Govt, military fighting terrorism together: President

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain said that the government and military were ready to fight terrorism together.

The president emphasised that it was essential that hurdles not be placed in front of the government in its effort to eliminate terrorism from Pakistan.

Addressing a ceremony at the National Defence University (NDU), President Hussain said the country was passing through a difficult stage.

According to the president the challenges faced by Pakistan would be eliminated once development projects launched by the government were completed.

Need to rid country of terrorism: Army chief

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif said on Monday terrorism in Pakistan needs to be eliminated.

General Sharif visited the National Defence University and addressed participants of the National Security and War Course. According to an ISPR press release, the army chief’s address focused on the internal and external situation of the country with particular reference to the ongoing operation in North Waziristan.

The army chief emphasised that the operation is aimed to eliminate all terrorists and their sanctuaries in North Waziristan and ‘get rid of the menace of terrorism.’

Upon his arrival at the National Defence University, General Raheel Sharif was received by President National Defence University Lieutenant General Javed Iqbal.

 

Pakistan not doing much to root out terrorism: Dobbins

 

WASHINGTON: US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan James Dobbins has said that Pakistan is not taking appropriate measures to curb terrorism in the country as the religious seminaries (Madaris) in Fata and Balochistan were the cause of attacks inside Afghanistan and India.
He said that the relations between Pakistan and the US had become “abysmally low and gravely worst”. He said that Pakistan’s role in solution to the Afghan crisis was very vital.During the hearing into the Afghan crisis in the US Congress, Dobbins said that mutual confidence was lacking in the relationship between Pakistan and the US and so the ties of the two countries were facing a grave crisis. He said that both the countries had shared trade, economic, social and security interests.

Meanwhile, the US has ruled out any mediation on the Kashmir issue as long as India rejects such a proposal and asked Pakistan to avoid employing militancy as an instrument of state policy.

“As long as India rejects any actual mediation, there’s not much we can do in that regard specifically,” James Dobbins told Pakistan’s state-run television.“India has consistently rejected any third party mediation and argued that it is an issue that needs to be negotiated directly and without the participation of any third party. So they’ve rejected mediation,” said Dobbins, who was recently on a visit to Pakistan.

“I think as long as they reject mediation, there is only a limited amount that the US or any other party can do. We, certainly in our dialogue with Pakistan and India, encourage improved relations, improved trade relations, improved dialogue on strategy and military issues and we certainly encourage dialogue and negotiation on the territorial issues that separate the two countries,” he said.

Echoing India’s apprehensions about cross border terrorism, he said India was concerned about cross border militancy and terrorist attacks that had been conducted in India which they believed had their origin in Pakistani territory.

“I think as is the case with Afghanistan, this is something that is in everybody’s interest. I think all of the states of the region need to avoid employing militancy as an instrument of policy,” he said.

“This has been a long-term strategy which has created a cancer in societies and particularly in Pakistani society which is now threatening the actual existence of the state and its democratic institutions,” he said.“So it’s in the interest not just of Pakistan, but of all of its neighbours to move away from that approach to diplomacy and to geopolitical strategy, and to avoid employing these kinds of instruments and, as I’ve said, move towards the elimination of violent extremism in Pakistan and around Pakistan and all of the neighbouring societies,” Dobbins said.

Referring to the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Dobbins said India would have a new government soon.“It will be a new opportunity. Pakistan now has a government that still has a long life in it with a clear political mandate,” he said.

“I think two governments with clear political mandates and a long future in each case offer an opportunity for both governments to take some of the risks and the political costs that are always inherent in any real opportunity to overcome differences. The US will certainly use its influence to encourage both the sides to take those risks,” he said.

RSIL seminar examines counter-terrorism legal regime

ISLAMABAD: The Research Society of International Law Pakistan (RSIL) on Monday organised a seminar on ‘Counter-Terrorism Legislation and the Way Forward’ here at Serena Hotel Islamabad to analyze the current counter-terrorism legal regime applicable in Pakistan, says a press release.

The objective of the seminar was to provide legal input to the relevant stakeholders on how the National Internal Security Policy could be operationalized through a futuristic legal framework that responded to the urgent situation on the ground while also ensuring the protection of fundamental rights.

In this regard, a detailed analysis of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 (ATA) and the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance, 2013 (PPO) was conducted with a view to providing amendments to both these pieces of legislation.

