Eradicating IEDs

The fact that the army chief, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, has taken up the issue of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) is very welcome. Such devices are widely used by militant groups in the country and have left behind a long trail of death and destruction. Reports in the past have suggested that IEDs are manufactured on a large scale within small laboratories, with banned outfits having gained more and more expertise over the years in producing these weapons and training others in doing so.

Speaking at a conference titled “Saving Lives by Jointly Defeating IEDs”, held at the General Headquarters, Rawalpindi, General Kayani told the gathering of experts from countries including the UK, the US, Australia and Turkey that the issue needs to be dealt with together. Given this reality, the conduct of the conference augurs well. It should be noted that there have also been US claims that 80 per cent of IEDs used against forces in Afghanistan originated from Pakistan and were assembled using the CAN fertiliser manufactured in the country. Most terrorist attacks in Afghanistan involve IEDs. However, General Kayani firmly refuted the line that their source of origin lay in Pakistan, pointing out that other countries in the region also produced similar or even more potentially dangerous substances, which could be used to make IEDs. He also said Pakistan had taken steps to control the movement of CAN.

It is logical to say that nations need to work together to resolve issues linked to militancy, including the production of IEDs. It is a wise decision to take up this matter. The army chief needs to be applauded for doing so, openly and sensibly. It is only when problems are spoken about that they can be solved. As such, the conference on IEDs holds very real significance and marks an important step forward in eradicating weapons which can be built quickly and easily, and which, over the last many years, have been used for terrible terrorist attacks, inflicting death and suffering on thousands.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2013.