State of security
Back-to-back terrorist attacks in Quetta and Peshawar, targeting security personnel, are yet another grim reminder that the fight against terrorism is far from over. This latest proof of the enemy still being able to regroup and strike successfully came not long after the prime minister and army chief promised that the new year would see the war won once and for all, and terrorists of all sorts would finally be wiped out. There is no denying that such incidents have dropped sharply since Zarb-e-Azb was launched. At the same time, it must also be acknowledged that they are proof that it will take far more than decimating the enemy’s command and control network, and uprooting their base in Waziristan, to bring this war to a desirable conclusion.
Reprisal attacks were expected after the Operation, of course. And, once again, the military must be credited for ensuring they were not as many as first thought. Yet there is every reason to believe that the enemy’s ability to wriggle around the axe can be further limited. After all, most provisions in the National Action Plan (NAP) were meant to offset just such incidents by coordinating intelligence sharing among dozens of agencies and dismantling the militant habitat in urban areas, specifically south Punjab. The security apparatus was meant to pick up timely chatter, alert police and other law enforcement agencies, and not only preempt further attacks but also trace sleeper cells that facilitate them.
Such steps, unfortunately, have not been followed through with the same vigour as Zarb-e-Azb. The interior minister explained that NAP was a shared responsibility, but nobody has yet clarified who is ultimately responsible for ensuring all dots are connected. Presumably the buck stops with the prime minister. While he wins points for his contributions to world peace, perhaps he should give internal Pakistani security some more serious thought also. The government is capable of reducing terror attacks, and the whole country will pay dearly if it does not have the will to push necessary reforms through.