Saadur Rehman Khan, Coordinator RSIL, moderated the seminar. Jamal Aziz, Research Fellow at RSIL, presented the existing legislature including its objectives and purpose. He noted the numerous hurdles to the implementation of the PPO and discussed areas that the PPO was silent on. He mentioned that serious revision of the Ordinance was required to make it effective and the ATA would have to be significantly modified to sit comfortably with the new legislation. He stated that the concept of ‘combatant enemy’ should be preferably deleted as it confuses the jurisprudence and unnecessarily confers additional rights to attack the State.

Muhammad Oves Anwar, Research Fellow at RSIL, presented solutions aimed at upgrading and modernizing the existing counter-terrorism legal regime. Detailed recommendations were provided which outlined a comprehensive legal framework for counter-terrorism operations, preventive detention mechanisms and special courts with the ultimate objective being the need to generate credibility and transparency in the criminal justice process.

The keynote speech was delivered by Ahmer Bilal Soofi, President RSIL and former caretaker Law Minister. Soofi stated that the government needed to coordinate the provisions of ATA and PPO so that the overlap is limited. He further stated that the concepts in the PPO should be viewed as a list of items that the government wants to work on although the language needed to be improved to bring it consonance with international law and constitutional standards.

He further stated that the state feels the stress of fighting terrorism in accordance with obligations under UN resolutions while at the same time adhering to human rights framework that are also binding on Pakistan. He stated that the Parliament and the PML-N government while finalizing the draft of the PPO needs to take into account this delicate balance.

Soofi further highlighted that numerous management and administrative steps could be taken without legislative changes. He further proposed that a detailed programme for de-radicalization be undertaken on the lines of the Sri Lanka model. Soofi also said that a detailed and authoritative view of the Supreme Court was awaited on the Laws of War and Peace as applicable to the conflict in Pakistan. There is also a need for the Supreme Court to elaborate on the limits of indemnity of military personnel and civil servants and also on the responsibility of journalists.

Soofi also stated that given the overlap of topics between the PPO and the ATA, the government may consider making the PPO an exhaustive law in its own right and consider repealing the ATA altogether. This, he noted, however, was an issue for Parliament to debate further.

Khawaja Zaheer, advisor to PM, was the chief guest. He welcomed the initiative by RSIL and said it will be useful for the government. He also pointed out that assistance to the Supreme Court should be improved on the above-referred matters so that the court is better equipped to give authoritative pronouncements on aspects of conflict in Pakistan.

The Seminar concluded with a positive exchange of views by various participants including Ejaz Haider, AVM (R) Shehzad Choudhary, Secretary Defence Asif Yasin Malik, and Prof. Sikander Ahmed Shah. Other participants included members of the Islamabad and Punjab police, Federal Investigation Agency, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Law, Ministry of Defence and various other stakeholders.

