Pakistan’s ongoing battle against extremism
Ever since Pakistan stepped up as a frontline partner for the US war on terrorism, Pakistan itself has been burning in secular terrorism and extremism.
There was a time when terrorists from Karachi to Khyber were actively working and attacking one and all including mosques, schools, government buildings, markets, and even personalities, common and high-ranked persons, by planting bombs or suicide vests, terrorism. The Pakistan Army, Police personnel, Rangers, and other security forces’ officers and personnel lost their lives to neutralize terrorists who were imperative to maintain law and order in the country. After the heinous act of Terror when Army Public School was attacked in Peshawar, more than 100 children were martyred; top politicians and military leaders assembled to endorse the “National Security Plan” that sought to eradicate terrorists and their supporters within the country, initiating maneuvering exercises such as Zarb-e-Azb and Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad.
In each of the operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, 37,000 police officials and more than 3,800 persons were trained mostly for the Pakistan police. Many operations were carried out against the terrorists; Thus, more than 350 militants were eliminated. Combined with Operation Zarb-e-Azb, more than 2,700 terrorists mishap were injured and over 300 military men died in one year only. Since the events of September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on World Trade Center, America Pakistan has suffered from this scourge. Unfortunately, the prevalent forms of violence in the present world have become terrorism-related incidents and over two decades millions of people have been killed and the economy has been drained of more than one billion dollars. However, till date, terrorism is still a problem in the nation.
Terrorist incidence continues to be regularly reported in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces of the country. In similar events in the recent days, 12 soldiers were killed in two different terrorist acts in Kurram and Lucky Marwat last week, and again the problem of law and order emerged as an issue. These constant acts of terrorism have forced the country’s military and political leadership to revert to the national action plan, with the goal of wiping out terrorism & reconstructing law and order completely.
From this, the national leadership understands that to have political and economic stability as well as development, there has to be existing law & order. In new years within the coverage of newly formed government and under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Apex Committee sanctioned start of Operation “Determination Stability” to revitalize the ongoing countrywide movement against extremism and terrorism. Speaking to the committee, Prime Minister did not fail to mention that stability in economy is impossible in a country that suffers terrorism; investor confidence cannot be obtained.
Before, during the Third Pak-China Consultative Meeting on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) all political parties in the country showed a positive solidarity which is a good sign. The Chinese Minister Liu Jinchao being in Pakistan maintained that political stability is key to the development process. He stressed thus the need to enhance security provisions to encourage investments stressing the need for institutions and political parties.
It also important to note that the current Prime Minister also green lighted a satellite joint venture for the transfer of Chinese industries to the Pakistan. Board of Investment is an important sub-topic in Pakistani current affairs and one day an important meeting regarding BOI was chaired by Shahbaz Sharif in which Prime Minister approved the Joint venture of China Pakistani companies. He stressed that the government’s primary focus is to attract internal and foreign investment in the country and added that every possible measure is being adopted to facilitate traders/investors in the business society of Pakistan. While on a tour of China, the Prime Minister graced the MoUs between Pakistani and Chinese companies operating in Shenzhen by directing the provision of an update on the implementation session and called for an evaluation of the MoUs on the draft law of special economic zones and one stop shop service in accordance with the prevailing circumstances and developments after the visit. There, the Secretary of the Board of Investment said in briefing that process has begun for shifting industries of China to Pakistan. Chinese experts are currently being hired to establish the Islamabad Business Facilitation Center being established, while the draft Easy Business Act will be tabled to the Cabinet Committee of Legislative Matters soon enough.
The effectiveness of the “Determination Stability” operation led by the Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the requirements of the proper cooperation between all the power institutions with a focus on the development of the country, as well as the expectations set by the Chinese minister, are positively viewed. Therefore, political parties do not differ much ideologically and politically but act to protect their self-interest where recently, the PPP and PML-N had conflicting interests regarding the 2024 budget. Nevertheless, for Operation “Determination Stability” and gradual accomplishment of economic and political stability, political parties are to perform within the framework of the constitution. The government needs to involve the opposition in Operation “Determination Stability,”; the opposition on its turn has obligations that correspond to the importance of the national interests and should join the government, and contribute to the country’s stability for political benefits.
