Terrorism — getting on the same page

There has been for decades and even at times of great tension the back channels continue to operate


Editorial November 26, 2017

Since the 9/11 attacks terrorism has both evolved and diversified. There are hundreds of terrorist groups worldwide that kill and maim thousands every year. The attacks themselves are increasingly carried out by so-called ‘lone-wolves’ using improvised means of attack with dreadful effect — cars, vans and trucks all used in the last year and knives are increasingly common. Many of those committing these acts were previously unknown to the security service and flew in under the radar. Some are entirely self-radicalised and have no physical link to any terror network other than via the internet. Combating terrorism in that environment is a nightmare — for one thing it is not what counter-terror forces trained for in the first place and secondly the nature of the target is changing faster than counter-agencies can adapt themselves.

Pakistan has a significant interest in countering terrorism and an interest also in cooperating with other nations to share information and methodologies. To that end the 6th round of the Pakistan-EU Political Counter-Terrorism dialogue is an essential tool. It was held under the auspices of the EU-Pakistan Five-Year Engagement Plan and there were the usual anodyne and platitudinous statements from both sides at the talks’ conclusion. There was the usual agreement to collaborate, exchange best practice and limit the finances of terrorist groups — and all of this was window dressing.

There can be no doubt that there is collaboration. There has been for decades and even at times of great tension the back channels continue to operate. All well and good, but the states of the EU are hardly going to be delighted to have seen the release of Hafiz Saeed from house arrest, or the chaos brought about by a sit in by a group of extremist right-wingers that has paralysed much of the life of Islamabad and Rawalpindi for three weeks. They will watch with concern as the government cracks down on the protest and blacks out the media, social and televisual, in much of the country. It is within that environment that extremism is fostered that in turn nurtures and supports terrorism. Reap as you sow.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26th, 2017.

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