A Challenging Path

In 2023, the security situation may worsen if federal and the KP govts don’t rise to the occasion

PESHAWAR: Year 2022 saw a spike in terror attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) particularly its newly merged districts which were earlier part of former Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

Even in December, terrorists belonging to outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) held some officials of the provincial Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) at a police station in Bannu.

Recently terrorists also took over a police station in Wana; attacked a police station in Lakki Marwat while targeting personnel of the law enforcing agencies (LEAs) all over the KP, including Peshawar, the provincial capital.

The TTP, which was practically wiped out in 2018 after successful military operations, started these terrorist attacks after it unilaterally ended a ceasefire that had come into effect as a result of indirect talks mediated between Pakistan and the outlawed organization by the Afghan Taliban.

Some experts believe that these talks have cost Pakistan a lot, undoing its gains in the war against terror and creating unrest among citizens and soldiers who had sacrificed their sons for peace and stability.

They also warn that terrorists may expand the diabolical domain of their cruelties in the KP and the rest of the country in 2023 if the ongoing political and economic uncertainty prevails and authorities fail to rise to the occasion.

Dr Babar Shah, head of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, said economic and political stability is imperative for Pakistan’s peace and security. He said the KP is the worst affected by terrorism and the security threats are likely to increase if political polarization continues.

“If we want peace and stability, we will have to bring an end to this political wrangling, whether it may come through a new general election, reconciliation, talks or any other means.

“This political turmoil has adversely affected governance and created a vacuum which will prove more dangerous as it will give space to non-state actors.”

He said the situation in Afghanistan is also very fluid.

“The TTP engaged in talks with Pakistan but ended the ceasefire unilaterally and started carrying out more attacks which have disturbed the KP including the former tribal areas. These areas are likely to remain affected by terrorism in 2023. We must, therefore, deal with the issue seriously.”

He said in times of chaos, political anarchy and economic meltdown, locals and foreigners elements with vested interests become active.

“The growing economic recession will worsen the situation. God forbid, if the situation goes on like this and we cannot respond to it immediately, then the KP will witness more chaos.”

Security analyst Brigadier (retd) Muhammad Saad is skeptical of both the provincial and federal government’s policy on terrorism and its commitment to deal with it.

“Both the governments are afraid and uncertain about the future. They don’t know when they are going to pack up and send home; so they are more focused on the upcoming election. They don’t want to antagonize these militant groups by initiating action against them.”

He said after the appointment of new Chief of Army Staff General Asim Muneer, the country is waiting for a clear policy on miscreants who are targeting the security forces every second day.

“Talks with the TTP under the Afghan Taliban had never been a good idea. These talks have strengthened the outlawed group which has started growing dangerous again.

“We have given them a space and they are using it to destabilize the country. We must pursue an aggressive policy now to contain them. If we keep on waiting then these terrorists will go on a rampage not only in the KP but the entire Pakistan.”

Lt-Gen (retd) Saad said the threat on the border is enormous. “The Taliban in Kabul are not our friends, if they are not controlling these terrorists and not stopping them from using Afghan soil against us.

“The Kabul rulers are also not able to control many commanders along the Pakistani border—in Paktia, Paktika, Khost and even in Kunar. These commanders are sheltering as well as patronizing the TTP which shares their ideology of Islamizing the region and establishing a Khalifat.”

To a query, he said, “We must send an effective message to Kabul. If they are not reining in these terrorist groups then we will target terror safe havens across the border to secure our territory.

He said this issue must also be taken up with the Americans “who fled [Afghanistan] again without settling the mess once and for all. We have to opt for drone operations instead of a kinetic large scale offensive and for targeted strikes to keep the human losses at minimum.”

Brigadier (retd) Mehmood Shah, a security analyst, however, said the security threats in 2023 are the same which the province has been facing for two decades and that Pakistan will survive them.

“The security challenges are the same in 2023 yet we will have to take strong and difficult decisions as hushing up things will lead us to a more dangerous situation.”

Brigadier Shah said sporadic attack by militants and targeted killing had always been a tactic they use but the government and security agencies have to rise up to the occasion to crush them at once.

In an interaction with the media on December 23, KP Additional Inspector General of Police (Operations) Mohammad Ali Babakhel admitted that the law and order situation in KP had worsened after the Taliban took over Kabul in August 2021.

“We are facing a new wave of terrorism both in the newly-merged tribal districts as well as Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts,” he said.

“The US left Afghanistan leaving behind arms worth $7billion. These arms were bound to end up in someone’s hands and those weapons are being used against the Pakistani LEAs in the KP as over 118 police personnel have been killed and 117 sustained injuries in operations in 2022.”

He said the provincial CTD arrested 806 militants, with 90 carrying head money on them, and killed 196 militants during operations in 2022.

The CTD arrested 158 extortionists wanted in 81 cases and 62 suspects, who allegedly kidnapped people for ransom. About 2,609 “threat alerts” were issued with 93% of them being general and six specific.

Babakhel said anti-state elements and criminals do not deserve any concession and a strict crackdown is underway against them. “The presence of militants in Swat and other Malakand areas was reported by the media, and everyone saw an immediate response to it by our police.

“The police during 2022 arrested around 129,637 outlaws and seized 22,416 weapons and 511,447 rounds of bullets in 20,601 search and strike operations,” he claimed.

However, despite this crackdown, there is a surge in terrorism and extortion calls have also terrified local traders. Atif Haleem, a member of the Insaf Traders Alliance Pakistan and former president of Peshawar Chamber of Commerce, recently wrote a letter to the PTI chief Imran Khan.

In the letter, Haleem, whose father was killed by terrorists in 2016, also referred to the attack on the house of former provincial minister and trader Haji Javaid and killing of a custom official in Peshawar.

He said the traders demand that the provincial government provide them protection as due to threat of being kidnapped or killed they are not even able to move around freely

In another letter to the inspector general of police (IGP), Haleem also offered a financial assistance of Rs10,000 to each police official deputed to provide security to traders in case the police is faced with a financial crisis, as there were reports that a cut in police’s budget started affected its security operation.

Atif Heleem told Bol News that after the traders’ request to PTI chief Imran Khan, the provincial government released Rs1 billion for police to meet its needs.

Corps commanders meeting

In a statement issued by the military’s media wing, the Inter-services Public Relations (ISPR), after a corps commanders meeting said terrorists would be taken on with full power.

Chief of Army Staff General Asim Muneer and Joint Chief of Staff General Sahir Shamshad also participated in the funeral of the soldiers martyred last week in a terror attack in what appears to be a clear indication that military planners are coming up with an aggressive policy towards terror networks.

KP Chief Minister Khyber Mahmood Khan also convened a high level meeting on law and order this Tuesday, expressing the resolve that there will be no compromise on the security.

On the occasion, Khan said the LEAs, police and the CTD neutralized about 82% threats in 2022 and they are capable of dealing with the terrorists. He hoped that 2023 will be more peaceful for the KP

He, however, expressed concern over non-release of funds by the federal government, a situation that the PTI’s federal government claims is undermining the law and order. He said the provincial government is alive to the threat and would do its utmost to root out terrorism by all means.

On December 29, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also convened the National Security Council meeting on Friday [December 30] to discuss the national security policy in the wake of increasing incidents of terrorism.

Source said the federal government is to announce a comprehensive counter terrorism strategy.