To deal with any situation, we either adopt proactive measures or a reactive approach. Proactive strategies are meant to anticipate a situation and adopt policies on preventing potential future threats before they appear and turn into a bigger problem. Whereas, reactive strategy is a response to a situation as it emerges without adequate planning or policies. Proactive strategies are normally more successful in avoiding/dealing with a possible crisis. Whereas the reactive approach is deemed ineffective, especially in the long term as it has no clear and pre-planned strategies for a particular situation. Unfortunately, Pakistan is facing the dilemma of a reactive approach when it comes to dealing with extremist elements in the country. Pakistan’s approach towards terrorist groups has been dominated by its reactionary policies, motivated by certain unfortunate events, which makes it ineffective in the long term. After fighting terrorists for more than two decades and sacrificing the lives of almost 80,000 Pakistanis, we have failed to adopt a proactive and long-term approach to deal with fanatic elements.
Pakistan has been a victim of terrorism for more than two decades, leading to the destruction of the socio-economic-politico fabric of the country. The era of extremism in Pakistan started with the United States (US) invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. At that time, Afghanistan was ruled by Afghan Taliban, once trained and financed by the US in collaboration with Pakistan against the Soviet Union. When the US invaded Afghanistan and removed the Taliban from the government, Pakistan sided with the western forces in fighting its infamous “War on Terror”. The extremist elements in the region including Afghan Taliban, Al Qaeda and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) announced to wage a war against Pakistan for supporting the western forces in Afghanistan. Since then, Pakistan has been a constant prey of extremist elements, targeting security forces and civilians.
In dealing with the threat of extremist groups, Pakistan has adopted the policy of “carrot and stick” with no clear roadmap and objectives. Sometimes we engage with extremists through negotiations (carrot), while other times, if negotiation fails we wage military operations against them (stick). Our policies towards extremist groups including TTP, Al Qaeda, and others, seem to have been based on a reactive approach. So far, Pakistan has conducted seven major military operations against the extremist groups including Operation Al-Meezan (2002), Operation Zalzala (2008), Operation Sher Dil (2008), Operation Rah-e-Haq (2008), Operation Rah-e-Rast (2009), Operation Rah-e-Nijaat (2009) and Operation Zarb-e-Azab (2015). One common aspect of all these military operations was they were reactionary in nature, motivated by some tragic incidents like APS attack in 2014.
One of the classic examples of our reactive approach to deal with extremism is Operation Zarb-e-Azab, in response to the attack on Army Public School (APS). On 16th December 2014, TTP fighters attacked an APS school in Peshawar killing innocent children. In response to the terrorist attack, political and military leaders vowed to eliminate the militants from erstwhile FATA and take back control of North Waziristan and adjacent areas. The operation resulted in the loss of precious lives and collateral damage forcing more than 2 million people to become IDPs. The operation was successful in the short term, as the militants were evacuated from the area. However, with the resurgence of TTP and other factions of it in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan is once again facing the threat of TTP.
With no long-term solution in sight, Pakistan is once again under the radar of TTP fighters. The policymakers are facing the dilemma of either talking with the militant groups or fighting against them. The previous government adopted the policy of appeasement towards TTP by engaging with them through negotiation and releasing 100 TTP prisoners. The current government, with no clear objectives are more or less following the footsteps of previous government in dealing with the TTP. However, the appeasement policies met the same fate as of previous agreements. The appeasement policy allowed the TTP fighters to relocate to the tribal region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after being cleared by the security forces. Terrorist activities have intensified in Pakistan, as a 51% of the increase in terrorist activities was recorded in the year 2022. On 30th January 2023, Jammat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) a faction of TTP conducted a horrific terrorist attack in a mosque in Peshawar leading to the death of more than 100 people while more than 250 were injured.
It is evident that our reactive policy towards Taliban has been ineffective. With no continuous and long-term policies, we have at times fought with Taliban and at times we have opted for an appeasement policy. Just like in the past, policymakers should not wait for another unfortunate terrorist attack and adopt a proactive policy to deal with the threat of the growing extremism once and for all.
