PESHAWAR:
The capital administration recently had to close down multiple schools and four major universities due to security concerns. The decision added to an already uncertain security situation in the country. Political parties, particularly JUI-F and ANP, have been facing terrorist threats from, and experts are urging caution.
Whispers of a delay in the national elections also echoed in the Senate recently over the decorating security situation. But I don’t think it is a viable reason at all. Pakistan had no terrorism problem 25 years ago, but what we had was a terrible hybrid system that favoured some over others. We wouldn’t have this problem if we had worked on establishing democratic norms.
I am not undermining the cost of terrorism that Pakistanis have had to pay in the last two decades, but we must be ready to accept that those who joined forces with the militants have been marginalised from the political system. The cure for our problem is in upholding civil supremacy, which has been unfortunately missing throughout our history.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29th, 2024.
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