The history of terrorism in Pakistan was neither sudden nor accidental. It evolved gradually over decades of geopolitical conflict and political opportunism. Its roots date back to the Afghan-Soviet war of the 1980s, when Pakistan became a conduit for weapons, militant ideologies and battle-hardened fighters. Weapons such as the Kalashnikov and Uzi, once symbols of distant wars, have become ingrained in the daily lives of Pakistanis.
Over time, the line between ordinary criminality and ideological activism has blurred. Criminal acts were often masked by militant rhetoric, while sectarian hatred presented itself as religious devotion. The state gradually confronted a deep-rooted culture of armed impunity that spread through society and changed the social and political landscape of the country.
With the end of the Cold War, activism did not disappear. Its infrastructure survived beneath the surface, silently recalibrating itself. Networks remained intact, training grounds survived, and extremist ideologies persisted. So the 1990s passed as a decade of deceptive calm.
The early 2000s marked a dark turning point as terrorism in Pakistan became more organized and ruthless. Suicide attacks have hit cities and public spaces. These attacks aimed not only to kill, but also to sow fear and break up society.
The U.S. invasion of Afghanistan after 9/11 accelerated this descent into militancy. Pakistan’s alliance with the United States and the collapse of the Afghan Taliban regime have pushed foreign militants, including members of al-Qaeda and fighters from Central Asia, to move into the tribal areas. Over time, these groups redirected violence toward Pakistan. The emergence of the TTP unified the insurgency and broadened its reach.
The consequences were severe: thousands died, the economy suffered, and fear disrupted daily life. Yet military operations such as Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad weakened militant networks and restored state authority in many areas.
However, terrorism continually adapts and reconfigures itself. After the return of the Afghan Taliban in 2021, the TTP found new sanctuaries across the border. Since 2022, activist activity has intensified amid domestic political turbulence. Simultaneously, long-standing tensions around the Durand Line and allegations within the Pakistani security framework regarding support for hostile intelligence networks operating from India and Afghan soil have further complicated the security environment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
In this unstable context, Imran Khan’s policies have taken on crucial importance. His government’s decision to open the borders to Afghan militants and facilitate their settlement inside Pakistan introduced a deeply controversial dimension. What might have been intended as an accommodation risked reintroducing seasoned fighters into an already fragile environment.
At the same time, the insurgency in Balochistan has become sharper and more sophisticated. The Balochistan Liberation Army reportedly benefited from external financial and logistical support. The influx of modern weapons has emboldened militant operations and transformed the insurgency into a more powerful destabilizing force. However, the Pakistani army is resolutely committed to meeting this challenge.
Pakistani police forces deserve special recognition in this long struggle. Often forming the first line of defense, they have fought terrorism with remarkable courage and sacrifice. Their sacrifices constitute one of the strongest pillars of Pakistan’s counter-terrorism framework.
The darker repercussions of this long proliferation of sophisticated weapons are now visible in the katcha areas of Sindh and Punjab, where heavily armed dacoit gangs have transformed into dangerous criminal syndicates. Armed with modern weapons, they expanded from isolated river belts to urban centers, engaging in kidnapping, extortion and murder with frightening audacity. The police, despite their courage, often find themselves facing criminals with superior firepower. In such circumstances, a decisive and coordinated operation, supported by strong intelligence integration between civil and military agencies and, if necessary, supported by air power, became imperative.
Indeed, Pakistan’s counterterrorism journey reflects hard-won resilience and institutional maturity. Military operations dismantled the entrenched sanctuaries; intelligence coordination was strengthened; and the calibrated use of air power signaled with unmistakable clarity that militant sanctuaries would no longer be tolerated. Yet terrorism, by its very nature, remains protean. It sheds old forms and adopts new appearances. Sleeper cells, lone actors and digital radicalization now represent the emerging frontier of this threat.
Economically, terrorism restricts investments and weighs on the State; socially, it erodes trust and breaks cohesion; politically, it imposes difficult and ruthless choices. Above all, it calls into question the very imagination of a peaceful and progressive society.
Ultimately, this is a storytelling competition. Militancy cannot be defeated by force alone; the ideas that support it must also be extinguished. Where despair has taken root, hope, inclusion and legal governance must emerge. Only then can the cycle of violence truly be broken.
Terrorism in Pakistan is neither invincible nor eternal. With the army and the police, clarity of purpose and unity of will can effectively silence terror.
The writer is a former Inspector General of Police and a former Ombudsman of Sindh.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policies of PK Press Club.tv.
Originally published in The News
