TROUBLE is brewing in KP, where terrorist outfits are growing ever more emboldened in their attacks. This week, two outrageous assaults on a cantonment and a rural health centre in Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan, respectively, claimed the lives of 15 Pakistanis, including 10 soldiers, in the latest escalation by TTP-backed militants, who are believed to be operating from safe havens in Afghanistan.

Though Islamabad has issued a ‘strong demarche’ to Afghan representatives, demanding “immediate, robust and effective action” over the attack on the Bannu cantonment, it has been clear for a while that the de facto government in Kabul is failing to rein in the TTP, which is now the “largest terror group” operating on its soil, according to a recent UN report. It is imperative, therefore, for the Pakistani state to act against these terrorists and their facilitators. However, its plans have so far been frustrated by the state’s poor strategising.

About two weeks ago, the government had floated a proposal for an all-parties conference to discuss Operation Azm-i-Istehkam, which had been welcomed by the opposition parties, including the PTI. However, after the early enthusiasm, there has been no development on this front, and it is feared that the initiative may be delayed indefinitely due to the breakout of fresh hostilities between the PTI and the current regime.

This is dangerous from a national security perspective, as plans for combating a major existential threat have inadvertently become subservient to the seemingly never-ending political tussle. The state must keep in mind that it is not just the PTI, but several mainstream parties that have serious concerns about the proposed operation, and it is vital to get them on board before the state launches kinetic operations. Not doing so risks provoking the citizens residing in these areas, which may create unnecessary complications.

Consider, for example, that the first reaction from Bannu residents to the assault was to issue a statement that, among other things, made it clear they would not evacuate the area in case of a military operation. Locals said they would rather stand up and fight the terrorists themselves than abandon their homes for another antiterrorism drive. They recognise the problem, but they have no interest in the solution being proposed by the state. This is mainly a political failure, arising from the government’s inability to manufacture broad-based consensus around the need for a military operation.

There is an urgent need for this failure to be rectified. Too many lives are being lost to an enemy that is growing in strength the longer the infighting continues in the corridors of power. The government must call its APC at the earliest and invite all stakeholders to take part. This matter cannot be delayed further.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2024