Michael Kugelman - Journalist, Associate Fellow at Wilson Centre

If we define success as dealing a devastating blow to militancy in Pakistan, then the answer is a resounding “no.”

Even if the operation manages to eliminate dozens or hundreds of militants, then this won’t solve the broader problem. Militancy is no longer restricted to North Waziristan or even to the tribal belt—it has become a nationwide affliction that has spread to Pakistan’s cities.

In my view, though, the operation won’t actually eliminate scores of militants. Since this operation has been hinted at for so many months, there’s a very good chance that many of North Waziristan’s top commanders and their fighters left the area long before the troops arrived. All this said, if we define the operation’s success as stopping all the terrorist attacks in the country, then there is cause for hope.

There have been very few terror strikes in Pakistan since the operation began. What I fear, though, is that this is merely the calm before the storm. The operation has scattered militants into other tribal areas or into Afghanistan. Once they regain their bearings, they will likely relaunch their attacks with a vengeance.

Opinion

Editorial

Afghan strikes
Updated 26 Dec, 2024

Afghan strikes

The military option has been employed by the govt apparently to signal its unhappiness over the state of affairs with Afghanistan.
Revamping tax policy
26 Dec, 2024

Revamping tax policy

THE tax bureaucracy appears to have convinced the government that it can boost revenues simply by taking harsher...
Betraying women voters
26 Dec, 2024

Betraying women voters

THE ECP’s recent pledge to eliminate the gender gap among voters falls flat in the face of troubling revelations...
Kurram ‘roadmap’
Updated 25 Dec, 2024

Kurram ‘roadmap’

The state must provide ironclad guarantees that the local population will be protected from all forms of terrorism.
Snooping state
25 Dec, 2024

Snooping state

THE state’s attempts to pry into citizens’ internet activities continue apace. The latest in this regard is a...
A welcome first step
25 Dec, 2024

A welcome first step

THE commencement of a dialogue between the PTI and the coalition parties occupying the treasury benches in ...