SCO: Effective platform to combat terrorism in Pakistan

SCO: Effective platform to combat terrorism in Pakistan
By Gul Ayesha Bhatti IN PAKISTAN TODAY, DEC 28, 2022
Terrorism has once more shaken Pakistan as the year comes to a close. The blacklisted Tehrik Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has attacked the federal capital after causing devastation in KP, bringing to light the achingly uncomfortable reality that unless the militant organization is stopped in its tracks, the current wave of terrorism may very well spread to other regions of the State.

When a suicide bomber detonated himself in Islamabad on Friday, when police tried to stop his car for verification, a police officer was killed. There is no doubt that terrorism is spreading beyond the heart of the country. The wave of terrorism in the state is a cause for severe worry. It is stated that if the capital is not safe, then no other place in the state is either.

A few days before this incident, the blatant assault on security officers took place outside the counter-terrorism department (CTD) facility in Bannu Cantonment. The TTP inmates’ siege and hostage-taking at the centre, which had started on December 18, took place for more than 60 hours and cost five precious lives. Alongside, a police station in LakkiMarwat near Bannu, North, and South Waziristan was also raided by terrorists on December 18 and 19. There, dozens of TTP militants beat up police officers and took all the weapons while issuing a warning to all local officials to quit their jobs as police officers as soon as possible.

TTP head Noor Wali Mehsud, who is apparently in the protection of Kabul under the Taliban, had stated to CNN just a day prior to the TTP attack on the CTD and the Bargi Police Station in LakkiMarwat that his organization is not using Afghanistan territory for strikes within Pakistan. He asserted that Pakistani land is the location of whatever the TTP does to further its objectives. Ironically, Noor Mehsud followed this up by telling his “mujahedeen” who were occupying the CTD building (on December 20) not to give up.When all of this was happening, Centcom Chief Gen Michael E. Kurilla was on a visit to Pakistan too and during the visit, he offered Pakistan “every possible help” against the TTP. Approximately two weeks before this, the US State Department identified four al-Qaeda Subcontinent and TTP combatants as global terrorists.

This whole situation is complicated since all the stakeholders, overtly and covertly involved, have different goals. The TTP is one of the stakeholders that has borrowed heavily from the Taliban’s ideology of Shariah to apply it in Pakistan. The TTP intends to seize control of the border region in order to establish its ideal Caliphate. Additionally, it wants the Pakistani Army to vacate the border regions, which the administration views as unacceptable. Another important stakeholder is the USA, which regrets leaving Afghanistan and wants to make a welcoming return.

This comeback is only feasible if Pakistan is seen to have failed completely to end domestic terrorism and to find a viable solution to its problems with the Taliban administration because the stability in Pakistan is inextricably linked to the stability in Afghanistan. The third stakeholder are those parties that want to stop CPEC from proceeding any further, as they see CPEC as a threat to their monopoly in this region.

Russia, China and Iran have a convergence of interest with Pakistan in terms of counter-terrorism and regional stability. They are interested in a peaceful Afghanistan with minimal US engagement. They are well aware that counter-terrorism is connected to having a prosperous and progressive region. Therefore, they should join hands with Pakistan to combat terrorism in an effective way.

Since the events of 9/11, Pakistan has been battling terrorism with the USA as its “Non-NATO Ally.” Pakistan has made unparalleled and laudable achievements in this regard. It has, however, received accusations from the USA instead of praise. Pakistan was set to reap the rewards of its well-played role in the US-Taliban peace pact in 2020 and the USA pullout from Afghanistan after 18 years of domestic peace and stability concerns brought on by terrorism, which led to economic hardship and a devastated society. Nevertheless, the rise of this new wave of terrorism is quite frightening and portends major future risks.While joining hands with the international community to combat terrorism and nipping it in its bud, it is crucial to consider regional organizations like SCO as well. In order to ensure comprehensive security,

SCO has vowed to coordinate efforts to counter common security challenges and threats, increase communication and strengthen collaboration, combat terrorism, cyber terrorism, separatism, extremism, transnational organized crime, and illicit drug trafficking, as well as strengthen global information security and emergency response.

Moreover, The SCO Convention on Countering Extremism is the organization’s joint reaction to the continually expanding menace of extremism. Along with this is the Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism, and Extremism, the Convention of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization against Terrorism, and the 2016-2018 SCO Member States Programme on Cooperation in Combating Terrorism, Separatism, and Extremism. The SCO Convention on Countering Extremism aims to improve the legal environment in this area while also strengthening security and enhancing effective collaboration amongst member states.

Pakistani and Russian military personnel have participated in the Druzhba joint training exercises every year since 2016. The drills involve personnel from both nations’ special operations teams. The goal of the exercises is to train the Special Forces in counterterrorism (CT) and to share experiences with other special forces. Russia has already shown concern about the need to further increase the multifaceted bilateral cooperation, including in counterterrorism with Pakistan. In addition, the two nations agreed to enhance cooperation for military training. Although the Ukraine war has brought a halt to the joint military exercise this year, its inevitability should not be ignored.