
