… at least till we actually implement it
A week ago, Pakistan’s interior Minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan met with the leaders of banned Ahle Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat (ASWJ) and some other religious parties with radical views. Moreover, Nisar also met a delegation of Difa-e-Pakistan Council that was headed by Maulana Samiul Haq, who is known as father of the Taliban.
The Quetta attack that killed more than 60 people have brought back fears that militant groups’ strength to target the state might have decreased but it has not vanished completely. The attack that took place a few days ago was the second deadliest terrorist incident in Quetta city in less than three months. The earlier attack resulted in the deaths of more than 50 lawyers and civilians.
A number of reports have emerged that intelligence agencies had notified the provincial government of a possible terrorist to the targeted police academy. In fact, about few weeks ago, the province’s police had requested Baluchistan’s chief minister for funds in order to construct walls of the academy. Moreover, the recent incident has again put the country’s National Action Plan (NAP) against terrorism under radar for the continued attacks have proved that either the plan is not being implemented with full resolve or it needs to be revamped. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s political leadership is busy in its own game of thrones with the parties in opposition threatening to lock down the capital in another effort to push Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif towards accountability for the Panama leaks issue.
What is worrying is the fact that the organisation that took responsibility for the attack, at one point was used by the state for number of foreign policy purposes.The Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), which took responsibility for the recent Quetta attack, has long targeted country’s Shia Muslim population and its leader, who for years avoided justice, had to be killed in a police encounter because the judiciary failed to hold him accountable due to fears of backlash. The attack on the police academy reflects the group’s resolve to settle scores with the state for killing its leader. The concern also comes from LeJ’s willingness to partner with the Islamic State for the latter also took responsibility for the attack.
These events only prove Pakistan’s growing militancy challenges while also highlighting the state’s failed policy of continuing its support for number of militant groups even at the cost of domestic instability. While such policy has brought some military gains for Pakistan, it has shattered the country’s peace and stability.
For instance, according to NAP, all proscribed militant groups should be unable to carry out any activates across the country, including public gatherings and rallies. In 2014, the military as well as the civilian leadership of Pakistan agreed to the decision of reining in domestic sectarian and other militant groups to wipe-out militancy from the country. Fast forward into 2016 and it appears that the decision to rein in domestic sectarian and other militant groups was taken just to carry forward the long held policy of good terrorist and bad terrorist.
Regrettably, the state has given away the space that it gained from religious parties after the formation of the NAP. Unfortunately, political battles between the opposition and government have forced both into courting religious parties for support in order to thwart rising threats. In this regard, the PTI has enlisted the support of number of religious parties including those which have been banned number the NAP. Reports are emerging that the leadership of the Red Mosque (Lal Masjid) that has blatantly shown willingness to support Islamic State’s cause, has announced to support Imran Khan’s Dharna on 2 November in Islamabad.
The government, on the other hand, has refused to offer any workable plan to find resolution to the Panama crisis which in a way has hurt Pakistan’s recent efforts to counter terrorism. The government and opposition in their bid to defeat each other have gone back to vow the country’s religious lobbies rather than targeting them by forming a joint front. A week ago, Pakistan’s interior minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, met with the leaders of banned Ahle Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat (ASWJ) and some other religious parties with radical views. Moreover, Nisar also met a delegation of Difa-e-Pakistan Council that was headed by Maulana Samiul Haq, who is known as father of the Taliban.
Moreover, even after the government’s imposition of the section 144 of the constitution, ASWJ’s leadership was able to organise a gathering in Islamabad which also raises questions whether NAP is a plan or a deception formed by the country’s political and military leadership to ward off criticism and pressure while continuing the same old policy of supporting Jihadists. Michael Kugelman, the senior associate for South and Southeast Asia at the Woodrow Wilson Center while commenting on the ASWL’s gathering in Islamabad said that “This is Pakistan where radicals are welcome to stage a public protest while an opposition political party, apparently, is not.”
Apparently, its déjà vu all over again where the country’s leadership is again wooing religious parties at the cost of Pakistan’s stability and survival.
