The incidents of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan require that all necessary measures be taken to root out terrorism, including contacting the Transitional Government of Afghanistan and mobilizing relevant forums of regional countries.

Incidents of terrorism, especially in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, are not only increasing, but also educational institutions and public transport are not safe from them. There are reports that a total of 27 terrorists were killed in the operation of the security forces in Dera Ismail Khan between Monday and Tuesday night, while 25 soldiers of the Pakistan Army were martyred in an attack on the checkpoint of the security forces in the early hours of Tuesday morning.  According to the Public Relations Department of the Pakistan Army (ISPR), on the night of December 11 and 12, 2023, action was taken on reports of the presence of terrorists in the Darzanda area of Dera Ismail Khan district, during which the hideout of the terrorists was destroyed and 17 terrorists were killed.

During another intelligence-based operation in Kalachi, terrorist hideouts were effectively targeted, resulting in the death of 4 terrorists. Two soldiers of Pakistan Army were martyred in the fierce exchange of fire. The terrorists who were killed in the military operation were involved in attacks on security forces and innocent civilians.  Arms, ammunition and explosives were also recovered during the operations. The ISPR further says that on December 12, a group of 6 terrorists attacked a post of the security forces in the Duraban area. The terrorists' attempt to enter the checkpoint was thwarted, so they rammed a vehicle full of explosives into the checkpoint.  As a result of this suicide attack, the building was destroyed and 23 brave men were martyred while all 6 terrorists were killed. Sanitization operations are being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists present in the area. ISPR says that Pakistan's security forces are determined to eliminate the scourge of terrorism from the country.

Meanwhile, a new group affiliated to the outlawed TTP, Tehreek Jihad Pakistan, has claimed responsibility for the attack on the check post. TTP is a party which is involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan from Afghan soil. The Foreign Office of Pakistan summoned the Governor of Afghanistan and rightly reiterated its demand that the Interim Afghan Government conduct a thorough investigation and strict action against the perpetrators of the attack.  The above incident should be condemned and immediate action should be taken against all terrorists, their leadership and sanctuaries.  President Dr. Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Anwar Haq Kakar and Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani have condemned the terrorist attack on the security forces. While the real situation is that the Afghanistan-based leadership of the outlawed TTP is operating terrorism in Pakistan and its infiltrators are using every tactic to harm the beloved country. Pakistan is the country that has stood by Afghan brothers in all difficult times and also played an effective role in the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan.

It would be good if the responsible people of both the countries sit together and find an effective way of improvement. For the development and prosperity of both countries and peace and stability in the region, such contacts should be made immediately. It may be mentioned here that in the recent past, TTP has made a lot of progress. The continued use of Afghanistan's territory in terrorist incidents is extremely worrying.  The Afghan government should not just pay lip service but take practical steps to prevent these incidents from its soil. In fact, the terrorists and militants organizations have regrouped after the take-over of Kabul by Taliban in August 2021 and they are involved in cross border attacks in Pakistan. There is no secret that Afghan soil is being used by terrorists' groups against Pakistan and the number of attacks across the border in Pakistan from Afghanistan are the cases in point. In January last, Afghan Govt spokesperson said that Daesh terrorists who were  responsible for the attack on the Pak embassy had been killed by Afghan security set up. This statement indicates that Daesha and other terrorist’s groups are present tin Afghanistan. It may be mentioned here that the previous Govt had taken serious notice of the increasing cross border attacks in Pakistan from Afghan side and the rising activities of the IS-K and the Pakistani Taliban in Pakistan from across the Afghan soil and had warned the Afghan government to take stern action against the militants and terrorists to wipe them out, otherwise Pakistan will be justified in taking action against the terrorists in Afghanistan within Afghanistan.  Last year saw a 27 per cent increase in terrorists acts in Pakistan while the Police Civil Lines attack in Peshawar was the most dreaded one.

The first month of the ongoing year i.e. January recorded the record number of terrorists acts in the country in which 134 people lost lies while hundreds were injured in over one hundred and forty terrorists’ incidents.  Most of the attacks were claimed by TTP and IS-Khurasan Chapters which have regrouped after the Taliban Govt in Afghanistan. The mastermind of Peshawar mosque attack in 2021 was reportedly a member of the outlawed TTP, but had later left the TTP and switched over to the IS-K.  As a matter of fact, these terrorists infiltrate into to Pakistan through Afghan border under the disguise of Afghan refugees and according to a recent report by the UN, the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan which comprises up to 5,000 militant fighters is present in Afghanistan. This was disclosed in a report, sent to the UN Security Council, and it had also warned that after the takeover of Afghanistan by Taliban, the Afghan soil can become a safe haven for terrorists groups like the Al Qaeda , the IS, etc. The security situation in Pakistan has seriously deteriorated after the regrouping of TTP and another militant organization after the Taliban Govt in Afghanistan and  become so alarming that traders and professional have started leaving the country, shifting to either abroad due to prevailing sense of insecurity. Had the Afghan government taken timely action against the terrorists, situation would not have worsened to such an extent in Pakistan.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 16 2023

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