{"id":22251,"date":"2024-04-22T07:07:02","date_gmt":"2024-04-22T07:07:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dailybigdigit.com\/?p=22251"},"modified":"2024-04-22T07:07:02","modified_gmt":"2024-04-22T07:07:02","slug":"countering-terrorism-for-economic-stability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dailybigdigit.com\/?p=22251","title":{"rendered":"Countering Terrorism for Economic Stability"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Countering Terrorism for Economic Stability<br \/>\nThe surge in terrorist attacks, predominantly conducted by terrorist groups like the Tehrik-e\u0002Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other factions from Afghanistan, has increased in recent years,<br \/>\nposing a significant challenge to Pakistan&#8217;s security not only for nationals but also for<br \/>\nforeigners too. The police force and other security agencies have been the brunt of these<br \/>\nrelentless assaults. This wave of attacks, perpetrated by various militant groups operating<br \/>\nwithin the region, exacerbated concerns over the escalation of militant tactics.<br \/>\nPakistan has endured a staggering number of terror incidents, with as many as 245 recorded<br \/>\nin the first three months of 2024 alone. These attacks have targeted diverse locations and<br \/>\nforeign vans, including mosques, shrines, markets, law enforcement agencies, security<br \/>\ninstitutions, and military checkpoints. In a disturbing trend, terrorists have increasingly<br \/>\nfocused their efforts on law enforcement agencies and military installations, exemplified by<br \/>\nrecent assaults on Zhob and Chitral garrisons. Operatives of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan,<br \/>\nbased in Afghanistan, have carried out these attacks inside Pakistan.<br \/>\nThe TTP has claimed responsibility for a string of terrorist incidents across the country in<br \/>\nrecent months, including a suicide bombing in Islamabad, an attempted attack on a police<br \/>\nstation in Punjab province, and an assault on a police compound in Karachi. For instance, last<br \/>\nmonth, an explosive-laden car targeted a bus carrying Chinese workers in Bisham, adding to<br \/>\nthe vulnerability of foreign nationals involved in projects under the China-Pakistan<br \/>\nEconomic Corridor initiative. More recently, a van carrying Japanese autoworkers in Karachi<br \/>\nwas attacked. Just before the attack on Japanese autoworkers, the customs service in Dhaka<br \/>\nbecame the victim of terrorism, intensifying the assault on foreigners, governmental<br \/>\nofficials, and law enforcement agencies.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22252\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailybigdigit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/0000-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"1032\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dailybigdigit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/0000-1.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.dailybigdigit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/0000-1-209x300.jpg 209w, https:\/\/www.dailybigdigit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/0000-1-714x1024.jpg 714w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><br \/>\n2<br \/>\nLong-lasting China-Pakistan friendship<br \/>\nThe escalating challenges posed by terrorism and extremism in Pakistan threaten to<br \/>\nundermine the long-term, comprehensive strategic cooperation between China and Pakistan.<br \/>\nThe destabilizing elements from Afghanistan are trying to destabilize the deep-rooted<br \/>\nfriendship and collaborative endeavors between Pakistan and China. Both Chinese and<br \/>\nPakistani authorities express grave concern over these acts of terror, recognizing them as not<br \/>\nonly internal threats to peace and security but also as obstacles, particularly in areas crucial<br \/>\nto Pakistan&#8217;s economic development and progress.<br \/>\nThe deteriorating law and order situation, exacerbated by targeted attacks on Chinese<br \/>\nworkers, not only jeopardizes the safety of Chinese nationals but also undermines the<br \/>\nconfidence of the Chinese business community in investing in Pakistan. Pakistan is<br \/>\nprioritizing and improving security measures and enhancing counterterrorism efforts to<br \/>\nsafeguard Chinese personnel and projects. Pakistan will do everything to unwavering<br \/>\ncommitment to the safety and welfare of Chinese citizens. Recognizing Pakistan&#8217;s<br \/>\ncontributions to the global fight against terrorism, China acknowledges and applauds<br \/>\nPakistan&#8217;s role in combating terrorism in securing regional stability and security.<br \/>\nDespite facing terrorism, China&#8217;s active participation in infrastructure development projects<br \/>\nin Pakistan, particularly in the tribal areas, is commendable and deserves more appreciation.<br \/>\nPakistan and China are poised to further strengthen their partnership, with a renewed focus<br \/>\non expanding anti-terrorism cooperation as an integral component of their shared vision for<br \/>\nbilateral cooperation.