The Enduring Battle
Terror war is not an unfamiliar concept in Pakistan, as the war has been a tireless affair over the last twenty years. This long term tussle has affected all the pillars of our society, including schools, hospitals, infrastructure, and basic services like polio workers and teachers. It has had a tragic impact, killing 94,000 innocent Pakistanis and damaging the economy so severely to the tune of 150 billion dollars. But it is not only a numbers game, it is a struggle to ensure the future of Pakistan, a struggle aimed at protecting the stability and health of future generations.
The terrorist organizations, such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan (IMP), also have one agenda, and that is to overcome and subjugate by use of violence without paying attention to moral and human values. These organizations have misinterpreted Islamic teachings to justify their terror, using religion for their destructive ends. They are contemporary Khawarij, as spelled out in Paigham-e-Pakistan, a declaration of 1800 ulema that denounces them as foes of peace, progress, and the future of Pakistan.
They not only want to destroy the Pakistani society with military attacks, but also want to destroy its very foundation. They target schools, hospitals, and infrastructure by attacking them to paralyze development, arrest the process of education, and prevent social welfare. They are violent to the point that they are trying to destroy every institution which has seen Pakistan emerge as a successful nation.
They are the enemies of the state, but more importantly, they are the enemies of the hopes and dreams of our people. Each bomb and each assault on civilians aims to disrupt social unity and economic development, which Pakistan so deeply requires.
These terrorists are anti development, anti society, and anti Pakistan in every respect.
Pakistan is, however, not sitting back as these attacks occur. The state, security sector, and the military have acted decisively to eliminate these terrorists and restore the future of our country. Hunting terrorist hideouts and eliminating key operatives, military operations have been launched across the country. The Pakistan Army started clearing out regions where terrorists used to roam, from South Waziristan to Bajaur. Such attacks have not only broken terrorist networks but also dealt a major blow to their capability of organizing further assaults. The military has also made it clear that it will not give room for such elements to flourish anywhere in Pakistan. The message is quite straightforward that Pakistan is no haven for terrorists.
The Pakistani people have already started to fight against the terrorists. The Mushti tribe of Orakzai was involved in a jirga to force militants off their land. The people of Upper Dir were fierce against the Khawarij and their distorted ideology. The rise of communities in the war against terrorism in the Pashtun belt (Waziristan to Lakki Marwat) has been remarkable. These jirgas and movements are a clear indication that the people of Pakistan are rejecting terrorism, realizing that these terrorists are not only enemies of the state but also enemies of the future of Pakistan.
These local movements play an immense role. They show how the citizens of a country can unite to reclaim their territory from terror. These movements are not isolated, but part of a wider awakening in Pakistan. The people are aware that the terrorists are fighting to control the country at the cost of their future. The Pakistani people are determined to raise a generation that will not be fearful or violent. The social condemnation of terrorism and extremism is one vital step that will lead to a peaceful and prosperous Pakistan.
The TTP and IMP are not only waging war against the state but also against society. They raid schools to deny the future generation knowledge, set bombs at hospitals to deny citizens their right to live, and destroy infrastructure to cripple the economy. They are not only aiming to undermine the state but also trying to drag Pakistan back into turmoil. However, this is not the future that Pakistan will possess. Our future is one of greater progress, peace, and development, a future in which Pakistan will lift itself out of terrorism.
The state, security forces, and military are doing their part, although a nationwide social movement is needed to eliminate terrorism. Every society, organization, and individual should come together to remove this menace. It is an interethnic, interreligious, and intergenerational struggle. It is a struggle to provide a safe, integrated, and successful Pakistan.
Pakistan cannot leave its future in the hands of terrorists. The future generation must have a fearless life, a life full of chances and harmony.
Terrorism is not merely a survival struggle, it is the future struggle of Pakistan. It is a struggle that we should all participate in.
The will of the Pakistani people is more powerful than ever. Every day, we are getting closer to the day when our children will grow up in peace and security. It is time for the government, the military, and the citizens to unite and tackle this challenge collectively. The war on terror is our war. We must engage it with all our force, in the name of the future of Pakistan and the future generations. The military has paved the way by destroying terrorist networks within the nation. Now, it is time for every one of us to rise and make sure that Pakistan becomes the country of peace, prosperity, and development.
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The views and opinions expressed in this article are exclusively those of the author and do not reflect the official stance, policies, or perspectives of the Platform.
