The recent resurgence in terrorism has brought with it newfound unity and resolve. The civilian and military leadership are acting as one to defeat to the militant menace. It was telling that the high-level meeting on Monday chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif included not only the army chief but also provincial representatives. It may be finally dawning on us that militancy can only be eliminated if everyone that matters is in on the effort. The meeting called for the long overdue implementation of the National Action Plan, which was devised in January 2015 after the APS attack in Peshawar, but which has so far been executed imperfectly. It was decided that there would be greater cooperation between the centre and provinces and that security would be further beefed up at the border with Afghanistan. This cooperation needs to take the form of intelligence-sharing between both civilian and military intelligence agencies as well as between law-enforcement agencies at the federal and provincial levels. For this to happen, the orders need to come from the very top. This is why the united front shown by the civilians and the military is so crucial. It eliminates any chatter about differences between the two and allows for those below them to work together in pursuit of shared goals.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Apex Committee held a separate meeting on Monday, with Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa also present. As the province which has suffered the brunt of militancy, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is on the frontlines of the war. It has to deal with the safe return of IDPs from Fata, the future status of Afghan refugees living in the province and any fallout from the increased security on the border with Afghanistan. This is why the provincial leadership needs to be an integral part of all efforts to combat militancy. One of the reasons why NAP has not been as successful as it should have been is the impression given that all actors are not on the same page. The meetings in Islamabad and Peshawar are the first step in correcting that impression. The proof, though, will be in the results. The original 20-point NAP laid out a comprehensive strategy for combatting the militant threat but much of it has only been observed in the breach. Now, with everyone seemingly on board, implementation will need to be quick and decisive, with a corresponding improvement in security needed to show a scared public that this war can be won.