Mianwali raid
IT is clear that the new wave of militancy is not likely to recede anytime soon. A day after the atrocious terrorist attack on a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines, TTP fighters raided a police station in Punjab’s Mianwali district.
According to security officials, the incursion targeting the Makarwal police station was repulsed after a ‘grand operation’ was undertaken, involving police units from neighbouring districts as well as Lahore.
The area targeted during Tuesday night’s raid borders KP, specifically Lakki Marwat district, which has in the recent past been affected by terrorist activity. The foray should serve as a warning that the terrorists are moving beyond the peripheries towards the heartland, and that the state needs to prepare itself to meet the challenge.
Though Punjab has been relatively quiet after successive military operations brought a semblance of peace to the country, in the past terrorists have struck deep inside the province, including Lahore.
Moreover, after the TTP began its latest reign of terror following the end of the ceasefire last year, the militants have shown that they are capable of reaching Islamabad, as the suicide blast in the capital in December highlighted.
The fact is that the so-called Punjabi Taliban have always maintained cordial ties with the TTP, including providing recruits to the terrorist outfit, and sleeper cells are bound to exist, as the sectarian and jihadi militants of yore are still very much around, though maintaining a lower profile.
Now, emboldened by the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, as well as the TTP’s deadly recent forays, the Punjabi Taliban may be reactivating themselves, at least as facilitators if not combatants.
The best way to stem the tide of this coming onslaught, as stated before in these columns, is to improve intelligence capabilities and uproot the terrorist infrastructure nationwide. Combing operations have been conducted in Punjab, and these need to be intensified considering the latest threats.
Vigilance by law enforcers in Punjab is relatively better, yet by no means can the civilian and military security agencies underestimate the threat, as the Mianwali episode has shown.
The military’s top brass also emphasised the need for effective intelligence-based operations to counter the terrorist threat during Tuesday’s corps commanders’ conference, which is why the military needs to share intel with civilian agencies to achieve the target of neutralising the militant menace. As terrorists recognise no borders and jurisdictions, LEAs in all four provinces, as well as the centre, will have to coordinate their efforts to confront the threat.
Moreover, full implementation of the National Action Plan is imperative — this means action against the ‘good’ Taliban, as well as malevolent sectarian actors who can serve as the militants’ ‘B’ team. The whole spectrum of the terrorist threat needs to be confronted, not just parts of it.
Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2023
Corruption unlimited
PAKISTAN’S consistent slide on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index over the last several years is deplorable but not incomprehensible. Though we have ‘retained’ our spot at 140 on the CPI among 180 countries and territories for the second consecutive year, the overall score fell by one point to 27 points in 2022, the lowest in a decade. That the country’s corruption rankings dropped by 23 notches — from 117 in 2017 — under the administration of Imran Khan, who had come to power on the promise of tackling graft, highlights the unwillingness and inability of the nation’s leadership to stem the ever-deepening rot. It also highlights that the growing incidence of corruption is not the only issue here. The real problem is the anti-corruption laws and framework that have been set up to protect the country’s ruling elite, be they politicians, bureaucrats, military establishment, businessmen or judges. On top of that, these laws have mostly been applied in the past for the persecution of political opponents or ‘political engineering’ by the powers that be. Opposition politicians are put in jail for years on corruption allegations and subjected to vicious media trials, without their being convicted or their guilt being proved, until they are needed again by the establishment. The use of the anti-corruption watchdog NAB by Gen Musharraf and the PTI government to these ends is a testimony to the fact.
Considering this, it is not surprising that ordinary folk have lost all faith in the anti-corruption effort of the state. Both the federal and provincial anti-corruption agencies, hampered by political intervention, lack of resources and proper training to investigate white-collar crime and get the corrupt convicted, have proved ineffective in their so-called battle against dishonest activities. Rather, they themselves are perceived, and justifiably so, as involved in financial corruption. Consequently, we see greater social acceptance of the misuse of power for personal financial gains. The current state of affairs is placing new, harsher constraints on the economy, and raising the cost of public service delivery, besides affecting Pakistan’s credibility among its foreign creditors and investors as a transparent country. In order to improve its international standing as a clean and transparent nation, Pakistan must revamp its laws to fight corruption, stop using the agencies for political purposes, properly train their staff, and ensure greater transparency in the public sector decision-making processes.
Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2023
Women police officers
IN a heartening development, a second female police officer has been appointed as DPO in Attock, weeks after the district saw the appointment of its first woman SHO. Ammara Athar was appointed to the DPO position by Punjab Police in its effort to increase women representation in the force including in decision-making positions. Ms Athar is a deserving candidate, having served as SSP in Multan. Earlier, she made history when she became the first female DPO in Punjab, serving in Bahawalnagar and then in Sargodha.
It is indeed a commendable effort, especially because out of all provinces Punjab has marked the highest number of crimes against women. It is critical to have women decision-makers in positions of authority — especially the police force — where crimes against women are being investigated. Women police officers are skilful at tackling violent crimes against other women, and can outperform their male counterparts when it comes to community policing. Many male police officers are either shy or indifferent when it comes to engaging with female citizens — which is a major drawback given women make up half the population. Not only can women police officers educate their peers about the need for sensitivity and privacy around certain crimes, their own life experiences can bring meaningful change in the processes that exist to gather evidence and report criminal offences. Pakistan’s convictions in rape cases are still very low, largely because evidence collection and the recording of testimonies is poor. Senior women police officers can bring a transformative change in this regard, perhaps also encouraging women to report cases of abuse. Ms Athar’s appointment should inspire other provinces to follow suit. The success of women like Ms Athar proves that the outdated, regressive stereotypes which dictate that women cannot be part of a workforce that demands ‘aggressive’ work can be shattered. The government ought to support the trend by making more key appointments open to the best female officers.
Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2023