The civilian and military leadership may be trying to project a firmness and decisiveness of action, but the state’s response to the recent devastating spate of terrorist attacks in the country has increasingly appeared haphazard and ill-thought-out.

Consider the short timeline of the publicly disclosed diplomatic and security reactions since the attack on the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. Overnight, a brutal crackdown was unleashed against terror suspects, with many killed and many more arrested. The following day, attention shifted to Afghanistan, with highly charged diplomatic condemnations leading to military action along the Pak-Afghan border.

In the meantime, provincial security apparatuses appear to have launched their own uncoordinated actions helter-skelter, with a wide net cast that has possibly led to the capture of innocent citizens and Afghan refugees.

Alarming as the attacks were, the state’s confused and seemingly indiscriminate reactions are cause for further alarm. The long war against militancy and terrorism cannot be won if a perpetual cycle of action and reaction is allowed to unfold.

Certainly, the shocking and grave nature of the recent attacks did call for an urgent and emphatic response by the state. But the state’s response must be rooted in a clear strategy that is supported by a sensible, legal and purposeful set of actions.

The two militant groups that are believed to be responsible for the latest attacks did not come out of nowhere. Indeed, the cadres and leadership of Jamaatul Ahrar and the militant Islamic State group active in Pakistan have been drawn from banned groups such as the TTP and Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, about which much is already known.

By allowing the problem to fester and, in the case of IS, being in denial of the problem, the possibility of a devastating set of attacks eventually occurring was a very real one. In fact, it may well be the case that the IS and Jamaatul Ahrar are better positioned to withstand the state’s desperate attempts to crush them.

Change is possible. Six months after the launch of Operation Zarb-i-Azb, the APS attack took place in Peshawar. In what now seems like an earlier era of the war, Operation Rah-i-Rast in Swat led to an escape of the senior leadership; Mullah Fazlullah is still believed to be at large in Afghanistan. From those episodes, lessons can be learned and better policies crafted.

There is necessarily a public component to any successful anti-militancy strategy, yet PR cannot be allowed to dominate strategy. There are no certainties in the long war against militancy except that winning will need determination — and a plan.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2017

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...