Promoting civilian victims of terrorism

The fight against terrorism and extremism is multidimensional in nature. It is waged by a living force against a living mass. The trinity of its components includes victims of terrorism, law enforcement agencies and terror operators. It cannot be restricted to raising, developing and deploying an effective counterterrorism force at national or sub-national levels. Nor can it be limited to a significant number of measures to support officials of law enforcement agencies and their families who have lost their lives or suffered physical harm during counterterrorism operations. Hence, the civilians who are killed or injured during incidents of terrorism still require government’s attention and establishment of a social support mechanism for their assistance. The data on casualties of terrorism is not segregated and is often cited in aggregate numbers without providing details of victims on the basis of their gender, age bracket, district of domicile or regional affiliation, ethnicity, religion or sectarian association. The civilian victims of terrorism do not often appear significantly in provincial or national discourse against terrorism and extremism. It is important that the public sacrifices should be acknowledged and projected on an even footing, comparable to the sacrifices made by officials of law enforcement agencies.

The data indicates that 135 civilians were killed and 469 injured in terror acts in 2021. If we compare these figures with civilian fatalities and injuries in 2020, an increase of 32% in civilian killings and 15% in civilian injuries was reported in 2021. At provincial level, 40% increase in civilian fatalities is seen in Balochistan and 38% in Sindh whereas in K-P it remained almost the same. In Punjab, the civilian fatalities also increased minutely. Similarly, the number of civilians injured in incidents of terrorism in 2021 indicates a rise of almost 50% in Balochistan and 54% decrease in K-P, respectively. However, a marked spike of 43% is observed in Punjab in civilian injuries. The compensation given to these individuals may be expanded to win public confidence in the fight against terrorism. The support mechanism needs to be broadened and developed on the lines of policies currently being pursued by different law enforcement agencies in extending all types of assistance to their officials who are either injured or martyred in the line of duty.

For example, the sixth day of September is celebrated to commemorate the sacrifices made by our soldiers including those who have lost their lives in counterterrorism operations. Similarly, all provincial police departments eulogise services of their officers and officials on third day of August who have laid down their lives in the line of duty. The civilian victims should be projected through a special day celebration at provincial level. The victims of APC massacre have been given due media coverage but that too was because the educational facility was directly related to a particular organisation. The survivors of such horrendous acts should also be promoted as national heroes from various geographical dispensations in the country. This cannot be done unless we map the complete data of civilian casualties at district or regional levels. It should include proper ethnic, provincial and social cross-sectional selection of such individuals who can be reckoned as national civilian counterterrorism champions. Here special attention should be given to those individuals who have tried to mitigate terror incident through bravery. The story of Aitzaz Hassan Bangash may be made part of provincial syllabi. Special measures be introduced in criminal justice system while interacting with these victims or their families. The blood relations of the victims of terrorism should also be preferred in employment avenues through special quotas. Moreover, a proper CTE communication strategy needs to be devised which covers all aspects of counterterrorism measures. It must also highlight sacrifices of the civilian victims of terrorism. The individual stories of such men or women of prominence may also be recognised through media. We must understand that the resilience of law enforcers can sustain the CT operations but determination of civilian victims of terror can forge a social response against terrorism and extremism.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 13^th, 2022.

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