Pakistan’s treacherous borders on the western side have always been a source of anxiety for our security forces. Iran would occasionally complain to Pakistan about the exploitation of our soil against them, and in this regard, the former prime minister, Imran Khan, admitted the fact.
Four Pakistani border troopers were martyred in a Wednesday attack from Iranian territory, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations, and four security personnel were slain during “terrorist action” from across the Pakistan-Iran border in Balochistan’s Panjgur region. The danger of terrorism is a common problem for both Pakistan and Iran, and in this regard, the Foreign Office spokesperson also “strongly condemns the terrorist strike from across the Iran borde “, adding that “terrorists used the territory of Iran [to perform the attack]. We expect that Iran would take measures against those guilty.”
The attack must provide soul-searching to both Iran and Pakistan; this point is satisfying because both Pakistan and Iran have already stated that their land will not be used for cross-border assaults. Terrorism, or violence, is re-emerging along Afghanistan’s and Iran’s borders. The incident comes on the heels of the loss of soldiers a few weeks ago when Afghan personnel opened fire at the Chaman border.
The attacks, however infrequent, highlight a sobering fact: there is more work to be done to combat extremism in Pakistan, and militancy in the region, and it might take years to do so. Terrorism is a global problem, not only a Pakistan’s concern. Attacks on Pakistan from Afghanistan and Iran have some Indian connections too.
So, until there is lawlessness in Afghanistan, unless there are no confidence-building measures with India, and unless there is a trust gap between Iran and Pakistan, battling militancy alone in Pakistan would not stop the attacks. Conflicts must be managed and resolved very quickly; if they are left unresolved, more parties may become involved, further complicating the problem.
Violence has reached an end. The struggle should reach a decisive phase that puts an end to militants and militancy. It can be done by cooperating with Iran and Afghanistan. India may not be a partner for the time being, but the establishments on both sides must lessen their antipathy toward one another. The battle against militancy will be won as soon as Pakistan, India, China, and Iran unite as a single force. https://dailytimes.com.pk/1053433/unsafe-borders/
Confused policy
Editorial in Dawn, January 20th, 2023
RECENT statements by two major political leaders have underlined the perception that there is no political agreement on tackling resurgent terrorism. On the one hand, former prime minister Imran Khan — in whose tenure ‘peace talks’ were initiated with outfits operating from Afghanistan — has argued that the banned TTP were ‘driven’ to their old ways because Islamabad failed to live up to the promises made to them; on the other, incumbent Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has roundly criticised the PTI’s policy towards the TTP as mere ‘appeasement’. With so much confusion within our ranks, it is hardly surprising that the TTP has been able to exploit the situation to its advantage. It now threatens to start another violent chapter in Pakistan’s war against militancy.
It must be said that Mr Khan’s accommodating view of the TTP is starkly at odds with how the terrorist outfit sees Pakistan. The group has little respect or consideration for the Pakistani state or its sovereignty, which is reflected in its demand for the reversal of Fata’s merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The TTP had made decoupling Fata a non-negotiable condition in its aforementioned ‘peace talks’ with the Pakistani state, presuming to dictate to Islamabad the limits of its dominion. After the talks broke down, the TTP’s brutal attacks targeting Pakistani security forces and law-enforcement personnel only hammered home its disdain for the same land where it was being ‘settled’ despite locals’ loud and angry protests. But even Mr Bhutto-Zardari, who has taken a tougher line on the TTP, has appeared softer on the Afghan Taliban even though Kabul is seen to be quietly patronising the TTP. Instead of taking a harder stance against the Afghan Taliban for failing to rein in the terrorists operating from their territory, the foreign minister wants to continue engaging with them. These conflicting messages are complicating Pakistan’s response to its gravest existential crisis. Clearly, this is another area which desperately needs political consensus. https://www.dawn.com/news/1732619/confused-policy
