Political gimmicks are pushing KP into a state of chaos

Peshawar: Amid the ongoing financial and political crisis in the country, visits conducted to both the eastern and western borders by the newly appointed Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Asim Munir, underline the fact that internal and external security of the country remains a top priority with the armed forces.

The Indian threat on the eastern border has always been a priority for the policy makers, but over the last four decades the country has seen evolving threats along its western border, with serious implications for the people living in the country’s north-western regions. The recent revocation of a controversial ceasefire and peace talks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has added to these concerns.

During his visit to Tirah Valley of Khyber district on 6 December, the COAS reiterated the army’s recent policy option, saying, “our fight against terrorism will continue with the support of the nation until we achieve enduring peace and stability.” He said the writ of the state had been established due to innumerable sacrifices by tribal people and the security forces, and these sacrifices will not be allowed to go to waste.

The COAS’s visit is no doubt a morale booster for the law enforcement agencies, but it is also a ray of hope for the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province who face multiple crises linked to terrorism on the one side, and what some call “political gimmickry” on the other.

As things stand, the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance, and its nemesis, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, have plunged head-over-ears into levelling allegations and counter-allegations against each other ahead of general elections, which are not in sight in the near future.

Meanwhile, KP continues to face multiple threats, including those emanating from across the border as the Afghan Taliban are either unwilling or have failed to tame the rag-tag remnants of the outlawed TTP who are now positioning themselves to hit out at the law enforcement agencies across the province.

Recent attacks on KP territory, and reports of the dismantling and theft of the border fence along Pak-Afghan border are the latest evidence of a growing security threat in the region. Significantly, militant attacks are not confined to the border areas alone. There have been such attacks in the provincial capital, Peshawar, and its surrounding areas in recent weeks and months.

The much-hyped appeasement talks with the TTP ended recently. This was confirmed by the outgoing chief of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Babar Iftikhar, in his last press conference last week. He said: “There are no talks on; it’s over; they (TTP militants) are attacking, and the law enforcement agencies are responding with full force.”

On its part, the TTP appears to have geared up its cyber propaganda machine as claims of attacks on law enforcement personnel are promptly fed to the media, especially the western media outlets. This is creating fear and demoralizing the law enforcement personnel.

And it has an unending supply of arms and ammunition. When the American forces were vacating Afghanistan, they left behind huge quantities of these ammunitions, which have since passed into the hands of the TTP and other militant factions. Apart from being used by militants, these weapons are also being trafficked by smugglers through KP to the rest of the country and abroad.

Evidence of these developments came to light when Chief Collector of Customs at the Torkham border crossing, Mohammad Salim Khan, told the media that they had seized US-made weapons and ammunition worth Rs 40 million from a truck that was crossing into Pakistan.

Informed circles say that a big chunk of the weapons thus smuggled into Pakistan are covertly supplied to local militant groups. They say that during the last month’s attacks in Dera Ismail Khan, the TTP militants used night-vision goggles and thermal sniper guns – material that was apparently procured from the leftover US arsenal.

Coupled with the militant threat, the KP also faces an imminent economic downturn. The stoppage of federal funds under several heads such as the net hydel profits, the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award shares, and the stoppage of development funds for the newly merged districts. Many fear that this worsening economic situation may create favourable conditions for militants, especially in the newly merged districts along the Afghan border, and lower the morale of the law enforcing personnel.

Since the province is ruled by the PTI, many feel the federal government of the PDM alliance appears to be least bothered about these developments. Federal Minister for Defense, Khwaja Asif, has been quite vocal on political issues, but is yet to utter a single word about the border situation, according to one observer.

While the federal government has its own bucket-full of problems, it has to step in to consider some serious policy options to handle this situation. Undermining state security for political point scoring has already caused much damage to the Pakistani state, and it needs to be abandoned.

The federation not only has to address the financial crisis that the country faces today, it also has to take up and deal with the internal and external threats on priority. As shown by the new COAS, he may have multiple national challenges to meet, but KP’s border security appears to be one of his top priorities as there is no denying the fact that a peaceful KP is imperative for the national security as well as well as that of the wider region.