THE state — both its civilian and military components — needs to take note of the troubling developments on the militancy front, before the country is dragged into a new cycle of terrorist violence.

The signs are not good, as an increasing number of security personnel are being targeted in the field, while militant groups have begun to make inroads in areas thought to have been cleared of the terrorist menace.

At least three soldiers were martyred in a gunfight with militants in Bajaur on Sunday, close to the Afghan border. The latest casualties indicate the grim reality that Pakistan has been losing an unacceptably high number of men in confrontations with terrorists.

Moreover, in KP’s Tirah valley, there are disturbing reports that fighters belonging to the banned TTP and Lashkar-i-Islam have begun patrols in certain areas. LI had been active in the region for years; its dreaded leader Mangal Bagh was killed in Afghanistan in 2021. The TTP and LI have combined forces in the past, and the reactivation of the latter outfit is a fresh headache for the state.

Where troop fatalities are concerned, as this paper has highlighted previously, better gear and training are required to save lives. As per media figures quoting ISPR, at least 139 troops have been martyred while confronting terrorists up till July 2024. Militants employ asymmetrical methods, which are difficult to counter for traditional militaries. Even the American and Soviet militaries could do little to defeat foes using asymmetrical methods. Therefore, perhaps crack new units need to be trained in such methods to outsmart the militants in the field, while intelligence-based operations should neutralise terrorists before they can strike.

Regarding the patrols of terrorist groups, this development should not be taken lightly by the state. Locals in the Tirah area told this paper that while TTP and LI fighters were moving around with freedom, the police and Levies had ‘vanished’. Moreover, residents said militants were demanding food and shelter from them, which the locals could only refuse at their own peril.

The administration cannot leave people in the affected areas at the mercy of terrorists. The writ of the state must be established forthwith as no violent non-state actor can be allowed to set up parallel governance structures. It should be remembered that militants started taking over territory in Waziristan and Malakand in similar fashion. These developments morphed into full-blown insurgencies that required the state to invest much blood and treasure to quell.

The same mistake must not be repeated. Perhaps the powers that be should redirect their attention from ‘digital terrorists’ and hone in on the actual terrorists who have risen up against the state in the past, and appear intent on doing so again.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2024