Terrorism in Pakistan has become a major and highly destructive phenomenon in recent years. The annual death toll from terrorist attacks has risen from 164 in 2003 to 3318 in 2009, with a total of 35,000 Pakistanis killed between September 11, 2001 and May 2011. Its roots can be traced back from 1979, when there was an effort to kick out Russia from Afghanistan. But the problem became severe after 9/11. And now in 2011, it’s become a menace for our motherland. The million dollar question is: what are the ways to eradicate or to overcome this most dangerous problem?
The first and foremost things are the unity and commitment. After a very bloody war, we still see some of the stakeholders of the society are supporting the extremist designs of the terrorist groups. I do not clearly know what their intensions are. But one thing is very clear: that is they are working against country’s betterment. We need to bring back first these people on the right direction using the process of dialogue.
Parliamentarians can play a very constructive role in this regard. They can use their influence in the right direction to convince the people of their constituencies to say “No to all sort of terrorist activities”. They can easily inculcate in the minds of people the vision of free terrorist society and about progressive and emerging Pakistan. But it is also a fact that we still did not see any useful role from these so-called representatives of the people. It is high time they come forward to save the future of Pakistan.
KAINAT RASOOL SIYAL,
Karachi, March 20.