Lawmakers urge multi-dimensional measures to counter terrorism

ISLAMABAD: Members of the National Assembly on Wednesday called for incorporating multi-pronged measures in the National Security Policy to fight terrorism and put forth recommendations for further fine-tuning the under discussion document.
The lawmakers touched upon a number of areas and recommended to focus the issues like deterrence and safety of the population, dissemination of information and deal with other issues inter-linked with terrorism like syllabi of the seminaries and funding.
Speaking on the motion in the House, Dr Shireen Mazari proposed to undertake three major steps based on disengaging, isolating and exterminating the extremists. "Let us first focus on those, who can be disengaged from extremists; then isolate those, who desire to wage a war; and then exterminate such miscreants."
She advocated to disengage from the US-led war on terrorism and also abandon the terminology "war on terrorism". "Even the United States does not use this terminology these days and let us not declare every act of violence as terrorism."
The member proposed to deal with potential supporters of extremists, secure the population and convince the "fence sitters" to join the state. "We need to convince them and win over to weaken the extremists."
Shireen Mazari also recommended to effectively disseminate information to media to nullify the impact of the "propaganda of the militants," and review the syllabi of the seminaries.
She recommended to the government to act cautiously in taking punitive measures because such steps sometimes become counter-productive.
Maj (retd) Tahir Iqbal recommended to engage the youth so they were not misguided by militants through "propaganda of Islamization and enforcement of their own type of Shariah."
He recommended the measures like "deterrence" to safeguard the population and "isolate the hardliners", who did not want to hold dialogue with the government and refused to obey the Constitution.
He said militants were engaged in psychological and strategic warfare with the government, therefore, it was needed to evolve a "counter subversion system" to deal with their moves. "We also need to educate our youth to stop them from following their ideology."
He said the role of media was very important to educate those innocent people, who were easily persuaded by militants in the name of religion.
Salman Baloch of Mutahidda Quomi Movement (MQM) criticized Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for conducting subversive activities in the country.
He said stern action should be taken against Taliban for saving the country. He urged politicians to do away with petty politics and work for the betterment of the country.
The National Internal Security Policy must be implemented forthwith as Taliban continue their killing spree across the country.
Daniyal Aziz of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) criticized country's police system and urged drastic reforms in Police system.
He criticized Islamabad Capital Administration (ICT) for their failure to check gory incident in district courts last day.
Sahibzada Tariqullah of Jamat-e-Islami lauded draft National Internal Security Policy saying it is a comprehensive policy.
He wondered that over 600,000 officials are working in country's more than 26 intelligence agencies but no place in the country is safe from terrorists.
He demanded local body elections in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and a development package for the areas to ensure their uplift.
Mehmood Khan Achakzai of Pakhtoonkhaw Milli Awami Party said Pakistan was at cross roads and it must be put on right track with collective wisdom.
He demanded joint sitting of the Parliament for discussing National Internal Security Policy. A resolution should be passed in the joint sitting that the constitution of the country is supreme and all parties must adhere to the resolution. The country must be put on right track with collective wisdom.
Supremacy of Constitution, Parliament must be ensured for ensuring peace and putting the country on right track.
He lamented protocol being given to the violator rather the abrogator of the constitution former President General (R) Pervez Musharraf.
He said people only demand an effective justice system in the country.
He lauded equity based non interference policy of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. An elected governor should be deployed in Fata. Without taking Afghanistan on board the operation against militants could not succeed. As militancy is bound to end after non provision of sanctuary.
He said military operation should be the last resort as it brings devastation.
Taking part in the discussion, former minister Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour opposed military operation in South Waziristan Agency. Democracy must flourish in the country, he added.
Bilour, who is a senior leader of Awami National Party (ANP), said the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had given a bad name to Islam, which was a religion of peace and there was no place for terror in its teachings.
Abdul Sattar Bachani of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) urged the government to take effective steps for achieving peace in the country.
He criticised former dictators Gen Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf for damaging the national institutions.
Chaudhry Khadim Hussain Wattoo of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz lauded the National Internal Security Policy. He appreciated opposition's positive behaviour for achieving lasting peace in the country.
Aiyasha Syed also hailed the draft National Internal Security Policy and urged the government to incorporate Islamic principals and laws into the policy. The menace of terrorism surfaced in 2002. The students of seminaries were not terrorists, she added.
She said the issue of sectarianism should also be resolved once for all.
She said foreign policy should also be linked with the internal security policy.
She urged training of police force and devising a merit-based appointment system for them. Merit should be ensured and corruption be eliminated from all institutions, she added.

