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Ikram Sehgal

Vice Chairman - Foreign Relations, Karachi Council on Foreign Relations

At last count the carnage in Peshawar that took place on December 16th 2014 resulted in the deaths of nine teachers and 132 children, a total of 141 and still counting. The incongruous thing is that the word “Talibaan” means “students”. How can those who kill our schoolchildren be called Talibaan? They should be called devils (Shaitans). The perverted ideology of such animals has nothing to do with Islam and those who massacred our innocents cannot claim to be Muslims.

At last count the carnage in Peshawar that took place on December 16th 2014 resulted in the deaths of nine teachers and 132 children, a total of 141 and still counting. The incongruous thing is that the word “Talibaan” means “students”. How can those who kill our schoolchildren be called Talibaan? They should be called devils (Shaitans). The perverted ideology of such animals has nothing to do with Islam and those who massacred our innocents cannot claim to be Muslims.

Were the Shaitans successful because of a lapse in security? There is not a shred of doubt about this. And on whose shoulders should responsibility rest? The right answer is on all of us. This includes the Federal and Provincial governments, the civil and police administration, the National Armed Forces, intelligence agencies, politicians, common citizens, etc. Can one stop someone who is determined to die from accomplishing his (or her) evil mission? No amount of passive protection can prevent this. Active protection means taking the fight to them, taking them out at their roots. Such terrorism as is currently practiced in Pakistan is impossible to perpetrate without foreign funding and logistical support. Foreign sponsors must be exposed.

Interdicting the logistics behind terrorist hideouts, money, ammunition, supplies, uniforms, vehicles, and safe mobility through the streets may be the responsibility of provincial law enforcement agencies (LEAs). This does not absolve the federal government and their myriad number of intelligence agencies. Unfortunately, their 24/7 tactical commitment and routine functions in any case undermine the ability of the LEAs to pick early warning signals about impending hostile action and slow down their response time. The police are unable to take the initiative in actively locating and ferreting out terrorists from various localities. The “democratically” elected political elite, flush with illegal money, can afford private security, as the egos of our so-called VIPs require blocking entire roads and moving around with convoys of police mobiles (and Rangers) with flashing lights and blaring sirens. Unless local police comply with this “fashion statement”, they are harassed, transferred and/or terminated, with Karachi and Sindh as the most tragic examples. Diverting significant police personnel from their task of “policing” relegates the police to a passive role and affects the security and sanctity of the common citizen and his property.

We learned the following lessons from the Karachi Airport incident. Firstly, there is no unified command. Secondly, there is a lack of coordinated intelligence gathering and sharing. Thirdly, we saw the absence of adequate weapons, equipment, vehicles, and light helicopters. Fourthly, there was a lack of trained manpower dedicated to tackling terrorism, protecting sensitive sites and preventing duplicate efforts. Last but not least, there was bureaucratic interference and an insensitivity to financial requirements of the LEA. Without “active intelligence” being shared immediately, terrorism cannot be countered.

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Sohail Mahmood and Mehdi Dehnavi:
Is It A New War Against Terrorism?

Federal Minister for Interior Ch Nisar Ali Khan announced a well-crafted National Security Policy, and then stopped right there. Why? Nobody knows why the de-activated National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA) remains de-activated despite the political rhetoric about its imminent activation.

What about security at schools and colleges? Both public and private educational institutions, such as the Army Public School (APS), are easy targets for the Shaitans. While the State must be responsible for the overall security of all citizens, it is the responsibility of individuals and organizations to further increase their security. APS should have anticipated such an attack and reinforced its security in the wake of the success of Operation Zarb-e-Azb. Public and private schools are potential targets and must take immediate steps to secure themselves and not simply pass on the responsibility to the State.

Critical assets such as ports, airports must be under a unified command dedicated to organizing, planning, training, equipping and implementing both protection and counter-terrorism responses. The mission statement for protecting public and non-public assets remains the same, while the criteria for the actual deployment of protection may differ. At present, our protection, response and rescue efforts remain fragmented; even the Army’s Defence Security Guards (DSG) are aided in their task by denuding the fighting formations of infantry units on makeshift arrangements.

The Border and Internal Security Forces, i.e. the Rangers in Sindh and Punjab, Frontier Corps (FC) in KPK and Balochistan, and FIA’s Immigration, report to the Ministry of Interior, ASF to Aviation Division and Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) to the Ministry of Narcotics Control. Officered by the Army, all have multiple parents except for Immigration, the crisscrossing channels of command causing confusion and duplication. A “Homeland Security Command” comprising all the aforementioned (including the DSG) must a be dedicated and effective single command and control mechanism for protecting strategic assets and countering terrorism. Headed by a senior three star general, preferably someone with actual combat and internal security experience, it should immediately take over the security of ports, airports, air, army and naval bases, etc. The Rangers and FC must separate their internal security and border security contingents. Even without NACTA as an integral part, a “Counterterrorism Force” (CTF) can be developed from within this Command. In the absence of any movement from the Federal Government, the Army was politely encouraged to do what was necessary by re-organizing within GHQ; sustained silence was the response.

The PM has taken a very courageous decision in removing the despicable moratorium imposed by former President Asif Zardari on death sentences for terrorists. Going one step further he has ordered that it will start being implemented in 48 hours. Last time around Mian, Nawaz Sharif only extended the moratorium because the Sharifs received a fax threatening his family. It takes courage to exercise such political will in the face of such threats and I commend that. Someone convicted for taking a human life (or lives) must pay the price according to law.

General Raheel Sharif’s immediate visit to Kabul yesterday was very important; one has no doubt about the sincerity of the Afghan President. With the evidence about who committed the crime still unsolved, if his people are in control of the perpetuator, he will hand him over. If nothing else he will not stop the likes of Mullah Fazlullah from using Afghan soil against us. The time for rhetoric is over, it is time to take action against the Shaitans. The media also has a responsibility - it must not give air to the representatives of the Shaitans in our midst. In fact they can start by remaining the Tehrik-e-Talibaan Pakistan (TTP) as Tekrik-e-Shaitan Pakistan (TSP), a simple matter of changing the alphabet “T” with the alphabet “S”.

Combining unity of command with amalgamated intelligence potential and common personnel, weapons and equipment, etc. under one single entity saves money by avoiding duplication. Instead of lip-service rhetoric and vacillation, there must be a credible and effective counter to the existential terrorism threat faced by this country.

Peshawar has shown in graphic bloody detail what tragedy our built-in complacency can bring! Let us all unite to counter the Shaitans.

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