The resurgence of terrorist attacks in Pakistan seems to escalate with the immense increase in the terrorist attacks which will bring broader consequences for the country. With the start of the year 2022, several attacks were held on forces and bombing attacks around the country. The recent attack on Peshawar Mosque is an alarming situation for the law and enforcement agencies in which around 200 people were injured and around 60 died. Attackers targeted the congregation of Pakistan’s Shiite minority, as the armed man opened fire on the people and police and later forced his way into a crowded hall detonated his suicide vest. The attack was one of the deadliest in the years on Pakistan’s Shi’ite minority which has long been targeted by Islamic states and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). This time the attack was again claimed by the Islamic States against the Shia minority. The attack came when Pakistan was hosting the Australian cricket team after 1998 for the first time.
After the attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009, these times were the hope that international cricket will again come back to Pakistan to bring revival after long. Attacks by the Islamic insurgents have become a frequent act in Pakistan, especially taking the case of 2022, there has been a prominent increase in the attacks. On 20 January 2022 Lahore bombing, on 25 January 2022 Kech district attack, 2 February 2022 Panjgur and Naushki raids, 2 March 2022 Quetta explosion, 4 March 2022 Peshawar mosques bombing, major Pakistan army bases came under attack in the sparsely populated province and the ensuing clashes had lasted three days, killing many soldiers and assailants. In March alone, till now, two major explosions had held. The one in Peshawar and another in southeastern Pakistan, in which a roadside bomb explosion had killed at least three people, including a senior officer, and wounded 24 others and it was to target police convey in central Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province.
There can be critical consequences of such heinous and cowardly terrorist attacks on the national security of Pakistan. Already, FATF the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog has retained Pakistan on the grey list of countries under increased monitoring until June. Although Pakistan has addressed 32 points out of 34 in years and despite the significant progress made by Pakistan in completing the required actions to implement a comprehensive action plan. FATF has acknowledged these measures but showed much discrimination in its transparency over the years. Therefore, with a deteriorating situation of law and order, it would further complicate and harshen the measures on Pakistan to attain the ultimate end.
Moreover, foreign investment would be held back by the investors, affecting the economy, especially as the outlawed ethnic Baluch militant groups and the Pakistan Taliban TTP routinely attack security forces, civilians and they are extremely against the foreign projects in the region. Despite many effective measures by the security forces to securitize the region, it has created extreme horror among the investors.
Considering the ameliorating situation of tourism over the past few years, it would be a huge hit back to the country’s profile. As per the western media, Pakistan was ranked the best holiday destination for 2020and was also declared the third-highest potential adventure destination in the world for 2020. As security in the country improves, tourism increases, and it has increased by more than 300% but the current situation can squeeze it to zero.
Further, external pressure will be another factor as all this is manipulated by the Indian media and has been exuded under the Grey Hybrid warfare by India to malign Pakistan for all these incidents and further deteriorate its image internationally which has become obvious by Indian attempt to threaten New Zealand team and Australian team and now creating minacious environment leading to chaos and instability.
Hence the scenario has become another challenge for law and enforcement agencies to implement an effective grid around, to control the situation before it becomes too worse.