Lawmakers urge multi-dimensional measures to counter terrorism

ISLAMABAD: Members of the National Assembly on Wednesday called for incorporating multi-pronged measures in the National Security Policy to fight terrorism and put forth recommendations for further fine-tuning the under discussion document.
The lawmakers touched upon a number of areas and recommended to focus the issues like deterrence and safety of the population, dissemination of information and deal with other issues inter-linked with terrorism like syllabi of the seminaries and funding.
Speaking on the motion in the House, Dr Shireen Mazari proposed to undertake three major steps based on disengaging, isolating and exterminating the extremists. "Let us first focus on those, who can be disengaged from extremists; then isolate those, who desire to wage a war; and then exterminate such miscreants."
She advocated to disengage from the US-led war on terrorism and also abandon the terminology "war on terrorism". "Even the United States does not use this terminology these days and let us not declare every act of violence as terrorism."
The member proposed to deal with potential supporters of extremists, secure the population and convince the "fence sitters" to join the state. "We need to convince them and win over to weaken the extremists."
Shireen Mazari also recommended to effectively disseminate information to media to nullify the impact of the "propaganda of the militants," and review the syllabi of the seminaries.
She recommended to the government to act cautiously in taking punitive measures because such steps sometimes become counter-productive.
Maj (retd) Tahir Iqbal recommended to engage the youth so they were not misguided by militants through "propaganda of Islamization and enforcement of their own type of Shariah."
He recommended the measures like "deterrence" to safeguard the population and "isolate the hardliners", who did not want to hold dialogue with the government and refused to obey the Constitution.
He said militants were engaged in psychological and strategic warfare with the government, therefore, it was needed to evolve a "counter subversion system" to deal with their moves. "We also need to educate our youth to stop them from following their ideology."
He said the role of media was very important to educate those innocent people, who were easily persuaded by militants in the name of religion.
Salman Baloch of Mutahidda Quomi Movement (MQM) criticized Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for conducting subversive activities in the country.
He said stern action should be taken against Taliban for saving the country. He urged politicians to do away with petty politics and work for the betterment of the country.
The National Internal Security Policy must be implemented forthwith as Taliban continue their killing spree across the country.
Daniyal Aziz of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) criticized country's police system and urged drastic reforms in Police system.
He criticized Islamabad Capital Administration (ICT) for their failure to check gory incident in district courts last day.
Sahibzada Tariqullah of Jamat-e-Islami lauded draft National Internal Security Policy saying it is a comprehensive policy.
He wondered that over 600,000 officials are working in country's more than 26 intelligence agencies but no place in the country is safe from terrorists.
He demanded local body elections in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and a development package for the areas to ensure their uplift.
Mehmood Khan Achakzai of Pakhtoonkhaw Milli Awami Party said Pakistan was at cross roads and it must be put on right track with collective wisdom.
He demanded joint sitting of the Parliament for discussing National Internal Security Policy. A resolution should be passed in the joint sitting that the constitution of the country is supreme and all parties must adhere to the resolution. The country must be put on right track with collective wisdom.
Supremacy of Constitution, Parliament must be ensured for ensuring peace and putting the country on right track.
He lamented protocol being given to the violator rather the abrogator of the constitution former President General (R) Pervez Musharraf.
He said people only demand an effective justice system in the country.
He lauded equity based non interference policy of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. An elected governor should be deployed in Fata. Without taking Afghanistan on board the operation against militants could not succeed. As militancy is bound to end after non provision of sanctuary.
He said military operation should be the last resort as it brings devastation.
Taking part in the discussion, former minister Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour opposed military operation in South Waziristan Agency. Democracy must flourish in the country, he added.
Bilour, who is a senior leader of Awami National Party (ANP), said the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had given a bad name to Islam, which was a religion of peace and there was no place for terror in its teachings.
Abdul Sattar Bachani of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) urged the government to take effective steps for achieving peace in the country.
He criticised former dictators Gen Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf for damaging the national institutions.
Chaudhry Khadim Hussain Wattoo of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz lauded the National Internal Security Policy. He appreciated opposition's positive behaviour for achieving lasting peace in the country.
Aiyasha Syed also hailed the draft National Internal Security Policy and urged the government to incorporate Islamic principals and laws into the policy. The menace of terrorism surfaced in 2002. The students of seminaries were not terrorists, she added.
She said the issue of sectarianism should also be resolved once for all.
She said foreign policy should also be linked with the internal security policy.
She urged training of police force and devising a merit-based appointment system for them. Merit should be ensured and corruption be eliminated from all institutions, she added.

JUI-F Chief condemns attack in Kunming, says terrorism poses regional threat

BEIJING: A senior Pakistani religious scholar and Chief of Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI-F) Maulana Fazalur Rahman said that terrorism has become a regional threat.

Maulana Fazalur Rahman, expressed these views while talking to Chinese Ambassador, Sun Weidong, Islamabad Tuesday, said a Xinhua news agency news report from federal capital.

The JUI(F) Chief said that Pakistan has all weather friendship with China and the people of both countries have supported each other in very difficult circumstances, the news report said.

He said that JUI-F has always condemned terrorist acts against Chinese people and it's government and will continue to do so.

He pointed out that militancy and terrorism has no future and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif government was trying to deal with the problem through various options including dialogue and reconciliation as set out by the Parliament.

According to JUI-F spokesman, Jan Muhammad Achakzai, the party chief said that Islam is a religion of peace, stability and development and it is only possible after restoring peace.

He said that parts of Pakistan and China are suffering from terrorism so both countries have shared interest for securing their people against the menace.

