The nature and definitions of terrorism vary from the use of the word use in an academic, economic, political or military context. However, the common meaning of the word terrorism could be perceived as the spread of fear for a motive. Since the terrorist incident of 9/11 and the USA`s invasion of Afghanistan, the world has changed drastically.
The structure of international politics and policies towards Muslim countries has been greatly impacted. But in the case of Pakistan, the security conditions changed differently as Afghanistan is Pakistan’s immediate neighbour and shares a porous border with two of its provinces, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The events of 9/11 disrupted peace in the region in general and Balochistan in particular. The security threat from the socio-politically disturbed neighbour after the incident could not be ignored.
Although, corruption, mismanagement, and poor governance have a role in disrupting the socioeconomic structure of the region, terrorism stands prominent among them. Terrorism in the province of Balochistan not only boosted sectarianism, but also harmed its socioeconomic structure.
Furthermore, the unstable environment has provided ground for foreign conspiracies which in return has enhanced terrorism that added to the exploitation of the social and economic structure of the region. Not only this, but also due to Balochistan’s strategic location, enemies of the state started mobilizing militants and terrorists by funding them for anti-state activities. The consequences of terrorism in Balochistan, how it might be dealt with, and what possible solutions could be taken to prevent youth from being radicalized.. Must be highlighted.
It is more important to deal with terrorism in Balochistan first, as there are countless reasons behind the acts of terrorism, including political gains and an ideological struggle. Yet, the major cause is poverty, and, the poverty rate in Balochistan is 40 percent and according to a psychological survey, poverty leads to criminal acts.
Moreover, the predictability of terrorism increases when the poverty and unemployment rates stand highest at 9.13 percent. Furthermore, according to a report, most terrorist and suicide bombers are either minor beggars or those from Madrassas, the majority from poor backgrounds. They become easy targets and due to illiteracy and poverty, it becomes easier for the militants to mould their brains and convince them for suicide bombing. In such cases, when multidimensional terrorism and fragmented socioeconomic and socio-political status are found, the security of Balochistan stands equally important. As the security of the provinces is directly proportional to the national security of Pakistan, it cannot be compromised However, the worsening of security is not only due to social and distributive injustice in Balochistan but also because of the easy movement of people across borders, making it far more difficult for the authorities to operate and capture the disturbers of the peace. Thus, it not only worsens regional and national security, but also it turns the environment fearful.
Terrorism is a by-product of bad governance and flawed policies yet, with a shift in policies, Balochistan can develop economically, and policymakers should invest in countering the causes, such as poverty, in order to counter the security threat for Balochistan and ultimately Pakistan.
Consequently, the spread of terrorism has affected the educational system and employment in the province. Resultantly, human capital is greatly affected. According to a report, in 2009 increase in terrorist activities resulted in the closing of educational institutions for 245 days whereas in the rest of the Pakistan they were closed for 145 days. Furthermore, many mainstream professionals have become targets of terrorism for different reasons, which also contributed to the instability of the educational and social system.
Moreover, the attacks not only caused the death tolls or disrupted the infrastructure and social structure, but also advanced the other indicators of terrorism in the region like sectarianism and extremism. This sectarianism has significantly impacted the religious perspective, leading to religious extremism, which is also used as a political tool.
As a result, it has caused disputes on a sectarian basis, disrupting the peace across the province. For instance, the killing of 11 Shias in Balochistan and the intended target of the Shia girls of Sardar Bahadur Khan University, and many reactions on a sectarian basis. The responsibility for these acts was proudly accepted by the sectarian group of Lashkar e Jhangvi, a Sunni extremist group.
Balochistan, on the other hand, is a vast land and could be used for multiple economic purposes due to the availability of the land. However, this sponsored or unsponsored terrorism has cost the deterioration of the infrastructure and the killing of people who form a productive human resource, such as, doctors, teachers, lawyers and many other trained and productive people, further burdening the provincial government and its resources. As the province is not an industrial zone, these professionals were important for the creative economy and their deaths further burdened the economy of the province. The death toll in Balochistan since the War On Terror has risen to 45%, which is alarming from both the socio-economical and socio-political status of the province.
Not only this, but also the disturbed peace caused by terrorism is promoting the concept of no investing in the region which would not only impact Balochistan, but also Pakistan as a whole. However, a major step towards countering terrorism can be taken by lifting the economy. In the case of Balochistan and Pakistan as a whole, the disturbed peace has created multiple hurdles for economic uplift. Balochistan in particular needs economic uplift because a declined economy provokes many other social problems and disruption in a social structure which could be dealt with by economic uplift.
As Afghanistan is an immediate neighbour to Pakistan and shares a long border with Balochistan, establishing peace in Afghanistan is directly linked to durable peace in Balochistan. Pakistan should keep on supporting Afghanistan on both economic and political fronts as far as Afghanistan`s stability is concerned.
However, the only way to get rid of terrorism permanently is to adopt strict policies and impose checks and balances on the migration of human capital, trading commodities and the passage of ammunition and weaponry across borders to stop any unlawful activities. Pakistan should rather issue refugee identity cards or visas for traders and non-traders to legalize their movement. Furthermore, lasting peace in the region would encourage foreign investment, and in generating economic opportunities, ultimately diverting the youth, and creating a constructive environment that would eventually discourage them from engaging in terrorist activities.
Terrorism is a by-product of bad governance and flawed policies yet, with a shift in policies, Balochistan can develop economically, and policymakers should invest in countering the causes, such as poverty, in order to counter the security threat for Balochistan and ultimately Pakistan.
