Regardless of sporadic incidents of terrorism across the country, Pakistan’s largest-ever military operation, Zarb-e-Azb, has yielded positive results, as the troops have managed to break the back of terrorists since the offensive was launched two years ago.
Thousands of terrorists have been killed while an even larger number is on the run. Terrorists have been flushed out of their hideouts and thousands of kilometres of areas, which were under the control of various terrorist groups, have been reclaimed.
Operation Zarb-e-Azb started on June 15, 2014 — a week after a terrorist attack on Jinnah International Airport in Karachi claimed the lives of 28 people, including security personnel, and wounded at least 18. The joint military operation was launched in North Waziristan, which had been a long-time hideout of terrorists, and for the first time, it targeted all terrorist groups, irrespective of their association. The funding of terrorist groups has been choked while their facilitators are also being rounded up.
The war against terror, which is essentially an unconventional form of warfare, is considered one of the most difficult to win, for there is no clear distinction between friend and foe.
The military has also taken a leading role in organising security measures at provincial levels by forming Core Committees under a National Action Plan. As a result of a host of measures, the overall security situation in Pakistan has improved and terrorist attacks have dropped to a six-year low since 2008.
It is time that the political parties in the country, especially the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, back the army in conducting military operations in the main cities to flush out terrorists and unearth their sleeper cells. Rangers have been in action in Karachi and have upheld the law, but political backing is lacking.
Armed forces should be allowed to conduct combing operations to wipe out terrorists hiding in main cities, as their operators raise their heads and hit major targets at will to take revenge and make their presence felt.
Pakistan should also work closely with Afghanistan to crack down on terrorists fleeing the tribal areas that are being attacked.
Also, the world community should not abandon Pakistan and must help the country in rehabilitation and consolidation projects in the areas that are cleared of terrorists. Launching development projects in remote tribal areas is a must to provide business and employment opportunities in these areas.