The JUI-F Chief welcomed the ground work on Economic Corridor project by the Chinese government saying that this project will bring in enormous opportunities for Pakistan.

The Maulana said that being part of current coalition, JUI-F strongly supports Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's government in attracting Chinese investment in Pakistan.

The Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong said that China recognizes and appreciates Pakistan's efforts to combat terrorism.

"Terrorism is the common enemy of the world, Pakistan and China. We see China and Pakistan as victims of terrorism. Terrorism is also a complex background. We want to cure the symptoms and roots of terrorism. But it should not be tolerated", he concluded.

China would want to further strengthen the relationship between Pakistan and China.

"We share the same common perspective and common dreams that China, Pakistan and other countries have so we should develop together", he said.

He said that restoring the old Silk Road will link China, Pakistan and Central Asia and beyond. Now planning of Pak-China corridor will help in practically restoring one part of that Silk Road.

He said the Corridor will link Kasgher to Gawadar port creating huge opportunities of cooperation and collaboration between the people of two counties.

"I appreciate the vision shared by Maulana Fazalur Rahman to build economic zones and develop economy in the region", said the Chinese Ambassador.

Pakistan Denies Protecting Pro-Taliban Haqqani Network

A resident collects items from the rubble of a house after it was damaged by grenades from gunmen on the outskirts of the northwestern city of Peshawar, Pakistan, Feb. 12, 2014.

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — Pakistan claims its “precision” air strikes against suspected militant bases in and around the volatile North Waziristan border region are “successfully” underway. It denies reports in the American media, however, that the country plans no action against the Haqqani network, a key ally of the Taliban in Afghanistan, which is entrenched in the tribal territory and known for staging attacks on Afghan and U.S. forces.

Pakistani jets and helicopter gunships repeatedly have bombed hideouts  within the past week of militants of the outlawed Terik-i-Taliban Pakistan, known as the TTP. The attacks focused on parts of tribal areas in the northwest, including the militant-dominated North Waziristan district.

Security officials say the action has killed more than 100 Islamist militants, some of them belonging to the central Asian republic of Uzbekistan, and destroyed a number of their strongholds.

TTP attacks

The government has in recent days tried to engage the militant network in peace talks to end years of deadly violence in Pakistan. Continued terrorist attacks on civilian and military targets, though, have provoked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to halt the peace process and to link its resumption to unconditional cessation of hostilities by the TTP.

Pakistani advisor on foreign policy and national security, Sartaj Aziz, told reporters in Islamabad the “punitive” military action in the Waziristan region is part of a new “internal security policy” that authorizes military action in response to each terrorist attack the TTP carries out in the country.

Aziz said “the air action in North Waziristan has been effective and is successfully underway.” He added that the government has kept the option of dialogue open, but the TTP so far has not responded positively in terms of halting their terrorist activities. The Pakistani national security advisor said the prime minister will consult all political parties before deciding whether a full-scale military offensive is required to fully establish the authority of the government in the Waziristan border district.

“The present government under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has come to power with a clear mandate to rid the Pakistani society of extremism, intolerance and all forms of violence. This is vital for our survival as a nation [and] a prerequisite for our progress and prosperity,” said Aziz.

Unfocused security policy

Critics allege the new security policy lacks clarity about how Pakistan plans to deal with militant groups like the Haqqani network, which is an ally of the Afghan Taliban and is using the Waziristan territory for staging attacks on US-led international forces in Afghanistan.

Some reports in the U.S. media also suggest that Pakistan is unlikely to target the Haqqani network even in the event of a major offensive because of its alleged links to the military. Aziz dismissed the criticism.

“I do not think that story is correct. Generally, we will take action against anybody who is indulging in extremist or terrorist activities there. So, there is no distinction I think,” he said.

The presence of the Haqqani network in Pakistan has been a major source of diplomatic tensions between Washington and Islamabad. It is widely believed the Pakistani spy agency, ISI, is protecting the group to prevent rival India from increasing its influence in Afghanistan after NATO’s combat forces withdraw from the country.

Members of the Haqqanis so far have distanced themselves from the violent activities of the Pakistani Taliban, and say their main focus has been on the insurgency across the Afghan border.

Terrorism in Pakistan----- How to Eradicate it

Terrorism is the biggest threat to Pakistan’s progress. It roots can be traced back from 1979, when there was an effort to kick out Russia from Afghanistan. But the problem became severe after 9/11. And now in 2011, it’s become a menace for our motherland. I do not want to go into detail history of terrorism in Pakistan. But the million dollar question is: what are the ways to eradicate or to overcome this most dangerous problem. So that as a result our nation can be brought back to the road of progress in all fields of life.

