Tragic events in Balochistan require decisive action against terrorism

PESHAWAR: The recent tragic events in Balochistan province, in which over 50 civilians and security forces personnel were brutally killed besides damage to infrastructure, have exposed the barbaric mindset of terrorists and underscored the need for decisive action against terrorism.

Syed Akhtar Ali Shah, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) KP, while speaking to APP, stressed that these horrific attacks in Balochistan have vindicated the government’s decision to launch an anti-terror operation named Azm-e-Istehkam to cleanse the country of the remnants of terrorism.

“The brutal killings of civilians and security forces have made it clear that Operation Azm-e-Istehkam is extremely necessary and in the vital interest of the country,” he said.

He condemned the attacks and said they were a grim reminder of the barbaric intentions and nefarious aims of the terrorists. He added that anti-Pakistani forces and rival intelligence agencies were believed to be behind the terror attacks, seeking to establish law and order in Balochistan, disrupt progress on CPEC and create obstacles in Pakistan-China relations.

Expressing solidarity with the families of the victims, Akhtar stressed that the tragedy in Balochistan has also refuted the arguments against Operation Azm-e-Istekham. He called for national unity and extended our full support to our valiant security forces, which is essential to combat terrorism and establish lasting peace in the country.

“People should carefully monitor their surroundings and immediately inform the police if they notice any suspicious movements or the presence of undesirable elements,” he said, adding that the war on terrorism could be won quickly if people from all walks of life showed their willingness to cooperate with the government and law enforcement agencies.

Dr. AH Hilali, former chairman of the Department of Political Science at the University of Peshawar, described the attacks in Balochistan as highly regrettable and a sign of disregard for humanity on the part of the terrorists.

He said Pakistan had suffered significant human and economic losses in the fight against terrorism, citing the instability in the region following the US invasion of Afghanistan and the subsequent increase in terrorist incidents in Pakistan, which had exacerbated security challenges particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to the long porous border with war-torn Afghanistan.

He said Pakistan has been facing the scourge of terrorism for more than 23 years, during which people from all walks of life have suffered casualties in terms of human life and material losses. He added that former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, Governor of Punjab Salman Taseer, Senior Minister KP Bashir Bilour, Senator Hidatullah Khan, CCPO Malik Saad and thousands of others have sacrificed their lives for Pakistan.

Referring to Pakistan's casualties and economic losses during 2001-2022, he said that in the war against terrorism, over 83,000 Pakistanis were martyred and economic losses of over Rs 35 trillion were incurred.

He said that the 2018 Paigham-e-Pakistan consensus decree (fatwa), signed by over 1,800 religious scholars of all schools of thought and endorsed by Imam-i-Kaaba and Al-Azhar University in Cairo, prohibited terrorism in any form and manifestation in Islam.

“No one can relate to the pain of the victims of the carnage in Balochistan better than me. It hurts me the most,” said Sharif Gul, father of slain Hasnain Sharif, who was brutally killed in the attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar on December 16, 2014. “The terrorist incidents in Balochistan have reminded me of the barbaric mindset of terrorists who took away from me a beloved son who had a great desire to become a doctor and serve the suffering humanity,” he said, adding that our resolve cannot be shaken by such attacks.

Dr. Hilali stressed that the attacks on Army Public School in Peshawar in 2014 had united the Pakistani nation in the fight against terrorism and also led to the implementation of a national action plan by the PMLN government and the conduct of operations like Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad, which repelled the terrorists.

As a result of these successful operations and the National Action Plan, peace was established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Despite notable successes in the fight against terrorism, recent sporadic attacks, particularly against the police in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have underscored the need for a renewed and robust counter-terrorism strategy to cleanse KP and Balochistan of the remnants of terrorism, he said.

He strongly condemned the shameful attempts by anti-Pakistan forces and hostile authorities to disrupt peace and CPEC projects in Balochistan, thereby creating obstacles in the time-tested relations between Pakistan and China. He reiterated that our valiant security forces are well prepared to counter these negative efforts with all their might and with the strong support of the nation.

The experts called for the arrest and severe punishment of those responsible for the carnage in Balochistan and stressed that the fight against terrorism is not yet over and can be won with great determination and national unity.