Targeted counter terrorism operations in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s tribal belt are frequently being employed to eliminate militants, based on intelligence information. The success of these operations is, in turn, the success of Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and is a guarantee of security. For now, these operations, like the one conducted in Balochistan’s Kech district killing four terrorists, serve as a viable counter terrorism strategy. The spike in militant attacks, mostly targeting the armed and security personnel, was observed following the end of ceasefire with the banned Tehrik e Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
According to data compilation on terrorist activities, the month of August saw the highest number of militant attacks across the country. This is a worrying trend in the peace and security ambit of the country. The unbending resolve of the armed forces to hunt down these militants is praiseworthy and a promise that at all costs, Pakistan’s security will be guaranteed. Just recently, two security personnel and six civilians lost life in North, South Waziristan and Bajaur at the hands of these rouge militants. This being the latest sacrifice in the cost that the country has paid to the terrorism menace.
In view of the spike in militant activities, a package of $4million has been announced by the United States (US) for counter terrorism training in Pakistan. Losing personnel to militancy is a tragedy the country mourns collectively. A unified front, involving not just the armed forces but all institutions, must remain intact till the fight against militancy and extremism is not over. The volatile front in Balochistan and KP’s tribal areas must also be the focus of concerted development efforts. Counter terrorism must be multi-pronged, with a flexibility to evolve as quickly as the tactics of militants evolve, even ahead of that.