<br \/>\nFurthermore, bulletproof vehicles should be provided for the security of Chinese engineers<br \/>\nengaged in various projects across the province, encompassing both CPEC and non-CPEC<br \/>\ngovernment installations. Proper coordination needs to be established among the police, law<br \/>\nenforcement agencies, and Chinese security officials to ensure seamless collaboration in<br \/>\n3<br \/>\nsafeguarding foreign nationals. Additionally, stringent vehicle examination protocols must be<br \/>\nimplemented at security checkpoints to mitigate potential security risks effectively.<br \/>\nRecommendations for Pakistan to Counter-Terrorism<br \/>\n\uf0b7 At the domestic level<br \/>\nAt the domestic level, the government of Pakistan must prioritize the establishment of a<br \/>\ndedicated unit within the Special Branch, equipped with state-of-the-art security techniques<br \/>\ntailored specifically for the protection of Chinese and foreign nationals. This initiative should<br \/>\nbe coupled with stringent enforcement of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) concerning<br \/>\nthe security of foreign visitors along with the regular issuance of security advisories by<br \/>\nrelevant officers.<br \/>\nSupervisory officers at the range, district, and zone levels should be directed to conduct a<br \/>\nthorough reassessment of security measures for foreigners to formulate a concrete and<br \/>\neffective police strategy. These officers should be tasked with submitting a comprehensive<br \/>\nreview report within three days, outlining actionable steps to enhance security protocols.<br \/>\n\uf0b7 At the International or Regional level<br \/>\nAt the international or regional level, combating terrorism demands a multifaceted approach<br \/>\nthat encompasses robust security measures and counter-terrorism mechanisms to eradicate<br \/>\nterrorists who are living inside Afghanistan and spreading terrorism across the region.<br \/>\nUnderstanding the importance of a collective commitment to fighting terrorism in the region,<br \/>\nconcerted efforts are needed to formulate a &#8220;coherent and cogent&#8221; policy towards<br \/>\nAfghanistan to address the current situation effectively. Afghan authorities must take<br \/>\nconcrete and effective action to prevent the use of Afghan soil as a staging ground for<br \/>\nterrorism against neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan.<br \/>\n4<br \/>\nRegrettably, Afghanistan has become a sanctuary for militants from groups like the TTP,<br \/>\nwith its territory being exploited for terrorist activities against neighboring countries. Afghan<br \/>\nauthorities have failed to counter and combat the TTP threat. There is a continued<br \/>\ncommitment to finding joint solutions to counter terrorism and prevent any terrorist<br \/>\norganization from undermining bilateral relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.<br \/>\nIndia&#8217;s involvement in supporting terrorist activities aimed at destabilizing Pakistan,<br \/>\nincluding using Afghanistan as a proxy, is deeply troubling. In light of such challenges,<br \/>\nPakistan should raise concerns about Indian involvement in terrorist activities inside its<br \/>\nterritory with the United Nations, highlighting the need for concerted international action to<br \/>\naddress state-sponsored terrorism effectively.<br \/>\nNevertheless, the government of Pakistan remains resolute in its determination to combat<br \/>\nterrorism and smuggling, affirming that such cowardly acts will not deter its resolve. The<br \/>\ngreater cooperation and coordination among regional stakeholders and engaging the<br \/>\ninternational community, concerted efforts can be made to counter terrorism and promote<br \/>\npeace and stability in the region.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Written by Ms Uzma Osho Nasir, CEO ,Cooprate Zone Consulting\u00a0,\u00a0Islamabad<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Countering Terrorism for Economic Stability The surge in terrorist attacks, predominantly conducted by terrorist groups like the Tehrik-e\u0002Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other factions from Afghanistan, has increased in recent years, posing a significant challenge to Pakistan&#8217;s security not only for nationals but also for foreigners too. The police force and other security agencies have been [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":22253,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36,33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eurosia","category-national-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dailybigdigit.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22251","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dailybigdigit.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dailybigdigit.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dailybigdigit.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dailybigdigit.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22251"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.dailybigdigit.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22251\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dailybigdigit.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/22253"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dailybigdigit.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dailybigdigit.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=22251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dailybigdigit.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=22251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}