Prologue
The lexicon, which is very much
common in current times, namely Terrorism according to Oxford Dictionary means
“ The unofficial and unauthorized use of violence and intimidation for
political pursuits”. With the turn of 21st century there exists a
plethora of terrorism respectively in numerous shapes, scale, nature and origin
everywhere, but the outmost motive remains the same, which is to create fear
and disruption resultantly a barrier in progress of individuals, entities,
nations, continents and world as a whole for personal gains. Human race on
planet earth has been through countless episodes of terrorism from north to
south and east to west. The acts of terrorism so far have caused damage to
humanity on astronomical scale from lose of precious lives to economic decay.
The people who propound acts of violence on other people have no sense of
religion, morality, and philanthropy and eventually desire of social harmony
but becoming myopic in attaining mean and materialistic gains. After
understanding it’s meaning it will be of outmost importance to shed some light
on the history of terrorism from where it stems, and their reasons.
Global Context of Terrorism
As terrorism is elaborately
mentioned before, its history has roots embedded since the dawn of
civilizations fighting for supremacy and conflict of interest. With the passage
of time the acts of terrorism got much convoluted and complex, that today they
can’t be easily comprehended and pin pointed to their root causes. But one can
understand them with the prevailing conditions, super powers fighting for
hegemony and varying world order. Today research after research concludes and consensus
are built on the fact that socio-economic depravity is one of the reasons or
lets say a dependent factor in the regression of terrorism. Since 9/11 a new
world order was formed with the stance of United States to defeat the
perpetrators of terrorism on their soil.
Pakistani Context of Terrorism
Since Al-Qaida wielded it’s weapon
and animosity towards US, that was a precinct to the current prevailing
situation in most of the Middle East. Apart from superpowers competing to
maintain their own interests, it was also down to revolutions, sectarian and
old grudges among countries of South-Asia. All the countries with menace of
perpetual terrorism are developing countries, who suffer from all sort of
in-efficiencies, you name it and they have it, e.g. corruption, mismanagement, lack
of ownership, weak institutions etc. So these countries become breeding grounds
for terrorist and mushroomed in numbers. As recently we observed that the
terrorist factions from Middle East are evolving and coming up with different
means and methods of spreading terrorism in home ground and as far as continental
Europe and America. Anyways if we look into the terrorism cancer being faced by
our home country whose root causes take us to the background of US and Russia
fighting for their dominance in Afghanistan and latter the good Taliban turning
bad and prevalence of Kalashnikov culture.
There has been massive surge in the acts of terrorism in Pakistan and
resulted in lose of hundred and thousands of innocent lives and most
prominently derailing economy and adding to it’s misery. The terrorist
operating in Pakistan have mostly connections beyond borders, from where they
are funded, trained and guided, which has been revealed by many research papers
so far. Apart from Afghanistan there is the phenomenon of spill over effect of
trans-border terrorism, like the chronic issue of Palestine and Kashmir, which
seems never resolving, and produce unrest which directly or indirectly affects
and transcends within neighboring countries. When we specifically talk about
Pakistan, which is one of the developing countries and also with problems of
increasing population, corruption, miss-management and lack of ownership and
mature institutions has been an easy target for terrorism. Particularly when we
raise the issue of increasing population in which a major chunk is dominated by
young generation, who become soft targets for terrorist recruits, resulting
from lack of socio-economic equality and being left over from mainstream
economy. As we are not a welfare state, where state juggles to provide basics
on the tax money, the interventions so far by government establishment to look
after the young portion of population appears to be work of cosmetics rather an
integrated long-term solution. Apart form rising population and subsequent
un-employment issue with younger generations, we have hundred and thousands of
Madrasas running under philanthropy and state funding, these institutes have
been one of the participants in terrorist incidents in Pakistan. As Madrassas
fill the void where government is inefficient i.e. provide free education,
food, shelter etc. to the poorest segment of society, in all this narrative
they become vulnerable and at mercy of foreign influences who provide them with
capital. Ultimately they use innocent children as their tools of spreading
terrorism with misconception and giving them false notion of martyrdom. The
porous borders of Pakistan also add to the factor of terrorism with illegal
entry & exit, free mobility across border provides concealment and
resultantly inexorable deployment of ammo in form of suicide bombers.
Pakistan interventions and deployment of policy for Counter-Terrorism
As we talked about the issues and
their consequences in afore-mentioned passage, it’s not that Pakistan is
waiting for miracle to happen and wipe off terrorism altogether at once. The
ruling governments in turn have set precedence on curbing the perennial issue
of terrorism. The regimes have tried their best to use the legal and available
infrastructure apparatus to curb terrorism. Major development in recent times include
the enactment of a national action plan for expediency of trials &
tribulations, in order for quick delivery of justice in relation to terrorism
element. A separate government body (NACTA) is formed as well for unification
of center with provinces, also foreign states and different stakeholders in
work related to tackling terrorism per se. One of the major issues in light of
terrorism rests with Madrassa, their regulation, registration, monitoring,
evaluation of text and knowledge under study plan. It is promising to see that
there have been major developments in regulation of Madrassas, where government
has registered and closed down many institutes and opted the process of
scrutiny with their operations and study text and knowledge delivery. Pakistan
has also taken steps on border control and illegal mobility, as it is exposed
through border with Iran, India, Afghanistan, and China. The border area with
Afghanistan and Tribal area has been a question mark with the responsible
agencies, which have been in-efficient in proving to be a monolithic barrier.
Subsequently the influx of Afghan refugees and their poor monitoring has been a
major concern but in recent developments the federal government took a strong
stance with help of international organizations, for peaceful repatriation and
milestones have been achieved.
Pakistan efforts required to further strengthen Counter-Terrorism Policy
With, the discussion of specific
terrorism root causes to our homeland previously, it will be of immense
importance to look for ways to further strengthen and revamping
counter-terrorism measures. Pakistan
needs to put in place elaborate methods of monitoring capital movement from
outside and within country, which could restrict the funding of terrorism. As
capital is oxygen on which terrorist breathe. The current legal apparatus needs
to be in place, which is quick in providing justice and acts as a lesson and
produce fear within potential and remnant terrorism elements. The quick justice
system might prove to be a short-term treatment of terrorism menace; the
government of Pakistan needs to start realistic and pragmatic method of
de-radicalization and invoking chauvinism and eliminating dis-enfranchisement.
A further and timely review of Madrassas on frequent basis will keep a check
and order situation. A proper research and development with text and knowledge
of Madrassa will not only enlighten disciples but will also prove to be useful
in getting to main stream economy. Border control system overhauling, with use
of modern technology to decipher potential threat elements. Continuation of
spatial army operations aimed at elimination of terrorist within cites and safe
havens in border proximity.
Conclusion
Pakistan, a country abounds with
vast swathe of fertile land, desert, forest, snowcapped mountains, rivers,
glaciers and more. Apart from natural resources it has one of the efficient and
dynamic human resource playing key roles in local and international context. It
also has prestigious institutes of world adding to global socio-economic
development. Pakistan has suffered a lot from the lasting problem of terrorism.
But the people and representatives of people doesn’t surrender, every time they
stand up and show resilience towards pessimistic elements, in order to be a
healthy, wealthy and prosperous Pakistan from the farmers living on high
mountains in north to the city dwellers in south. As it is emphatically penned
by Calvin Coolidge (30th US president and advocate of small
government), “The slogan ‘Press on’ has helped and always will solve the
problems of the human race.”
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