The first and foremost things are the unity and commitment. These are very important to achieve an objective. All stakeholders of the society must need to unite and become committed to this one agenda…….to eradicate terrorism from every nook and corner of the country. But after a very bloody war, we still see some of the stakeholders of the society who are supporting the extremist designs of the terrorist groups. I do not clearly know what their intensions are. But one thing is very clear: that is they are working against country’s betterment. We need to bring back first these people on the right direction using the process of dialogue.

Parliamentarian can play a very constructive role in this regard. They can use their influence in the right direction to convince the people of their constituencies to say “No to all sort of terrorist activities”. They can easily inculcate in the minds of people the vision of free terrorist society and about progressive and emerging Pakistan. But it is also a fact that we still did not see any useful role from these so-called representatives of the people. It is high time they must come forward to save the future of Pakistan.

Religious leaders in any society can play an effective role in times of crises. But the case of Pakistan is different regarding war on terror. These influential leaders were in some respect close to the terrorist organizations and to their self-professed ideology in the past. But it is the requirement of time that these leaders must come forward to use their influence in the society against all type of terrorism. They can play their effective role using mosques, speeches and writings to guide the ignorant masses of the country. There is still a large section of the society in Pakistan who prefers to listen these religious leaders at any cost. So why we are not utilizing the influence and potentials of these leaders in true sense?

Civil society is another major stakeholder. It is not playing their due role against war on terror. The close observation of this modern world demands that in time of crises civil society must come to the forefront to help the state machinery. But in Pakistan it is still a missing area (war on terror) of civil society. A mass movement is required to defeat the ideologies of terrorist organizations. And civil society can lead this mass movement very effectively. But this should be a collaborative effort from all stakeholders of the society. Because working alone against this big threat….terrorism can’t bring the desired results as required.

Education is another very important way to eradicate the root causes of terrorism. The first step should be to provide uniform system of education to the masses. This system of education must be free from prejudices and sectarian violence. It also includes both religious and modern education at equal ratios. This will help create citizens having a balanced approach towards life. Although it is a very lengthy process but it is very important. Because we need to clear the minds of young generation about the extreme designs of terrorist organizations. (A few days ago a renowned professor has given a lecture on topic related to terrorism in a university. In question-answer session when he was asked about who is responsible for terrorism in Pakistan. He refused to give any comments on this question). So this attitude must be stopped right now.

Good governance is another area which needed more attention in this regard. The important work in this regard which has been done so far is only to equip security personnel’s with latest weapons and to increase their salaries, and compensation in case of casualties. But Policy makers of Pakistan (after entering into the dangerous war on terror) did not create a suitable mechanism through which terrorism can effectively be checked. For example, there is no clear data of people residing in the country. There is no check and balance on foreigner’s activities in the country. There is no effective way to check cross border terrorism from Afghanistan and Indian side. There is not sufficient training mechanism for security personnel’s to counter terrorist organizations plots. There is still time our intelligence and law and order agencies can start door to door campaign for checking and registration, and to monitor it effectively. Also institutional working should be done according to rules and regulations. This will give a sense to the citizens of the country that Pakistan’s future largely depends on good governance, and ultimately they will participate in this process.

Also there is an urgent need for the military to come forward and state explicitly the present situation regarding war on terror to all citizens of the country. This strategy will clear the minds of people. Because Pakistan is the most affected country in the world in war against terrorism.

The role of parents and teachers can’t be denied in times of crises. Because they are the main architects of nations. But we see no efforts from any side (nor from them itself) to utilize their full potentials regarding elimination of terrorism. We are not observing any type of collective efforts within homes, schools, Colleges and universities against terrorism. It is time that these builders of nation must come forward to save the country future. After all, terrorism is our common enemy, and we can’t see a prosperous Pakistan without eradicating it.

All these major efforts must be initiated at the same time and must be communicated to all citizens through electronic and print media. This is also one of the most demanding area for the media to work on. As it is also badly required from the media to channelize their work in a constructive manner to inform people how they can beat terrorist designs. After all, united approach and combined efforts for a good cause can only make a nation stronger and prosperous in all respects.