ISLAMABAD: Islamic State (IS) or Daesh, has raised a new serious security challenge for Pakistan, as reported by a local news outlet.
This was revealed by the National Internal Security Policy (NISP) approved by federal cabinet last week. “The emergence of Daesh in close proximity to Pakistan has raised new internal security challenges. The potential for spillover in Pakistan with the support and collaboration of TTP and its offshoots is not a possibility to be ignored. This situation has been compounded by the return of battle-hardened militants from Syria and Iraq,” it said.
Over 120 experts are involved in the formulation of NISP 2018-2023 which established a multi-pronged strategy to meet the goals.
“The threat of transnational terrorism is rearing its head again. TTP militants have relocated to Afghanistan. Daesh is establishing a footprint in Afghanistan near the Pakistani border with a very real potential of spillover into parts of Pakistan. This situation has been compounded by the return of battle-hardened militants from Syria and Iraq,” read the policy.
The new policy further revealed that there is adequate evidence that radicalisation and militancy are no longer limited to Madaris alone. “Young people from relatively affluent and middle-class backgrounds, educated in mainstream universities and schools, are also vulnerable to extremist ideas and narratives. Terrorism is as much an urban phenomenon as rural and needs to be tackled as such. Cyberspace has emerged as a key domain for the spread of extremist ideas,” read the executive summary of NISP which includes: “Reorient, Re-imagine, Reconcile, Redistribute, Recognise and an adoption of a Regional Approach.”
