A more credible narrative

• And a week-knead minister

The narrative about Pakistan’s fight against terrorist groups presented by COAS Bajwa at the 54th Munich Security Conference is more credible than the earlier ones as it is not based on utter negation. To start with, instead of putting all blame on foreign powers for launching terrorists in the region in the name of jihad, the narrative shares the responsibility by accepting that there was a willing albeit myopic cooperation from our side also. The COAS candidly admits that we all are responsible for making the world in general and Muslim community in particular a hostage to the extremist ideology.

Further, the narrative does not claim that the extremist thinking has been eliminated and there are no terrorist elements in the country. After recounting the considerable sacrifices in human and material terms by Pakistan, Gen Bajwa admits that a fairly large number of people remain radicalised, armed and empowered politically and ideologically. Further that while there are no organised terrorist camps on this side of the Durand Line, the presence of terrorists of various hues and colours cannot be ruled out and that in fact they still have active and sleeper cells, who are hiding in mountains, border towns and 54 refugee camps, besides some major towns and cities.

The realisation should have been translated into a large scale and multifaceted campaign to root out the extremist thinking from society. This has simply failed to happen. Even the much trumpeted National Action Plan remains mostly unimplemented. What is more, timely action against groups listed as terrorists by the UN Security Council is missing. One learns that the prime minister was willing to take action against the JuD and FIF in the beginning of the last month but was stopped by a week-kneed minister who dreaded more a possible sit-in by religious extremists than the placing of Pakistan on the grey list by the Financial Action Task Force. Inaction despite claims of realisation would cast a shadow of doubt about our declarations and raise questions about our credibility.