Elections 2018: Objectives of Terrorism in Pakistan

By Zaheerul Hassan
Once again, Pakistan came under terrorists’ attacks in the month of July 2018 in which over 160 embraced Shahadat (martyred) and more than 300 people injured. Militancy planners and executors had chosen the time when in Pakistan political hype supposed to be on its peak and gathering of thousands of innocent people available as soft targets due to last month of elections campaign – 2018. In these attacks, four renowned patriotic candidates contesting for elections, Muhammad Haroon Balour, National Awami Party (NAP), Siraj Raisni of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Ikramullah Gandapur, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) candidate for PK-99 and Akram Durani Jammiaat ulme Islam (JUI) were marked and targeted, when they were either coming back or busy in conducting corner meetings. In the last attack , Akram Durani, JUI and Ikramullah Gandapur, PTI were targeted through miscreants firing and suicidal bomber on 22 July 2018. In these blasts five persons including Ikramullah Gandapur succumbed to death after receiving grave injuries. Many others people sustained severe injuries in the militant actions, however Akram Durani remained saved in these attacks.
Although the possibility of local enmities between candidates cannot be ruled out but similarities in timings tools and method of engaging innocent people are very much confirming foreign hands in current blast wave. The objectives of fomenting terrorism prior to elections could be, to create harassment in the public, derailing democracy process, attempt of causing political instability, stopping Pakistan to fence international border with insecure Afghanistan, posing Pakistan as insecure country globally, to cause delay in completion of game changing CPEC project. Lastly posing threat to country’ solidarity before and even after announcement of the elections’ results is very much possible.
Foreign actors particularly US and India are very well aware of strategic importance of Pakistan in South Asia. Developing economic corridor and handing over operational control of Gwadar Port to China had never been welcome by Indo-US nexus. Realizing the ground facts, Pakistan has practically left Washington camp and prefer to shake hands toward Russia. Islamabad has also offered Moscow to contact itself through CPEC to warm water. Islamabad has also times and again openly reiterated its association with Beijing. Thus, changing geopolitical scenario forcing also brought change in the political and regional allies too.
In this regards, foreign intelligence agencies CIA, RAW and Mossad through their locally sponsored agents are on the job of creating and exploiting differences in our society. They are supporting various religious groups, attempting to divide the society on ethnic and regional basis, breaking and making political parties, widening gulf and political divide within the people and into creating small segments, criminal elements, anti-Pakistan organizations.
International establishment is also backing or promoting the statements of those political leaders, member of respectable judiciary and media analysts who were in the past remained involve in criticizing and alleging supreme intelligence agency (ISI) and Pakistan Armed Forces for interfering in country’s affairs.
Unfortunately, once again an honourable member, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddique of the Islamabad High Court baselessly alleged ISI for its involvement in the coming elections and dictating judges of court on various issues. His entire speech during a recent decision is an eyes opener and also speaks about his biasness towards the sensitive intuitions of Pakistan. In this regard, Pakistan Army humbly requested the country’s top court to initiate appropriate process to ascertain the veracity of the allegations levelled by Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui – the Islamabad High Court judge.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) released a press note demanding, “In order to safeguard the sanctity and credibility of the state institutions, Honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan has been requested to initiate appropriate process to ascertain the veracity of the allegations and take actions accordingly,”.
Nevertheless, Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar has also taken a serious note of the situations and asked PAMRA had taken notice of Justice Siddiqui’s speech which he made during an event hosted by the Rawalpindi Bar Association on July 23, 2018 where he alleged that the country’s premier intelligence agency manipulated judicial proceedings.
Anyhow, in first attack on July 11, 2018 a suicidal bomber blasted himself when Haroon Balour was addressing public meeting in one his constituency located in interior area of KPK provincial capital Peshawar. Bashir Balour father of Haroon Balour was also killed in militant attack in 2013. Notably, raising voice against terrorism is the only fault of Balour family since they always openly condemned terrorists TTP.
On July 13, 2018 a bomber targeted political rally of the Siraj Raisani of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) killed at least 128 people and injured over 200, the deadliest in a string of attacks on electioneering that have heightened security fears ahead of the elections. He was true Pakistani who always raised voice against separatists’ movements.
The militants actions during this month widely been condemned with President Mamnoon Hussain, Caretaker Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk, Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Balochistan chief minister and others terming it a cowardly act.
The army chief expressed his grief over the loss of precious lives in the incident, a tweet of the Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) in connection with newly developed fresh arrangement . COAS condemns heinous terrorist attack in Mashtung. Grieved on loss of precious lives. Pak lost a highly devoted & capable politician Siraj Raisani. Attempts of inimical forces to derail important democratic activity shall not succeed.
The writer can have approached through zameer36@gmail.com

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