While it is frightening to think that terror has returned to the country, it is now an inescapable truth. The past week has seen scenes of all-too-familiar violence play out, both inside and beyond the country, from Bannu to Chaman, and a suicide blast in Islamabad’s I-10/4 area on Friday. A police officer was killed, and at least six people were injured, including four police officers and two civilians.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a banned organization, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement issued on the same day of the suicide attack. Meanwhile, delegations from Afghanistan and Pakistan have attempted to devise strategies to avoid border clashes and prevent cross-border terrorism, but it is no longer a question of resolving issues through engagement alone; it is now more about a certain commitment that must come from Afghanistan’s Taliban government.
Negotiating can resolve contentious issues between the two countries, but terrorism necessitates far more harsh measures than conversations with militants. Terrorist activity has increased in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in recent months. These border battles and actions are frighteningly time- and space-parallel.
On the one hand, Pakistan’s security forces face cross-border strikes and, on the other, terrorist attacks within the country. Pakistan has lost over 100,000 people—both civilians and troops—in its efforts to safeguard its borders and counter the terror unleashed by the TTP a few years ago. This is why it is critical to ensure that the current situation does not deteriorate further.
Any attempts to reach an agreement with the TTP must include all political and civil society players. Militancy cannot be vanquished as long as we continue to differentiate between different types of militants and transmit the message that even those who declare war on the state can be redeemed.
We must also keep a watch on our western border, which has become tense as Afghan soldiers fire mortar rounds across it. Diplomacy and a carrot-and-stick approach are required. If the Taliban leadership does not stop the cross-border entry of militants and weapons, the situation in Pakistan will become much more difficult to handle in the near future.
The gravity of recent events is significant, and it must prompt some soul-searching in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. The latest attacks have also raised scepticism, even among individuals in both countries who had a soft spot for the Taliban. Such situations frequently result in a temporary border closure.
Both countries’ citizens are accustomed to simply crossing the border, whether for work or to visit relatives. Such barriers neither promote nor contribute to the development of confidence. However, Pakistan has the right to demand that the other side not use its turf to plot strikes against our country and people.
