‘Challenges of cross-border terrorism: Has NAP collapsed?

Islamabad:The former National Security Advisor (NSA) Lt-Gen (r) Nasir Khan Janjua questioned whether it was only cross-border terrorism to face or is it much broader an issue because ‘Cross-border terrorism’ may be just one challenge we face on a larger canvas.

The former NSA was speaking at a seminar organised by the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) here Tuesday morning. He said that Pakistan has to look at Afghanistan for a better future and to resolve this issue of TTP and cross-border terrorism but we have not done enough on this front so far.

“We dislodged the TTP from our soil but they got entrenched in Afghanistan from where they are continuing to launch attacks on us. The strategy should be that Pakistan should bring the stakeholder together in efforts to resolve the menace of cross-border terrorism through ‘Fight TTP direct, Through (Afghanistan), by engaging Ulema and through dialogue,” Lt-Gen (r) Nasir Khan Janjua said. Gen. Janjua was of the view that because of the prolonged instable situation in Afghanistan since 1979 our social fabric has become fragile as the situation in Afghanistan has done the worst damage to our society in all spheres.

“We didn’t brought this war to Pakistan. It was the USSR and later the US, which brought this war to Pakistan. And then there is India present on the Afghan soil since decades, with full support of Afghanistan, to keep hurting Pakistan and that too with the willingness and help of those ruling Afghanistan,” the former NSA said.

Dr Syed Kaleem Imam, the former Federal Secretary and former Inspector-General of Police said that there are 21 on-going conflicts in the world right now. Cross-border terrorism or attacks are not confined to Pakistan. The phenomena is found in other regions as well.

However, he said that our enemies don’t have to cross borders. They are amongst us because they have fled from this side to Afghanistan and they know the whole area, even the whole country, very well as well as that they have their families, friends, supporters and sympathizers on our side.

He pointed out that only during 2023, there were over 30 cross border attacks, mostly by the TTP in KP. Armed forces are engaged in countering these terrorist outfits but it should be the police on the forefront dealing with the menace of terrorism and cross-border terrorist attacks, backed by Pak armed forces.

“Police, which is the premier law-enforcing agency should lead these operations against these militants, insurgents and terrorist and the non-state actors. When these militants and terrorists will attack the community leaders and tribal elders, then the ‘Community Policing’ will become an effective counter-response because they know their people and their area far better than any army or any police force brought in from outside,” Syed Kaleem Imam said.

Former Ambassador, Asif Durrani, in his remarks said that the state-sponsored terrorism by India to keep Pakistan engaged is continuing from Afghanistan soil for many decades with tacit cooperation of Afghan Taliban.

He said that the US, despite calling Afghan taliban terrorists, kept them engaged through dialogue for 10 years in Doha, Qatar. “Pakistan also need to engage Afghan Taliban in dialogue to resolve this issue of cross-border terrorism by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and should seek their help to prevent use of Afghan soil to launch terrorist attacks against Pakistan from their soil. At present Afghan Taliban are clearly supporting the TTP to launch cross-border attacks against Pakistan,” the former Ambassador said.

Ambassador Durrani said that the TTP is on the run and have fled to Afghanistan where they have support and help of the Afghan Taliban. It is necessary for Pakistan to keep pursuing them relentlessly. Zahid Hussain, a senior journalists in his remarks said that more civilians and more security personals have been killed over the last year, including 200 soldiers.