As the recent terrorist attack on Pakistan Stock Exchange (PXS) makes it all too clear that the country is passing through another pattern of violence. However, this time, the instability pattern seems beyond the Taliban and the war in Afghanistan. A recent assessment made by the Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) also reflects that Pakistan is approaching another pattern of threats.
As increase in the number of anti-state activities witnessed high in Tribal region, an area located close to the CPEC, a multi-billion flagship dollars project, and can be a game changer for the national economy, and Sindh, particularly Karachi, an economic life-line for the country and long victim of state-sponsored terrorism.
The highest number of militant attacks was reported from the erstwhile FATA region where nine militant attacks were reported, in which eight people including five security forces personnel, two civilians and one militant were killed while 14 others including nine security forces personnel were injured.
Last month, at least 19 attacks were reported, in which 24 people were killed and 38 others injured while the number of militant attacks in May 2020 reported 18; of which 34 people were killed and 15 others suffered injuries. Thus, almost 6 percent increase in the militant attacks was recorded in June as compared to May in the region.
In the monthly comparison, 67 percent increase in the number of anti-element activities was reported in April, 66 percent in May and 47 percent in June respectively in the Tribal Region.
Sindh is the second most affected region with six militant attacks, in which 14 people including six security forces personnel, four civilians and four militants were killed while 12 others, including 10 civilians and two security forces personnel, were injured.
PICSS retrospect states that increase in militant attacks in Sindh and Punjab indicate that militant groups are trying to revive urban militancy in Pakistan while during that period KP witnessed only one militant attack and notably, no militant attack was observed in Balochistan in June last month. Meanwhile, three militant attacks were reported from Punjab, in which one civilian was killed and 12 others were injured.
Furthermore, security forces carried out 19 significant actions throughout the country and 25 suspects were arrested while eight suspected militants were killed. Four security forces actions were reported from the erstwhile FATA region, five from KP, four from Punjab, three from Sindh, two from Islamabad and one from Gilgit-Baltistan.
An increase in terrorist attacks suggests that renewed effort is being made to revive militancy in Pakistan, particularly in our economic hub Karachi as well as already vulnerable to security in the Tribal region.
To conclude, there is no doubt that our law enforcers are fully prepared to fail any malicious design against national interests and neutralizing four terrorists within eight minutes span in Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE) Karachi is one such practical demonstration.
But we should not forget that a perfect storm of state sponsored-terrorism is being designed against the country and this time, their targets are beyond violence.
