Pak Urdu Media Digest – Dec 1, 2023

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa witnessed 806 incidents of terrorism this year so far. In as many as 243 attacks, the police were targeted, according to the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD). The most 132 terror attacks took place in D I Khan, followed by 103 in Khyber, Peshawar 89, North Waziristan 86, and South Waziristan 50 terrorism cases. As per the report, 837 terrorists were arrested. Of them, 245 terrorists were arrested from Peshawar. (Baad-e-Shimal)
After the withdrawal of American forces, modern weapons worth 7.12 billion dollars were left behind, which became dangerous for peace in the region. According to international reports, these weapons have fallen into the hands of banned terrorist organizations, and anti-Pakistan terrorist organizations because of the disorganized structure of the Afghan Taliban. The entire region is in danger as a result. In fact, terrorism threat has increased to Pakistan, which has been fighting against terrorism of the outlawed TTP for the past two decades. Recently, security forces have killed eight terrorists in South Waziristan. Modern foreign weapons were recovered from them, which clearly shows that the American weapons left behind in Afghanistan have reached unsafe hands from where the outlawed TTP is systematically destabilizing the situation inside Pakistan. TTP also has staged attacks in Peshawar, Lakki Marwat, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan with US-made weapons. Foreign weapons were also used by the outlawed TTP in the attack on Zhob Garrison on 12 July 2023. A large group of terrorists armed with sophisticated weapons attacked two army check posts in Chitral on Sept 6, 2023, resulting in a fierce exchange of fire. The banned Baloch Liberation Army also attacked FC camps in Noshki and Panjgur districts in February 2022 using the same weapons. Clearly, the gun trotting terrorists from Afghanistan are drawing blood here in Pakistan. The international community must take notice of the foreign weapons and terrorist organizations in Afghanistan. (Daily Ausaf, Nawaiwaqt)

