The bigger picture

Operation Khyber-IV is an important adjunct to the larger mission of Operation Raddul Fasaad as it is targeting the newer militant threat posed by IS. Some of the recently most devastating attacks have been carried out by the pan-national group and destroying its hideouts is vital to ridding the country of the militant menace. On Sunday, the ISPR said the army had cleared two IS strongholds in Rajgal Valley. These included a mountaintop area that the IS uses to cross over from Afghanistan into Pakistan. Both countries have accused each other of allowing militant groups to operate in their territory and so the news should be welcomed by Afghanistan too since it prevents that area from being used by any militant group. But Afghanistan has been resolutely opposed to Khyber-IV from the start. Perhaps its opposition could be explained by it not wanting to admit that IS is based on its soil. Such an attitude only ends up giving space to militant groups to operate and makes any cooperation between the two countries difficult. At a time when a coordinated strategy to fight militants based on mutual interests is needed, Afghanistan is putting obstacles in the way of defeating the IS – a group that is an equal threat to both countries.

For Pakistan, as welcome as these victories in the war against militancy are, there needs to be a clearer picture of what the end game is. Operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched in 2014 and there had been over a decade of military operations before that too. The operations have certainly reduced the number of militant attacks in the country but they have come at a cost. Tens of thousands of people from the tribal areas are still unable to return home. Those who have been able to go back complain that aid for rebuilding their destroyed houses has been insufficient. These internally-displaced people are often made to feel unwelcome in other provinces and the reforms to make Fata a true part of the country have stalled. No one has suffered more than the people of Fata from the scourge of militancy and yet their needs do not seem to be a priority. Even while winning individual battles against militant groups we could end up losing sight of the bigger picture. Militant groups thrive when the country is divided and at odds with itself. Defeating militancy in the country’s northern areas cannot have just a military solution; it needs to be accompanied by a holistic approach that prioritises reform in the tribal areas.