Editorial: Karma bites back

Islamabad is paying the price for its duplicity on the issue of terrorism

Like a Frankenstein monster, terrorism nurtured by the Pakistani deep state for decades is coming back to bite it with devastating effects. The recent suicide bombing in the restive Northwest province, targeting the political rally of a conservative outfit aligned with the government, reflects a resurgence of Islamic militant groups. The Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) has claimed responsibility for the attack on a gathering of workers of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan-Fazl group (JUI-F) at Bajaur bordering Afghanistan, leaving at least 54 dead and over 200 injured. Significantly, the JUI-F is a constituent of the country’s ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement. The terror strike on a political rally has cast a shadow over the national elections scheduled later this year. The current government, headed by Shehbaz Sharif, is expected to dissolve Parliament in August and hand over power to a caretaker government that will oversee the election process. The coming election is critical to restoring political stability to a country that has been rocked by mass protests since Imran Khan was forced out as prime minister in a vote of no-confidence in April last year. Terrorist attacks have been on the rise since a ceasefire between the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the government broke down last year. Growing violence has also stoked tensions between Pakistani officials and the Taliban administration in Afghanistan, which the Pakistani authorities have accused of providing haven to some militant groups. The core of ISIS is said to be made up of Pakistan Pashtun tribes who revolted against Rawalpindi for its double-dealing.

It turns out that Islamabad is paying the price for its duplicity on the issue of terrorism, playing a dangerous game of ‘good terrorists, bad terrorists’ to further its agenda in the sub-continent. The rulers must realise that their campaign against terrorists, targeting Pakistani interests, cannot succeed unless they abandon the strategy of selectively using terrorism as an instrument of state policy. The JUI-F, which was the target of the latest suicide attack, has had its hands soaked in blood as the madrasas, patronised by it, have produced many Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists who have perpetrated attacks in India. The Bajaur bombing comes at a time when Pakistan is surviving on financial support from the IMF, China, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Even these emergency bailouts cannot compensate for the lack of credible leadership as politicians and the army squabble to secure their interests. Prospects for the election have already been clouded by months of rivalry between main parties and accusations of military involvement in civilian politics, which the military denies. The latest suicide strike reflects a significant escalation of ISK’s growing capacity and aggressive stance in northwest Pakistan — a region which is home to many other militant factions. Pakistan has already witnessed 18 suicide attacks this year so far, with the tribal-dominated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province being the worst affected.

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