The new wave of terrorism in Pakistan has become a matter of deep concern for the 250 million Pakistanis. The country has already suffered over $100 billion in financial loss in the war against terrorism. More than one lakh Pakistanis including civilian and military personnel have been martyred. The martyrdom of innocent school children when Army Public School in Peshawar was attacked, shook the entire nation. And pushed all political and religious parties and security agencies to unanimously agree on the National Action Plan (NAP). Eight years ago, in 2015, the Army cleared terrorist hideouts from the toughest areas of Swat, North and South Waziristan. The PAF also participated in the military operation. Though there were sporadic incidents, the situation remained normal until 2019. A year later in 2020, terrorists became active once again, and there were 12 terrorist incidents. US and NATO forces left Kabul in 2021, and the Taliban took over the reins of Afghanistan. Pakistan had strong hopes that the western border would remain secure under the rule of the Taliban. But it is alarming that the rule of the Taliban has seen a 60% increase in terrorist attacks in Pakistan. Terrorists of Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are carrying out these attacks inside Pakistan from the Afghan soil. One reasons for this is that after the peace agreement between the United States and the Afghan Taliban, the political and military leadership of Pakistan allowed 40 thousand people belonging to the TTP to enter Pakistan and stay in the areas of North and South Waziristan. Terrorists imprisoned in Pakistan’s jails were released; the security forces are bearing the brunt of this decision. Terrorist incidents surged this November. As many as 12 soldiers and officers were martyred when terrorists raided Mianwali Air Base; the air force and commandos foiled the terrorists’ plan. The people of Pakistan are wondering why Afghans are against Pakistan. More so since Pakistan saved Afghanistan from Russian occupation and provided humanitarian aid to its Afghan brothers when America occupied Afghanistan. Lakhs of Afghans were hosted in Pakistan for a long time. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan is using Afghan soil for suicide attacks in Pakistan. TTP wants to take control of our tribal areas where they can implement Sharia law. Human history is a witness to the fact that terrorists always take advantage of political chaos. The gap between rich and poor in Pakistan is increasing day – by – day. Poverty, unemployment and inflation have made it impossible for people to lead a dignified life. People no longer have faith in the institutions of justice; mistrust and despair are increasing. Brain drain has reached an extraordinary level. Uncertain conditions in Pakistan are becoming favorable to terrorists. Pakistan army and people together can only ensure internal stability. As the people are politically divided, in order to restore the confidence of the people, it is necessary that the Pakistan Army should be completely isolated from politics and play a friendly role to provide the basic rights of the people. If all the parties are not given a level playing field in the upcoming elections, the situation may become more serious after the elections and the frustration of the youth may increase. Desperate youth can become facilitators of TTP. The military leadership should play a key role in building a national consensus to ensure Pakistan’s independence, security and internal stability. The decision of the civil and military leadership to send back Afghans from Pakistan who are illegally residing in Pakistan and becoming facilitators of terrorists is wise. According to a report, out of 24 terrorist attacks in 2023, Afghan citizens living illegally in Pakistan were involved in 14 incidents. The responsibility of internal stability is with the Pakistan Army, as well as the political parties; they should try to bring down the political temperature by holding a national dialogue. And they should resist staking the future of Pakistan for political gains. Electronic media should also play its role in achieving national reconciliation. (Qayyum Nizami, Nawaiwaqt)
Officials have confirmed that two civilians were killed in an attack by terrorists on a military convoy in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a couple of days ago. According to ISPR, seven civilians and three soldiers were also injured in the attack. According to the report of VOA correspondent Ayaz Gul, a motorcycle-riding suicide bomber blew himself up near the military convoy. The suicide bomber has been identified as an Afghan national belonging to Hafiz Gul Bahadur militant group, which is considered a close ally of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Another statement issued by the ISPR last night said eight terrorists were killed in an intelligence-led ops in South Waziristan near the border with Afghanistan. Last Sunday’s raid targeted alleged hideouts of the TTP. Pakistan says the TTP and other fugitive militants based in Afghanistan have increased their attacks inside Pakistan since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan two years ago. According to officials, sixteen suicide attacks inside Pakistan this year were carried out by Afghan fighters with the support of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, also known as the Pakistani Taliban. Officials in Pakistan have maintained that illegal immigrants have been involved in terrorism in the country. Therefore, on November 1, the emigrants without legal documents were ordered to leave Pakistan. A large number of emigrants returning from Pakistan are citizens of Afghanistan. So far, more than 400,000 Afghans have returned to their country. During this period, attacks on security forces in Pakistan have increased. According to the data released by the ISPR, more than 30 soldiers have been targeted in different parts of the country last month. According to some observers, it is easier for terrorists to attract unemployed youth. Professor Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy, head of the International Relations Department of Peshawar University, says that when a large number of unemployed youth go to Afghanistan from Pakistan, it is inevitable that they fall into the hands of people who are involved in terrorist activities. Then they can cause harm not only to their own country but also to other regions. The government policy of evicting all foreigners who do not have legal documents is being heavily criticized in the country, apart from international organizations. Speaking to Voice of America, Professor Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy said this decision did not come out suddenly. It is a long-standing issue and was repeatedly raised before the governments of former President Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani. But they never took this issue seriously and as a result, Pakistan had to take this drastic step. Any how providing jobs and shelter to Afghan refugees is the responsibility of the Afghan Taliban and not the government of Pakistan, according to him. The Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar has clarified that after the establishment of the interim government of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the incidents of terrorism in Pakistan increased by 60 percent while suicide attacks increased by 500 percent. He said that during the last two years, more than 2200 Pakistani citizens had lost their lives. For this the terrorists of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are responsible and they have been using the territory of Afghanistan to carry out attacks inside Pakistan. According to analysts, the Pakistani leadership has been pointing out the increasing attacks of the TTP to the Afghan leadership for a long time, sometimes aggressively, sometimes in a friendly manner. But a lack of full cooperation from Kabul is evident. Speaking to Voice of America, Sami Yousufzai, an expert on Afghan affairs and a senior journalist, said the government of Pakistan is fully active in eliminating the TTP within the country, but as long as the leadership of the TTP is in Afghanistan, and there is support to them, things will remain as they are. In his view, it will not be an easy task for the Afghan Taliban to remove the TTP fighters. Some top Taliban leaders want relations with Pakistan to remain normal but the Taliban supreme leader Mullah Haibatullah himself has a softness for TTP. If action is taken against TTP, a lot of complications can emerge within the Taliban. According to Yousufzai, the Afghan Taliban kept TTP’s interests in mind instead of the expulsion of three million Afghan citizens from Pakistan, which clearly indicates that the gulf between the two countries will widen in the coming days. Various statements have also come out regarding the action taken inside Afghanistan for the elimination of TTP on behalf of various circles of Pakistan. TTP hideouts were also targeted in Kunar and Khost, but the Pakistani government never officially claimed responsibility. According to an expert on Afghan affairs, in case of crossing the border, there will also be a response. Thousands of suicide bombers and an active network of TTP inside Pakistan would be nothing less than a major threat to Pakistan. That is why Afghanistan is a dangerous neighbor. Hence, Pakistan has to take very thoughtful steps. Will Pakistan be safe with the evacuation of refugees? According to Syed Mudassar Shah, senior editor of the Afghan media organization “Pajhwok News”, despite the policy of evacuating refugees, the threat of terrorism will remain the same. According to him, TTP fighters have been involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan instead of Afghan citizens. And, the cross-border situation may create a huge humanitarian crisis in the winter as the Taliban government lacks resources. All this may directly affect Pakistan once again. (Nazrul Islam, Urdu Voice of America)

