A STRING of deadly incidents of terrorism in different parts of the country over the weekend illustrates the multifaceted nature of the militant threat that confronts Pakistan.

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It also highlights the fact that the state cannot afford major security lapses. While there was initial confusion about the nature of the powerful blast near Karachi airport late on Sunday, it is now clear that it was a terrorist attack. At least three people have been confirmed killed in the incident, including two Chinese nationals. The foreigners were apparently the target of this terrorist attack as a convoy of Chinese workers was passing through the area. The banned Baloch Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the atrocity, saying that its Majeed Brigade carried out the attack.

Meanwhile, a number of security personnel were martyred in KP and Balochistan on Saturday. Thirteen army and FC personnel were martyred during separate clashes with militants in North Waziristan and Kurram, while three security men lost their lives in a roadside bomb attack in Kalat.

The Karachi bombing should send alarm bells ringing in the corridors of power. It comes only a week before high-ranking foreign dignitaries from various states are due to gather in Islamabad for the SCO summit. It may well be that the Chinese nationals were targeted to sabotage the SCO event.

The Chinese embassy has not minced its words, demanding that Pakistan “thoroughly investigate the attack [and] severely punish the perpetrators”, and has called upon the state to protect Chinese citizens and projects in the country. This is the second major incident targeting Chinese nationals this year after the Bisham attack in March, in which five foreigners were killed.

Simply put, Pakistan cannot afford such acts of terrorism as the economy begins a long journey of recovery, and the country re-engages with the world by hosting bilateral and multilateral exchanges. The Karachi airport is supposed to be a highly secure location, guarded by civil LEAs, and surrounded by military installations. A thorough probe is therefore very much required to uncover how terrorists were able to strike at such a sensitive location.

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Moreover, the attacks in Karachi and in KP and Balochistan illustrate how varied the militant threat is: ranging from separatist groups to religiously inspired fighters. Instead of crushing the political opposition, all arms of the state — including the administration and the security establishment — need to fully devote their energies to eliminating the terrorist threat from the country.

In the short term, this can be achieved through intelligence-based operations that pre-empt violent actors from carrying out their malevolent designs. Economic recovery and national development will be impossible to achieve unless these terrorist threats are addressed. Therefore, the state needs to go beyond rhetoric and take meaningful steps in this regard.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2024