Pakistan’s security challenges

Asem Mustafa Awan

Islamabad: Nefarious activities of militants have suddenly surged in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province posing daunting challenges to national security. Terrorists attacked a police station in Lakki Marwat on Sunday, killing four policemen and injuring four others, including an FC soldier.

Details from  Lakki  Marwat police state that around 12 attackers attacked Burgi police station from two sides with hand grenades and rocket launchers and fled from the scene.

The other incident same day involves militants attacking Counthe ter Terrorism Department office in Bannu and till filing the CTD office is under their control. The militants took policemen hostage. In a video message released by the militants who held the guards hostage have asked for a safe passage to Afghanistan as a condition for the release of hostages.

The incident also depicts that the Afghan land in one way or the other is used by the militants. The militants have threatened to kill the hostages if they are not given safe passage to Afghanistan.

The Pakistan Army has taken control of the anti-terrorist detention center and has started monitoring the operation for the release of the hostages. It goes without saying that in the last few months Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its allied militant groups in KP have increased their activities.

The TTP, first, tried to infiltrate Swat, which was countered by the local public through a big demonstration seeking government support in restoration of peace in the area followed by another demonstration in Waziristan.

The terrorists in the recent past have increased their activities in different parts of KP sending a clear message to authorities that all is not well. The assassination attempt on Pakistani diplomat in Afghanistan a few weeks ago and subsequent firing by Afghan security forces on Pakistani forces and civilians on the Chaman border have raised concerns in security circles.

Pakistan has provided assistance to Afghanistan during and after the US withdrawal in order to establish peace in the country and has gone all out in providing food and medicine. Pakistan has fought against terrorism for 20 years.

It is true that this war was not Pakistan’s but militant groups spread it to Pakistan’s soil and Islamabad paid a very heavy price. Pakistan always took the stance that the Afghan conflict cannot be resolved through war and that the Americans and Afghans would have to sit at the table, and it was achieved with the help of Pakistan.

Afghan Taliban on the other hand have requested Pakistani authorities to facilitate peace negotiations with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the two warring sides held talks that are now in stalemate and the recent incidents clearly show TTP’s involvement.

The increase in terrorist activities in KP raises many questions as to how all this is happening in a province that has faced the wrath of these terrorists since long and bravely quashed their nefarious designs with their lives on line.

The ongoing siege of Bannu’s CTD is a test for security agencies as how this could happen while negotiations are going on but questions remain as how this would end.

The writer is a journalist based in Islamabad and writes on a wide range of issues.