Despite the Government’s claims, there has been no reduction in street crimes in Karachi. Pakistan Hockey Federation Secretary Haider Hussain became the latest target of robbers, who snatched his mobile phone and escaped easily in the Joharabad police station area. On the other hand, it was revealed that the policemen were involved in another incident of theft in Karachi. Sources stated that the Police officials snatched a vehicle in Tipu Sultan area. Constable Khalid and Constable Ghalib committed the crime on November 23. Both of them have since been arrested from the Garden Headquarters pending further investigation. On November 19, a major robbery took place in Orangi Town No. 5; Two crore rupees in cash and 70 – 80 tolas of gold and other valuables were stolen. (Urdu Point)

Dacoits killed 13 persons of Solangi Kabila because dacoits suspected them to be police informers. We know that if rulers want, they can bring an end to dacoit menace in a matter of days and thus establish the rule of law. But, attacks like above clearly indicate authorities have no such inclination that there should be peace and law and order in the province. We do not know the reasons behind such a state of inaction against dacoits, but we know for sure that if no serious efforts are taken, dacoits will keep killing people suspecting every other person to be a police informer. Hence, decision should be taken immediately at provincial government level and law and order should be restored before polls.” (Edit in Ibrat)

Protests were held in colleges across Balochistan against the attack on former President of Balochistan Professors and Lecturers Association (BPLA), Prof Agha Zahid. He was attacked on Sariab Road on Monday while going to the college from his home. Black Day was observed for two-days. College teachers tied black bands on their arms, staged protests and demanded the arrest of all the attackers including the main accused and a transparent investigation against the Chairman Board. (Urdu Point)

Awami Action Committee has given a strike call in Gilgit as there was no response to their charter of demands from the Gilgit-Baltistan government. Lawyers’ fraternity and Opposition parties have lent their support to the strike. (Baad-e-Shimal)
Awami Action Committee patrons in Yasin area declared that unless they get electricity, they will not allow power supply to any other area. The Provincial minister had promised to end load shedding but the situation is getting worse every passing day, they complained. (Daily K2) ####