Cooperation helps
The war against terrorism cannot be won without a full understanding between the government and military establishment. The terrorists managed to gain strength because the army under Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani showed disinclination to launch operation in NWA and the PML-N leadership were naive enough to seek to resolve the ‘differences’ through talks. This allowed the terrorist network to spread like cancer. It is encouraging to find that finally there is a national consensus to eradicate the twin curses of terrorism and extremism now. The military is for the last many months fully engaged in eradicating terrorism from FATA and all major parties have developed a consensus on the National Action Plan.
The military is not only fighting the terrorists in NWA and Khyber Agency but it is also helping to train the Counter-Terrorism Force (CTF). Owning the ongoing fight Nawaz Sharif has called it the war of the whole nation. Addressing the first batch of CTF in Lahore, he reiterated that it was the government’s responsibility to rid the nation of terrorism. Speaking at the occasion Gen Raheel Sharif expressed army’s full commitment to enhancing the capacity of all law-enforcement agencies in the country. Both the PM and the COAS would now visit Karachi and Quetta to urge the two provincial governments to set up a similar civilian force.
To win victory against the enemy it is of crucial importance for the civilian and military security agencies to fully cooperate with one another. Two terrorist attacks on Shia imbargahs in Rawalpindi and Shikarpur in one moth indicate that something in lacking in the cooperation. The attacks were owned by two organisations which are considered close to Daesh or ISIS. A group of terrorists avowedly engaged in setting up the network in Pakistan was arrested recently. It is a matter of concern that the Interior Minister is still skeptical about the existence of Daesh in Pakistan. There is a dire need on the part of the security agencies to jointly ensure that the network does not strike roots in Pakistan.
Too long have we lived in denial. The enemy is us. A look in the mirror will help. No counter insurgency or counter terrorisim policy is going to help until we look in our hearts and search our souls.
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