The tense situation in Bannu after militants took control of a police compound has naturally sent alarm bells ringing, shortly after the brazen attack on a police outpost in Lakki Marwat. In this instance, reports allege that apprehended suspects from inside the compound somehow took control, but the TTP has already taken responsibility for the incident.
There is no denying that the increasing frequency and scale of terror attacks in the country is cause for concern at the national level, but the two incidents in Lakki Marwat and Bannu over the weekend point to specific and glaring flaws in our counter-terror efforts. The Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department of the police is a well-funded and trained institution that has hands-on experience in effectively dealing with threats in the province.
Conversely, the situation in KP has been different ever since we got drawn into the war on terror. The volatile and restive former tribal regions entailed a harder approach, and the military was often handling things first-hand. Police stations such as the one in Lakki Marwat are more recent additions to the security apparatus in the region.
However, the provincial government is responsible for focusing on counter-terror initiatives and the blame for the lack of funding and capacity-building of the KP police’s counter-terror firmly lies at the province’s door. KP has had to deal with the terror threat perhaps in the highest capacity, and police stations must be insulated against attacks of this scale.
The PTI’s provincial government must take responsibility for this and not blame the federal government for a global situation that no political party or alliance can truly control. The US exit from Afghanistan has brought increased instances of terrorism back to Pakistan, which must be managed by internal security agencies and the military together. Political point scoring over an issue as important should not take precedence over addressing glaring gaps in our structure and efforts. It is hoped that security agencies can quickly get a handle over the situation in Bannu and that there is no further loss of life. https://www.nation.com.pk/20-Dec-2022/counterterror-mechanisms
