Terrorism in Pakistan

The terrorist attack in Karachi is another act in the continuing chain of brutal senseless violence that has become a way of life in and fro...

The terrorist attack in Karachi is another act in the continuing chain of brutal senseless violence that has become a way of life in and from Pakistan for over two decades. The terrorist attack outside the US consulate was similar to the earlier attack outside the American Center in Kolkata. But the important thing is that this is the fourth major terrorist strike aimed at US and western citizens and interests in Pakistan. The aim, besides the twisted logic of terror as an instrument of jehad, like in the earlier attacks, was to signal that jehad through violence even aimed at innocents is very much alive and killing. The jehadis apparently want to perpetuate the myth that the war against terrorism being waged by the US and its allies is only a war against Muslims. And the US information campaign appears to have slowed perceptibly in this domain.

The latest incident may once again give credence to the theory that the government of General Musharraf is not in control of the jehadi fighters. Such an erroneous assumption could severely undermine the global war against international terrorism, and hence must not be accepted without serious questioning. Obviously, it would be naive to believe that Islamabad would control each and every individual fired up by the terrorist ideology even if that ideology and motivation have been consciously promoted in Pakistan. As steps are expanded and deepened to wipe out terrorism, it is to be expected that many groups would fractionate into sub-groups with new nomenclatures and even choose autonomous vectors in accordance with the philosophy promoted by Islamabad. But in essential terms General Musharraf continues to hold power and authority to implement a robust policy to wind down the jehadi machine.

Musharraf and his government must recognise that like in so many other fields, half-measures can prove to be not only self-defeating but create a strong blow back. Fainthearted steps against terrorism could lead to increasing instability in Pakistan since the extremists, who are believed by innocent gullible people who provide the recruiting base for jehadi terrorists, would be seen to be winning. The country is awash with millions of lethal loose weapons, drug traffickers, criminal mafia, and tens of thousands of madrassas are still continuing along the old path since reforms have hardly begun to take effect. Musharraf may want to leave the tough measures to an 8220;elected8221; political leadership. But in the process he would be aggravating the problem immensely. For the same reason the US, in particular, must press for more definitive steps to wind down terrorism inside Pakistan before the elections so that politicians have a clear and broadly accepted road map on which to continue moving. Otherwise, less, and not more, counter-terrorism is likely after October.