Asif Mahmood
In Balochistan, security forces conducted a successful intelligence based operation and rescued a young girl, Khair un Nisa, from the custody of a terrorist group. Chief Minister of Balochistan Sarfaraz Bugti said in a press conference that the girl, who belonged to Turbat, was being prepared for a suicide attack in Islamabad. Through a timely operation, she was rescued and has now safely been handed back to her father.
She was presented before the media after being rescued from the clutches of terrorists. Her revelations are deeply painful. She said she had been told that if she did not assist in terrorism, her father would be killed. She was allegedly meant to be used for terrorism in Islamabad. Islamabad remained safe, thanks to Allah, but this situation compels all of us to reflect.
On the borders, in the shape of Marka e Haq, Pakistan gave India such an effective and forceful response that before committing any future aggression or mischief, it will have to think many times over. But the reality is that India’s hostility towards Pakistan is no longer confined to the borders alone. It has also taken the form of information warfare. Water, too, has been turned into a weapon, while India, through its proxies, is employing the tactic of asymmetric warfare.
The first major front is that of asymmetric warfare. Through its proxies present in Afghanistan, India remains in a constant state of hostility against Pakistan and has turned terrorism into a weapon. In this war, not only are terrorist groups being used, but a systematic information war has also been imposed upon Pakistan. Countless social media accounts operating from Afghanistan and India remain engaged day and night in spreading venom against Pakistan, disseminating baseless propaganda, and attempting to make state institutions controversial. Behind these accounts appears to be a coordinated network in which the Indian diaspora is also involved. This entire network is attempting to shape an anti Pakistan narrative across the world so that Pakistan can be kept under pressure at every level.
Recent events show that the activities of Indian proxies have intensified significantly. The attack that took place in Bannu on May 10 was also part of the same chain. The gravity of the situation can be understood from the fact that during the past few months, 216 terrorists have been killed in operations conducted by security forces.
It was evident that after suffering a humiliating defeat on the borders, India could go to any shameful extent. And that is exactly what happened. Terrorism struck in Bannu. Not only this, but a major terrorist operation was also being planned in Islamabad, which security institutions foiled through timely action.
The case of Khair un Nisa should be treated as a test case. This is not an incident that should be handled merely as an ordinary attempt at terrorism. It should be examined not only in light of security requirements but also in light of social realities. Otherwise, the enemy will continue to exploit this very fault line, and this is where recruitment for such networks will continue to come from. To sustain this recruitment, information warfare is also being carried out with intensity. The tragedy is that in our society this information war is still regarded as freedom of expression. This is not freedom of expression. This is an information war against the state.
Balochistan has now been turned into a battlefield. The time for ambiguity and hesitation has passed.
