Countering terror.

The end of the year 2022 has seen an upsurge in the number of acts of terrorism in Pakistan. While there was a gradual increase for some months, the number dramatically increased in the recent past and with ever: increasing ferocity. Terrorism is a serious threat to life and property as well as to rule of law in the country with an adverse impact on daily life, economic activity and peace in society. Two meetings of the National Security Committee discussed in detail the course of action to be adopted to counter this rising wave of terrorism. Since terrorism does not recognise borders, many countries have joined hands to counter this threat. NATO, the biggest military alliance, has its own counterterrorism policy guidelines. These guidelines focus on three main areas including awareness, capabilities and engagement and the efforts against terrorism include deterrence and defence, crisis prevention and management, and cooperative security.

Counterterrorism efforts, whether in one state or among a group of states, need to be countered through prevention and suppression by effectively employing all possible means available to the state(s). This requires clarity of purpose, clear definition of responsibilities, close coordination between all the stakeholders and continuous review of the threat, the effectiveness of the actions taken and results achieved to assess the efficacy of those efforts. On the contrary, poor implementation of plans and unrealistic measures prove counterproductive. It needs to be understood that while the enforcement of the writ of the state through counterterrorism (CT) operations is essential and justified, measures should never be provocative or extrajudicial. Making life difficult for citizens and creating an atmosphere of fear and suppression will result in exactly the opposite of the intended efforts; which include rule of law and the safety and security of the citizenry.

A good example could be the Council of Europe, which for over 40 years, has 'helped to develop and reinforce key legal standards to prevent and suppress acts of terrorism. Its comprehensive approach focuses on fighting terrorism more effectively by strengthening and improving national legislation, as well as facilitating international cooperation. However, it emphasises full respect for human rights and the rule of law while endeavouring to bring terrorists to justice.' Pakistan has the experience and expertise to successfully control terrorism in...