Need of an inflexible policy against terrorism

So far, Pakistan Army has conducted many big and small military operations, including ‘Zarb-e-Azb’ and ‘Raddul Fasad’, against terrorists during last one decade, but the nation still faces the menace of terrorism in a large scale, which is a clear evidence of the fact that our national policy against terrorism has loopholes.

Now once again the political and military leadership of the country has decided to launch a fresh operation against the terrorist outfits in the country with full vigor and determination as the nation has been facing a significant surge in the terrorist attacks across the country since last one year. In this regard an in-camera meeting of National Assembly was held yesterday in which Army Chief General Asim Munir briefed the members on national security and about the proposed operation against terrorists.

As per media reports, during the briefing the Army Chief admitted that negotiations with militants in the past helped terrorists regroup in the country. He said that security forces were ready for permanent peace in the country.

Undoubtedly, Pakistan has one of the best armies in the world
which is fully capable to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country forever, but due to lack of a permanent and comprehensive national policy against terrorists’ groups the nation still faces terrorists’ attacks despite several military operations. Unfortunately, a soft corner has always remained here for terrorists’ outfits in the country due to which the nation could not adopt an inflexible policy against terrorism and as a result the country efforts to eliminate the terrorism couldn’t prove fruitful.

If the nation wants a permanent peace in the country it will have to change its policy of “good and bad Taliban” and to adopt an inflexible policy for all elements involved in terrorist activities in the country. We also need to change our policy regarding neighboring country Afghanistan and its current rulers as the soil of this country is using for terrorists’ activities against Pakistan. Jus two days ago, the Fourth Ministerial Conference of Afghanistan’s Neighboring Countries held in Samarkand pointed out that the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan continued to pose threats to regional peace. This is a stance Pakistan has long been advocating.

In short, if our political and military leadership is serious to elimination terrorism from the country forever, they should first adopt a right policy against terrorists and their allied elements, otherwise the new military operation against terrorism will not give the desire results.